Moropant Trimbak Pingle

Who was Moropant Trimbak Pingle?

Moropant Trimbak Pingle, also known as Moropant Peshwā, was the first Peshwa of the Maratha Empire, serving on Shivaji's Council of Eight.

In 1647, Moropant joined 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 Vijapur'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 forces. He participated in Shivaji's invasion of Surat in 1664.

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.