Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
Shivaji Maharaj established the sovereign Maratha Kingdom in Deccan in the year 1674. He was a great challenge to the authority of Mughals and other Deccan Sultanates during his time. In this article, we would try and appreciating how he was able to establish such a huge kingdom on his own. Happy Reading!!!
Table of Contents
Shivaji's Early Life
Shivaji was born in Pune on 19th February 1630. His father, Shahaji Raje belonged to Bhosle clan and he was a military commander who served Ahmadnagar and Bijapur sultanates at different points in his career. His mother, Jijabai was a descendent of Yadava family.
At the time of Shivaji’s birth, Deccan was ruled by 3 sultanates- Bijapur, Ahmednagar and Golconda. In 1636, after the disintegration of Ahmednagar Sultanate, Shahaji handed over his Pune jagir to Shivaji and Jijabai and himself moved towards South.
Shivaji's tussle with Bijapur Sultanate
In 1646, when Shivaji was just 16 years old, he captured Torana fort from Bijapur Sultanate. Later he also captured ports of Purandar, Kondhana and Chakan. The money from these forts were used to build the fort of Raigad which served as the capital of the Maratha Empire.
While Bijapur Government was noticing the rebellious activities of Shivaji, in 1648, they ordered the imprisonment of Shahaji (Shivaji’s father). He was also released the next year. During 1649-1655, Shivaji focussed on consolidation of the existing empire rather than reckless expansion. After 1655, he continued his offensive campaigns in South and South West Maharashtra.
Shivaji Vs Afzal Khan
Bijapur was very envious of Shivaji’s expansion in Deccan region. After Bijapur- Mughal Treaty, Bijapur government became more stable as now there was no threat from Mughals. So, they can just focus on Shivaji’s rebellious activities in the Deccan. In 1657, the Bijapur sultan sent Afzal Khan to arrest Shivaji. On his way to arrest Shivaji, he destroyed the famous Hindu pilgrimage sites like Tulja Bhavani Temple, Lord Vitthoba Temple, etc.
Being almost caught by Afzal Khan, Shivaji retreated to Pratapgarh Fort. Later, both Afzal Khan and Shivaji decided to meet in private. Shivaji was suspicious that Afzal Khan would attack him or arrest him. So, he secretly took ‘bagh nakh’ (metal weapon made from tiger claws). In this way, when the two met, Shivaji killed Afzal Khan and then ordered his hidden troops to attack the Bijapuri army. In the ensuing Battle of Pratapgarh in 1659, Shivaji defeated the Bijapuri forces very badly.
Battle of Panhala
Later Shivaji also seized Panhala Fort from Bijapur. In 1660, Bijapur decided to attack Shivaji from the south and Mughals from the north. English helped the Bijapur sultanate with grenades and other weapons. This enraged Shivaji and he attacked and plundered English factories at Rajapur. After months of struggle, Shivaji gave away the Panhala Fort and retreated to Vishalgad. Shivaji retook Panhala in 1673.
Shivaji's Conflict with Mughals
Till 1657, Shivaji has peaceful relations with Mughals. He even made an offer to Mughals with help to defeat Bijapur in return for right to Bijapuri forts under his possession. Dissatisfied with the Mughal response and a better offer from Bijapur, he launched an attack in Mughal territories in Deccan. When Shivaji attacked Mughal territories near Ahmednagar, Aurangzeb responded and defeated Shivaji’s forces. However, these attacks could not continue of long because of upcoming rainy season and Battle of succession in Mughal Empire. At this time, Aurangzeb was busy fighting with his brothers like Dara Shikoh, etc. in lieu to get the seat of Mughal Empire.
Shivaji Attacked on Shaista Khan and Surat
On request of Bijapur, Aurangzeb sent Shaista Khan with a huge army 150,000 to attack Shivaji’s territories. As a result, he was able to take control of Pune and he established his residence at Shivaji’s palace at Lal Mahal.
In April 1663, Shivaji attacked Shaista Khan’s camp in night. He wounded Shaista Khan forcing him to flee and seek refugee in Mughal camp outside Pune. Aurangzeb punished him for this cowardly attitude and transferred him to Bengal. Meanwhile, Shivaji faced a financial crunch due to Shaista Khan invasion. So, he decided to attack port city of Surat. He also conducted a naval raid on Portuguese.
Treaty of Purandar
Aurangzeb was disgusted at the defeat of Shaista Khan. In response, he sent his Rajpur Military commander, Mirza Raja Jai Singh I to defeat Shivaji. While Jai Singh was raiding Maratha territories and capturing various forts of Shivaji, he was also successful in luring away several of Shivaji’s key commanders and many of his cavalrymen into Mughal service. By mid-1665, he captured the fort of Purandar and Shivaji was forced to come in terms with Jai Singh.
In the ensuing Treaty of Purandar, Shivaji gave away his 23 forts and pay compensation of 400000 to Mughals. Shivaji agreed to become a feudatory of Mughals and he also sent hi son, Sambhaji to fight for Mughals in the Deccan.
