Chauth, as levied by the Marathas, was what share of the revenue?
- A.One-tenth
- B.One-sixth
- C.One-fourth
- D.One-third
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, one-fourth. Chauth, from the word for four, was one-fourth of the revenue of a territory outside the Maratha kingdom, paid so that Maratha armies would not raid it and would in principle defend it. Option A is wrong because one-tenth was sardeshmukhi, an extra levy claimed on the ground that Shivaji was the hereditary sardeshmukh of Maharashtra, and the two are the classic pair that papers swap. Option B is wrong because one-sixth is the traditional royal share of produce named in ancient law books, not a Maratha levy. Option D is wrong because one-third corresponds to no Maratha demand; Maratha revenue on their own land was assessed separately under the system associated with Annaji Datto. Remember chauth as one-fourth and sardeshmukhi as one-tenth, together three-tenths and a little more.
Read the full article: Marathas and Sikhs: Shivaji, Peshwas, Gurus and PYQs
Practice Questions
View allWhich treaty was signed as a result of the Third Anglo-Maratha War between the British and the Holkar chief in 1818?
- A.Treaty of Purandar
- B.Treaty of Gwalior
- C.Treaty of Surat
- D.Treaty of Mandeshwar
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The Third Anglo-Maratha War of 1817 to 1818 was settled by a set of separate treaties with the Maratha houses, and the one with the Holkar chief of Indore was signed at Mandsaur, or Mandeshwar, in January 1818.
Read the full explanation →Which Maratha warrior died in the successful defence of the Sinhagad fort fighting against the Mughal army?
- A.Chimaji Appa
- B.Baji Prabhu Deshpande
- C.Tanaji Malusare
- D.Baji Pasalkar
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Tanaji led the night assault that recovered the fort of Kondana from the Mughal garrison in 1670 and was killed in the fighting.
Read the full explanation →In the Ashta Pradhan of Chhatrapati Shivaji's cabinet, the finance minister was called
- A.Peshwa
- B.Shuru Nawis
- C.Summant
- D.Amatya
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The Amatya, also called the Majumdar, kept the accounts of the kingdom and checked the income and expenditure of every district, which makes him the finance member of the eight.
Read the full explanation →The Third Battle of Panipat between the Marathas and Ahmad Shah Durrani, the ruler of Afghanistan, was fought in the year
- A.1781
- B.1851
- C.1761
- D.1831
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The Third Battle of Panipat was fought on 14 January 1761 between the Maratha army led by Sadashivrao Bhau, with Vishwasrao the Peshwa's son, and Ahmad Shah Abdali, also called Durrani, supported by the Rohillas and the Nawab of Awadh.
Read the full explanation →What was the function of Pandit Rao in Chhatrapati Shivaji's administration?
- A.Foreign Affairs
- B.Charities and Religious Affairs
- C.Accountant General
- D.Justice
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The Panditrao was the ecclesiastical head in the Ashta Pradhan, fixing the dates of religious ceremonies, supervising grants to temples and learned men, and punishing offences against religious custom.
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