The Maratha Empire

 The Maratha Empire was a Hindu-dominated empire that existed in India from the 17th to the early 19th century. The empire was founded by Shivaji, who established the Maratha Kingdom in western India in 1674. The empire expanded under the rule of Shivaji's descendants, particularly under the leadership of Shivaji's grandson, Shahu, and his great-grandson, the Peshwa Baji Rao I. The Marathas controlled much of India and were one of the major powers in the Indian subcontinent during the 18th century. They were eventually defeated by the British East India Company in the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818, which marked the end of the Maratha Empire.