Thanjavur Marathas

Maratha Kingdom of Thanjavur Princely State of Thanjavur
Kingdom from 1674 to 1799. Princely state under the paramountcy of the British Raj (1799–1855)
1674–1855
Map of Tanjore
Approximate extent of the Thanjavur Maratha Kingdom, at the time of its accession to the British in 1798
Capital		Tanjore
Languages		Marathi, Tamil, Telugu
Religion		Hindu
Government		Principality
Ruler
•	(first) 1674 - 1684	Venkoji
•	(last) 1832 - 1855	Shivaji II of Thanjavur
History
•	Conquest of the Thanjavur Nayak kingdom by Venkoji	1674
•	Earliest records	1674
•	Disestablished	1855
Preceded by Succeeded by Thanjavur Nayak kingdom Ramnad estate Tanjore District (Madras Presidency)
Today part of		India

Thanjavur Marathas of the Bhonsle dynasty, were the rulers of Thanjavur principality of Tamil Nadu between the 17th to the 19th century C.E. Their native language was Marathi. Venkoji was the founder of the dynasty.

Following the demise of Chola rule in the 13th century, the Thanjavur country came under the rule of the Pandyas who ruled for about a century. Following the invasion of Malik Kafur, the Tanjore country fell into disorder. The rule of the Delhi Sultanate lasted for half a century before Pandya chieftains reasserted their independence. Soon afterwards, however, they were conquered by the Vijayanagara Empire. The supremacy of Vijayanagar was challenged by the Nayaks of Madurai who eventually conquered Thanjavur in 1646. The rule of the Thanjavur Nayaks lasted until 1673 when Chokkanatha Nayak the ruler of Madurai invaded Thanjavur and killed the ruler Vijayaraghava.

Chokkanatha placed his brother Alagiri on the throne of Thanjavur, but within a year the latter threw off his allegiance, and Chokkanatha was forced to recognise the independence of Thanjavur. A son of Vijaya Raghava induced the Bijapur Sultan to help him get back the Thanjavur throne. In 1675, the Sultan of Bijapur sent a force commanded by the Maratha general Venkoji (alias Ekoji) to recapture the kingdom from the new invader. Venkoji defeated Alagiri, and occupied Thanjavur. He did not, however, place his protege on the throne as instructed by the Bijapur Sultan, but seized the kingdom and made himself king. Thus began the rule of the Marathas over Thanjavur.

Venkoji, a half-brother of the great Maratha king Shivaji was the first Raja of Thanjavur from the Bhosale dynasty. It is believed that he took over the administration of Thanjavur in April 1674 and ruled till 1684. During his reign, his brother Shivaji invaded Gingee and Thanjavur in 1676–1677 and made his brother Santaji the ruler of all lands to the north of the Coleroon. During the last years of his reign, Venkoji also allied with Chokkanatha of Madurai to repulse an invasion from Mysore..