Moropant Trimbak Pingle

Moropant Trimbak Pingle
Pradhan to Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji, Sardar of Pratapgad, Peshwa of Maratha Empire
Predecessor	Post Created
Successor	Moreshvar Pingale
Born	est. 1620 Nimgaon
Died	1683 Pratapgad, Satara
Issue	Nilakanth Moreshva Pingale, Bahiroji Pingale
Father	Trimbak Pingale
Religion	Hindu, Deshastha Brahmin

Moropant Trimbak Pingle (1620–1683), also known as Moropant Peshwā, was the first peshwa of the Maratha Empire, serving on Shivaji's Ashta Pradhan Council of Eight (English-Ashtapradhan Mandal, Marathi-अष्टप्रधान मंडळ).^[1]

Early life

He was born in Deshastha Brahmin family^[2] in 1620 Nimgaon. In 1647, Moropant joined Chatrapati Shivaji in establishing the Maratha Empire. He was one of the warriors who participated in the successful 1659 battle of Shivaji's forces against the forces of Bijapur's Adil Shah which immediately followed Adil Shah's general Afzalkhān's death at Jāwali. He also participated in the battles at Trimbakeshwar Fort and Wāni-Dindori against the Mughal Empire. He participated in Shivaji's invasion of Surat in 1664. Sambhaji Maharaj son of Shivaji stayed with Moropant's relatives in Mathura after their escape from Agra.

Moropant introduced sound revenue administration to Shivaji's regime, and played an important role in resource planning concerning defenses and maintenance of strategic forts. He was also responsible for the construction and administration of Pratapgad. At Shivaji's death, Moropant Pingle was working as a supervisor of fort development activities in Nashik District for the Salher-Mulher forts.

Under Shivaji's successor, Sambhaji, he also participated in the battle of Burhanpur in 1681.

His descendants still live in Pune and have their Kul devta (family deity) as the Balaji of Tirupati.

References