Shivaji

Shivaji

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

The credit of the rise of the Marathas goes to Shivaji. Historians have divergent opinions about the date of birth of Shivaji. V.K. Rajware and B.G. Tilak mention in Shiva Charitra Pradeep that he was born in A.D. 1627, whereas some other historians like J.N. Sarkar consider 19^th March A.D. 1630 to be the date of birth of Shivaji. He was born in the hilly fort of Shivner near Junnar to Jija Bai who was the first wife of Shahji Bhonsle. As Shahji Bhonsle married another woman Tuka Bai Mohite, in his early age Shivaji was taken by his mother to Poona to his grandfather, Dadaji Kondeva, who brought him up with great care. From the very childhood Shivaji was fearless. In the making of his character and personality the three great personalities – Jija Bai, his mother, Guru Samarth Ram Dass and Dadaji Kondeva – contributed a lot. Soon he became expert both in the religious scriptures and in handling various arms.

When Shahji Bhonsle handed over to Shivaji his Jagir of Poona, he was only twelve years of age. In A.D. 1641, he was married to Sai Bai Nimbalkar at Bangalore. The town of Jawali had a great significance in the rise of Shivaji where mostly Mawalis lived. Shivaji organized them by his military ability and began to conquer forts, one after the other.

First of all Shivaji conquered the fort of Toran and found immense wealth there. He utilized this wealth in building the famous fort of Rajgarh and organizing his army. Later on he attained victory over other kingdoms of Bijapur. As a result of Shivaji’s victories, the Sultan of Bijapur put his father Shahji into imprisonment on the charge of treason. Shivaji endeavored to set his father free with the help of Prince Murad Bakhsha but he did not succeed. After an unstable and temporary truce, Shivaji again resorted to conquests and established his control over Jawali in A.D. 1556.

Perhaps Shivaji, being a shrewd politician and efficient diplomat, did not want to wage a war against the Mughals and the Bijapurs at a time. In A.D. 1656, after the death of Muhammad Adil Shah, Aurangzeb planned to invade Bijapur. Shivaji was prepared to support Aurangzeb on the condition that Aurangzeb recognized his victories in Bijapur. But seeing the indifferent attitude of Aurangzeb he concluded a pact with the Sultan of Bijapur, and Maratha soldiers and commanders, plundered the region up to Ahmadnagar. Shivaji himself entered Junnar and they looted three lakh Huns along with some horses. Aurangzeb wanted to punish Shivaji but he could not take any action against the Maratha chief, because in A.D, 1657 war of succession broke out among the sons of Shahjahan due to his illness and Aurangzeb had to withdraw his attention from Deccan to the Mughal throne.

When war of succession erupted among the Mughal princes, Shivaji got an appropriate opportunity to increase his power and to strengthen his army for the extension of his empire. He unsuccessfully endeavoured to attain victory against the Sidis. In A.D. 1657, Shivaji achieved victory over Konkan and forced the Portuguese for the payment of revenue. Shivaji got a vast booty form this place.

From 6^th January to 10^th January A.D. 1664 Shivaji plundered the most prosperous Mughal port of Surat. After making a secret scheme Shivaji made an invasion against Surat when the process of exchange of Subedars was going on in Aurangabad. The sudden attack of the Marathas terrified the people and they began to flee away with their families. The Marathas, therefore, plundered unguarded and populated port of Surat freely.

In A. D. 1665 Shivaji bound to sign the Treaty of Purandar. After the treaty of Purandar was signed the fort of Purandar was surrendered to the Mughals and Shivaji was honoured with a Khillat from the Mughal emperor.

In 1666, Shivaji was humiliated in the Mughal court and after expressing his resentment in a loud voice, Shivaji and his son put under house-arrest in the charge of violation of the court decorum. After some days Shivaji escaped from Mughal court with his diplomatic trick. It was a turning point in Mughal- Maratha relations. It not only cancelled the treaty of Purandar but also created a deep gulf between the Mughals and the Marathas.

As Shivaji was very much infuriated with the behavior of Aurangzeb, he once again started fighting against the Mghals and recaptured most of the forts. In A.D. 1670, he plundered Surat for the second time. Aurangzeb had been advised by raja Jaswant Singh and Prince Muazzam to confer the title of Raja on Shivaji and to make Shambhaji a Panch Hazari mansabdar. This had been done before the sack of Surat but peace was broken after a couple of months. The war which started in A.D. 1670 continued up to A.D. 1674. Shivaji attained wonderful victories during this period. In June A.D. 1674, Shivaji crowned himself at Raigarh. It was a landmark in the history of the Marathas. Shivaji ruled up to A.D. 1680 and died at the age of 53 in A.D. 1680. Lane-pool remarks, “A sudden illness put an end to his extraordinary career in A.D. 1680 when he was about quite fifty-three years of age.” At the time of the death of Shivaji he had quite a big kingdom. His civil administration and military organization have been highly praised by contemporary and later historians.

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