[raajveer]

The Maratha army of Shivaji Maharaj was a well organized and disciplined force. He had more than 32,00o horses and 300 elephants. The Shivaji Maharaj Army had a infantry of more than one lakh soldiers. There were also troopers who supplied their own horses and arms. The infantry of Shivaji army were splendidly equipped, dressed and armed at great expense of the state.

The most important part of the army was the famous state cavalry. Twenty-five troopers formed a unit which was placed under one havaldar.


The infantry was the next important branch of the army of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. In this nine soldiers formed a unit and were placed under one head.

Shivaji’s army was highly mobile and disciplined, and carried little baggage. No women were permitted to accompany the troops. Even the king had as little of baggage as possible. On account of its organization, rigorous discipline and extreme simplicity, the Shivaji Maharaj army was irresistible in the seventeenth century.