WilfredBirmingha at 06:25, 6 March 2026

2026-03-06T06:25:09Z

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{{Short description|Council of ministers in the Maratha empire}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2020}}
[[File:Thomas_Daniell,_Sir_Charles_Warre_Malet,_Concluding_a_Treaty_in_1790_in_Durbar_with_the_Peshwa_of_the_Maratha_Empire.jpg|right|thumb|270x270px|Durbar of Peshwa [[Madhavrao II]] in [[Pune]] by [[Thomas Daniell]] c. 1790]]
'''Ashta Pradhan''' ([[Literal translation|literally]], 'Council of Eight') was the [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] of the [[Maratha Confederacy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ashta-Pradhan|title = Ashta Pradhan | Marathi council}}</ref> The council is credited with having implemented [[good governance]] practices in the [[Maratha]] heartland, as well as for the success of the military campaigns against the [[Mughal Empire]].

== Constitution ==
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2020}}

The coronation of Shivaji was held in 1674, at the fort of [[Raigad fort|Raigad]] in present-day [[India]]n state of [[Maharashtra]]. On that occasion, Shivaji formalized the institution of a council of eight ministers to guide the administration of his nascent state. This council came to be known as the ''Ashta Pradhan''. Each of the ministers was placed in charge of an administrative department; thus, the council heralded the birth of a bureaucracy.

The formalization of an administrative mechanism was of a piece with other measures, indicative of the formalization of a sovereign state, which were implemented on the occasion of Shivaji's coronation: coinage bearing his insignia (the copper ''Shivrai'' and the gold ''hon'') were issued, and a new era, the ''Rajyabhishek era,'' was proclaimed on the occasion.

== Composition ==
The ''Ashta Pradhan'' was designed to encompass all the primary administrative functions of the state, with each minister being given charge of one role in the administration. Ministerial designations were drawn from the [[Sanskrit]] language; the eight ministerial roles were as follows<ref name="Britannica"/>:

*''Pantpradhan'' or ''Peshwa'' - [[Prime Minister]], general administration of the Empire. [[Moropant Trimbak Pingle]] was the first ''Peshwa'' appointed by Shivaji.
*''Amatya'' or ''Mujumdar'' - [[Finance Minister]], managing accounts of the Empire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kkhsou.in/main/history/marathas.html|title = KKHSOU}}</ref> In 1662 Nilo Sondeo was appointed as Mujumdar. In 1674, at the Coronation ceremony, the post Mujumdar was renamed as Amatya and the title was solely bestowed [[Ramchandra Pant Amatya]].
*''Shurunavis/Sacheev'' - [[Secretary]], preparing royal edicts. In 1662 [[Annaji Datto Sacheev|Annaji Datto]] was appointed as Shurnavis/Sacheev.
*''Waqia-Navis'' - [[Interior Minister]], managing internal affairs especially intelligence and espionage.
*''Sar-i-Naubat or Senapati'' - [[Commander-in-Chief]], managing the forces and defence of the Empire. Netaji Palkar was appointed as the first Senapati. Most famous [[Senapati]] in that era was [[Hambirrao Mohite]].
*''Sumant/Dabir'' - [[Foreign Minister]], to manage relationships with other sovereigns. First Dubeer was Sonopant Vishwanath Dubeer who was sent by Shahaji to help Shivaji I and Jijabai in Pune region. After Sonopant, his son Traymbak Sono Dubeer was appointed as Dubeer and after him, his son Ramchandra Tyambak Dubeer was appointed as Dubeer in Maharaj's Asth Pradhan Mandal. When Shivaji donated the gold equal to his mother Jijabai's weight, he also donated the gold equal to Sonopant Dubeer's weight at Mahabaleshawar. Sonopant Vishwanath Dubeer is the only member to have control over two departments i.e., Dubeer and Shurunavis, once upon a time.
*''Nyayadhish'' - [[Chief Justice]], dispensing justice on civil and criminal matters. The post of Nyayadish or Chief Justice was bestowed on Niraji Ravaji, father of [[Pralhad Niraji]].
*''Panditrao'' - [[High Priest]], managing internal religious matters. The duties of the Panditrao were to promote learning and in the Ashta Pradhan, known as Senapat or Sarnobat, he was to watch over the interests of his officers. Raghunath Panditrao was given the post ''Panditrao''.