Shivaji Arrested in Agra
In 1666, Aurangzeb called Shivaji and his son in the court of Agra. He wanted Shivaji to conquer Mughal Empire’s North West frontier. But here, Shivaji was humiliated as he was made to stand among the low-ranking nobles. Shivaji boycotted the court and he was immediately placed under house arrest.
Jai Singh has promised Shivaji of his safety. So, he tried to influence Aurangzeb to grant pardon to Shivaji. In the meantime, Shivaji made a plan to escape. He pretended to be ill and began sending donations for poor and Branhmins in large baskets. One fine day he actually put himself in one of the large baskets and his son in another one and were successful in escaping from Agra.
Peace with Mughals
After Shivaji escaped, Mughal Sardar Jaswant Singh acting as an intermediary between Shivaji and Aurangzeb for continued peace. As part of peace negotiations, Aurangzeb conferred the title of Raja to Shivaji. He also permitted Shivaji to take over the declining Adilshahi sultanate. The weak Adilshahi ruler wanted peace and himself surrendered his territory to Shivaji. Also, Aurangzeb restored Sambhaji to the title of Mughal Mansabdar with 5000 sawar rank.
Reconquest
The peace between Mughals and Marathas continued till 1670. Mughals took away Berar from Shivaji to recover their loan given to Shivaji. In response, Shivaji also captured some Mughal territories. He also sacked the city of Surat but he was not able to conquer it because of the repulsion from English and Dutch. The battles between Shivaji, Aurangzeb, European companies kept on continuing with one attacking others territories.
Coronation of Shivaji Maharaj
Though Shivaji has captured a large territory in Deccan but he lacked a formal title. Till now, he was just a feudatory of Mughal Empire. The formal coronation of Shivaji Maharaj took place on June 6, 1674. The coronation ceremony was held at the Raigad Fort, which was Shivaji Maharaj’s capital. He was crowned by his spiritual guru, Ramdas Swami, who placed the sacred crown (rajmudra) on his head. Shivaji Maharaj assumed the title of “Chhatrapati,” which means “paramount sovereign” or “emperor.” This title signified his status as the ruler of an independent Maratha kingdom.
The coronation of Shivaji Maharaj was not just a political event; it also had religious and cultural significance. It symbolized the revival of Hindu power and the assertion of Maratha independence against the Mughal Empire, which became a dominant force in India at that time.
Shivaji's Conquest of Southern India
After his coronation in 1674, Shivaji Maharaj focused on expanding his Maratha Empire in southern India. His efforts in southern India were primarily led by his generals, as Shivaji himself spent much of his time dealing with administrative matters in the heart of his empire in western India.
One of the notable campaigns was the capture of the Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu. The fort was a stronghold of the Bijapur Sultanate, and its capture in 1677 and 1678 was a significant achievement for the Marathas.
Shivaji’s generals, like Santaji Ghorpade, continued to expand Maratha influence in Karnataka. They captured several strategic forts and regions in the Deccan Plateau, including places like Jinji, Vellore, and Bangalore.
In 1680, Shivaji entered into a treaty with the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, which allowed him to keep control of the territories he had acquired in the Deccan, including his conquests in southern India. This provided some stability in the south for a period.
Death of Shivaji Maharaj
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire in western India, passed away on April 3, 1680. His death is an important event in Indian history. The exact cause of Shivaji Maharaj’s death is a matter of historical debate and controversy. Some historical accounts suggest that Shivaji Maharaj died of fever or an illness, possibly due to an infection or an internal ailment. There are also theories that propose he may have been poisoned. This theory is supported by the fact that there were political rivals and enemies who might have wanted to eliminate him. Another theory suggests that he might have sustained injuries during a hunting expedition, and those injuries may have contributed to his death.
He was succeeded by his son, Sambhaji, who had the challenging task of maintaining and expanding the Maratha Empire in the face of formidable challenges, including conflicts with the Mughal Empire.
FAQs
Shivaji was born on February 19, 1630, in the hill fort of Shivneri, located in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India.
Shivaji’s major achievements include the establishment of the Maratha Empire, the introduction of effective administrative and military systems, and his successful campaigns against the Mughals and other regional powers. He is also known for promoting tolerance and pluralism in his kingdom.
The exact cause of Shivaji Maharaj’s death is still a subject of historical debate. Various theories include illness, poisoning, or injuries sustained during a hunting expedition. Regardless of the cause, his death occurred on April 3, 1680, at Shivneri Fort.
After Shivaji’s death, his son Sambhaji ascended to the throne as the next ruler of the Maratha Empire.
The Battle of Pratapgarh was won by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Maratha forces. During this battle, Shivaji Maharaj, defeated Afzal Khan, a general of the Adil Shahi Sultanate of Bijapur. The victory at Pratapgarh marked a significant triumph for Shivaji and played a pivotal role in strengthening his position and furthering the cause of Maratha independence.
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