With reference to the Kunbis in the Maratha army during the seventeenth century, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) They were primarily landowning elites who financed the Maratha campaigns.
(b) They formed the core of the Maratha cavalry and were given hereditary land grants in return for service.
(c) They were peasant-pastoralists who provided the backbone of the Maratha army.
(d) They served exclusively as fort commanders and administrators under Shivaji.

Question

With reference to the Kunbis in the Maratha army during the seventeenth century, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) They were primarily landowning elites who financed the Maratha campaigns.
(b) They formed the core of the Maratha cavalry and were given hereditary land grants in return for service.
(c) They were peasant-pastoralists who provided the backbone of the Maratha army.
(d) They served exclusively as fort commanders and administrators under Shivaji.

ONLiNE UPSC · Accepted Answer

Kunbis were a group of highly mobile peasant-pastoralists who played a crucial role in Shivaji&rsquo;s army. Unlike feudal elites, they were not landowning aristocrats but rather hard-working cultivators and herders who contributed significantly to the Maratha military. Their mobility and adaptability made them ideal soldiers in Shivaji&rsquo;s guerilla warfare tactics.

Indian History

Maratha Empire

Website Link

Test Your Knowledge

Student Resources


M Question 1	⏱ 0
With reference to the Kunbis in the Maratha army during the seventeenth century, which one of the following statements is correct? (a) They were primarily landowning elites who financed the Maratha campaigns. (b) They formed the core of the Maratha cavalry and were given hereditary land grants in return for service. (c) They were peasant-pastoralists who provided the backbone of the Maratha army. (d) They served exclusively as fort commanders and administrators under Shivaji.