Militarization of Maratha Society

The Marathas bring with them a hardened martial culture to the lands they rule. They maintain close ties with the peasantry and lower castes, favoring an egalitarian outlook over a belief in the inherent worth of nobility. Unlike many Indian armies, which typically draw their manpower from the ranks of the nobility, the Marathas raise legions of peasant-soldiers skilled in guerrilla warfare. Though not endowed with the excellence of noble and illustrious birth, their martial experience makes them superior to the easy and effeminate troops of our enemies.