Maharaja

About this board game

Maharaja is a historical board game for 3–5 players that follows migrations and changing powers across the Indian sub-continent over an approximately 240-minute playing time.

Inspired by the system used in Britannia, the game transfers that approach to a different geography and historical era. Its map stretches from the foothills of the Himalayas to the island of Sri Lanka, also known as Ceylon or Serendib.

The game’s sweeping timeline begins with the Aryan invasions of 1500 BC and continues through the establishment of the British Raj in the mid-1800s. Across this long historical span, Maharaja presents a broad view of the migrations of peoples and the transformation of the region.

• Players: 3–5
• Playing time: approximately 240 minutes
• Historical scope: from 1500 BC to the mid-1800s
• Setting: the Indian sub-continent, from the Himalayas to Sri Lanka

Rather than focusing on a single moment, Maharaja offers an extended historical journey across India and its surrounding region. The result is a substantial game experience built around the movement and succession of peoples over centuries.

First released in 1994, the game was also republished in French by Descartes under the title Maharadjah, with a new box cover. For players interested in large-scale historical settings and the migration-focused system associated with Britannia, Maharaja provides a distinct journey through the history of the Indian sub-continent.