Tracing history through Coins of Mahadji Shinde

Mahadji Shinde was a ruler of Gwalior State under the Maratha Empire. He was the one who was responsible for expanding Maratha power in North India after the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. Coins of Mahadji Shinde are found in various types. One of the types of Mahadji Shinde coins is the silver rupee struck in the name of Shah Alam II struck at Gwalior Mint.

Mahadji Shinde was a lieutenant of the Peshwa. Madhavrao I, Nana Fadnavis and Mahadji Shinde helped greatly in reviving Maratha Power. Gwalior became the top state of Maratha Empire and had the biggest military power in India during Mahadji’s rule. He helped Shah Alam II restore the Mughals to Delhi in 1771.

Mahadji Shinde Coins are found in various fractions of rupee denomination as well. By studying these coins of Mahadji Shinde, you will get a clear idea about the economic condition of those times and also about his association with the Mughals. Coins of Mahadji Shinde were struck at Gwalior mint. Mahadji Shinde coins of the denomination 1 rupee weighed 11.25 gm, had a diameter or around 22 to 23 mm. The Legend on coins of Mahadji Shinde named Shah Alam. They also featured the AH date and mint name: Gwalior Fort.

 After overpowering the Jats of Mathura, he defeated the Pashtun Rohillas in Rohilkhand and captured Najibabad in 1772 and 1773. He was the biggest threat to the British during the First Anglo-Maratha War which ended with the Treaty of Salbai in 1782. The treaty allowed him to mediate between the Peshwa and the British. It recognized Sawai Madhavrao as the Peshwa and granted Raghunath Rao a pension. All his territories west of the Yamuna along with Ujjain were given back.

He later attacked Rajput states like Jodhpur and Jaipur. Sikh sardars of the cis-Sutlej region also paid tributes to him. Mahadji defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad’s army, after which the Nizams restricted itself in the Deccan region. He signed a peace treaty with Tipu Sultan in 1792. He later used his influence to protect Tipu Sultan in a treaty between the British, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the Peshwa.

Mahadji Shinde history can be beautifully traced back through his coinage. That’s the reason why numismatics plays such a vital role in exploring the unknown facts hidden in the pages of history.