Chhatrapati is a royal title from Sanskrit used to denote a monarch or imperial head of state. The word "Chhatrapati" is a Sanskrit language compound word of chhatra (parasol or umbrella) and pati (master/lord/ruler).^[1] This title was used by the House of Bhonsle, between 1674 and 1818, as the heads of state of the Maratha Confederacy.

The states of Satara and Kolhapur came into being in 1707, because of the succession dispute over the royalty. Shahuji, the heir apparent to the Maratha empire, captured by the Mughals at the age of nine, remained their prisoner at the death of his father Sambhaji, the elder son of Shivaji the founder of the Maratha Empire, in 1689. The dowager Maharani Tarabai (wife of Rajaram I) proclaimed her son Shivaji II, as Chhatrapati under her regency. The Mughals released Shahu under certain conditions in 1707, and he returned to claim his inheritance. He defeated the regent at the Battle of Khed and established himself at Satara, forcing her to retire with her son to Kolhapur. By 1710 two separate principalities had become an established fact. Shivaji II and Tarabai were soon deposed by the other wife of Rajaram, Rajasbai. She installed her own son, Sambhaji II, as the new ruler of Kolhapur. Sambhaji II signed the Treaty of Warana in 1731 with his cousin Shahuji to formalize the two separate seats of Bhonsle family.^[2]

This is the list of the initial Chhatrapatis.

More information Portrait, Birth ...

Portrait	Chhatrapati	Birth	Reign	Death
	Shivaji I	19 February 1630[3]	6 June 1674 – 5 April 1680	5 April 1680
	Sambhaji	14 May 1657	16 January 1681 – 11 March 1689	11 March 1689
	Rajaram I	24 February 1670	11 March 1689 – 3 March 1700	3 March 1700
	Shivaji II	9 June 1696	1700–1707, 1710 – 2 August 1714 (Kolhapur State)	14 March 1726
	Shahu I	18 May 1682	12 January 1708 – 15 December 1749	15 December 1749

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This is the list of the Chhatrapatis of Satara.^[4]

This is the list of the Chhatrapatis of Kolhapur.^[4]

• House of Bhonsle
• Maratha Empire
• Maratha
• Maratha titles