Continued conflict with the [[Mughal Empire]] meant that military matters remained exceedingly important to the affairs of the nascent state. Hence, with the notable exception of the priestly ''Panditrao'' and the judicial ''Nyayadisha'', the other ''pradhans'' held full-time military commands, and their deputies performed their civil duties in their stead. In the later era of the Maratha Empire, these deputies and their staff constituted the core of the [[Peshwa]]'s bureaucracy.

==During Shivaji rule==
[[File:The Coronation Durbar with over 100 characters depicted in attendance.jpg|thumb|Coronation of [[Shivaji]] by [[M. V. Dhurandhar]]]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Designation/Title
! Office Holder
! Appointment
! Successor
! Notes
|-
|Pantpradhan / Peshwa ([[Prime Minister]])
|[[Moropant Trimbak Pingle]]
|1674
|[[Moreshvar Pingale]]
|
|-
|Amatya / Mujumdar ([[Finance Minister]])
| Nilo Sondeo
|1662
|[[Ramchandra Pant Amatya]]
|
|-
|Shurunavis/Sacheev ([[Secretary]])
|[[Annaji Datto Sacheev]]
|1662
|Ragho Annaji
|
|-
|Waqia-Navis ([[Interior Minister]])
|Dattoji pant
|
|
|
|-
|Sar-i-Naubat / Senapati ([[Commander-in-Chief]])
|[[Hambirao Mohite]]
|1674
|[[Mhaloji Ghorpade]]
|
|-
|Sumant / Dabir - ([[Foreign Minister]])
|Sonopant Trimbakpant Dabir
|
|Trimbakpant Dabir
|
|-
|Nyayadhish ([[Chief Justice]])
|Niraji Ravaji
|
|[[Pralhad Niraji]]
|
|-
|Panditrao ([[High priest|High Priest]])
|[[Raghunath Pandit|Raghunathrao Panditrao]]
|
|Moreshvar Raghunath
|
|}

== After Shivaji ==
Shivaji son [[Sambhaji]], (ruled 1680–89) reduced the powers of the council. Over time, council positions became hereditary, ceremonial positions at court with nominal powers, if any. Beginning 1714 AD, a prime minister appointed by Shivaji's grandson [[Shahu I|Shahu]] gradually arrogated power. Within a short period, ''de facto'' control of the Maratha state passed to his family. This family of hereditary prime ministers retained the title of ''Peshwa.'' However, the ''Ashta Pradhan'' council was never revived to fill the functions it discharged for the last decade of Shivaji reign.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Ashta Pradhan |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ashta-Pradhan |access-date=2026-03-05}}</ref>

==Positions Equal to the Ashtapradhan==
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2020}}
*[[Chitnis]]
Also See: [[Khando Ballal|Khando Ballal Chitnis]]
*Guptahere
Also see: [[Bahirji Naik]]
*[[Phadnavis]]
* Also see: [[Nana Fadnavis]]
== Miscellany ==
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2020}}
* The Ashta Pradhan is somewhat similar to the court arrangements of other famous emperors such as the [[Navaratnas]] of the courts of both [[Vikramaditya]] and [[Akbar]], as also of the [[Astadiggajas]] of [[Krishna Deva Raya]]'s court.
*[[Lakshman Sen]] the ruler of the [[Sena Empire]] had ''Pancharatnas'' .
* The Ashta Pradhan can be construed as an initiative to develop a second line of leadership in the state akin to the [[Khalsa]] by [[Guru Gobind Singh]].{{cn|date=November 2023}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* [https://archive.today/20070312030241/http://cache.britannica.com/eb/article-9009847 Ashta Pradhan. (2006).] In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved June 18, 2006, from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service: [https://archive.today/20070312030241/http://cache.britannica.com/eb/article-9009847]

[[Category:Maratha Empire]]
[[Category:1674 establishments in India]]

Ashta Pradhan - Revision history

WilfredBirmingha at 06:25, 6 March 2026