Shivaji I, also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. He established his own kingdom after breaking away from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur, which became the basis for the Maratha Empire. He was crowned Chhatrapati in 1674 at Raigad Fort.
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Throughout his life, Shivaji formed alliances and engaged in hostilities with the Mughal Empire, the Sultanate of Golkonda, Sultanate of Bijapur, and European colonial powers. He expanded the Maratha sphere of influence through military conquest, including the capture and construction of forts, and the establishment of a Maratha navy. Shivaji implemented a competent and progressive civil rule, featuring well-structured administrative organizations. He revived ancient Hindu political traditions, court conventions, and promoted the usage of the Marathi and Sanskrit languages, replacing Persian in court and administration.
Shivaji’s legacy has varied depending on the observer and time, but he began to gain increased importance nearly two centuries after his death with the emergence of the Indian independence movement. Many Indian nationalists elevated him as a proto-nationalist and hero of the Hindus.
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Name: Shivaji Bhonsle
Date of Birth: February 19, 1630
Birthplace: Shivneri Fort, Pune district, Maharashtra
Parents: Shahaji Bhonsle (Father) and Jijabai (Mother)
Reign: 1674–1680
Spouse: Saibai, Soyarabai, Putalabai, Sakvarbai, Laxmibai, Kashibai
Children: Sambhaji, Rajaram, Sakhubai Nimbalkar, Ranubai Jadhav, Ambikabai Mahadik, Rajkumaribai Shirke
Religion: Hinduism
Death: April 3, 1680
The seat of Power: Raigad Fort, Maharashtra
Successor: Sambhaji Bhonsle
Early life
Shivaji was born in the hill-fort of Shivneri, near the city of Junnar, which is currently located in Pune district. Scholars have conflicting opinions on his date of birth. The Government of Maharashtra celebrates Shivaji Jayanti as a holiday on February 19 to commemorate his birth. Shivaji was named after the local deity, the goddess Shivai Devi.
Shivaji’s father, Shahaji Bhonsle, was a Maratha general who served the Deccan Sultanates, while his mother was Jijabai, the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhavrao of Sindhkhed, a Mughal-aligned sardar claiming descent from a Yadav royal family of Devagiri. Shivaji belonged to the Maratha family of the Bhonsle clan.
Shivaji’s paternal grandfather, Maloji, was an influential general of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate and was granted the title of “Raja.” He was also given deshmukhi rights of Pune, Supe, Chakan, and Indapur for military expenses. The family’s residence was Fort Shivneri, which was given to Maloji in approximately 1590.
During Shivaji’s birth, the power in the Deccan was shared by three Islamic sultanates: Bijapur, Ahmednagar, and Golkonda. Shahaji changed his loyalty between the Nizamshahi of Ahmadnagar, the Adilshah of Bijapur, and the Mughals but maintained his jagir (fiefdom) at Pune and his small army.
Background
In 1636, the Adil Shahi sultanate of Bijapur invaded the kingdoms to the south and Shahaji, a chieftain in the Maratha uplands of western India, joined in their service. He was looking for rewards of jagir land in the conquered territories, which he could collect as an annuity.
However, his campaigns against the Mughals were unsuccessful and he and his family, including Shivaji and his mother Jijabai, had to constantly move from fort to fort. In 1636, Shahaji obtained Poona as a grant from Bijapur and appointed Dadoji Kondadeo as its administrator. Shivaji took over the administration after Kondadeo’s death in 1647 and directly challenged the Bijapuri government.
Escape from Agra
Shivaji feigned illness and had himself and his son carried past their guards in baskets filled with sweets, allowing him to escape and return as the leader of his followers.
He went on to win back lost territory, expand his domain, collect tribute from Mughal regions, and institute reforms for the welfare of his subjects. He also built a naval force, using it for trade and defense. Aurangzeb, on the other hand, intensified his persecution of Hindus and demolished temples.
Independent sovereign
In 1674, Shivaji declared himself an independent sovereign and ruled for six years with a cabinet of eight ministers. He was a devout Hindu and fiercely protected his religion, but he also respected the beliefs and places of worship of Muslims and Christians, even though they often imposed their beliefs on others through force.
Shivaji’s most notable campaign was in the south, where he formed an alliance with the Sultans to block the Mughals’ attempt to rule the entire subcontinent. He had multiple wives and sons, but his last years were plagued by domestic discord, and he died in April 1680. Shivaji breathed new life into a people resigned to serfdom and was known for his religious tolerance in an age of religious violence.
Coronation and Conquests
Shivaji, who had already gained control over territories adjacent to Poona and Konkan, decided to establish the first Hindu sovereignty in the south, which had been dominated by Muslims. He was crowned King of Marathas on June 6, 1674, at Raigadh, and assumed titles like Chhtrapati, Shakakarta, Kshatriya Kulavantas, and Haindava Dharmodhhaarak.
Following his coronation, Shivaji and the Marathas launched aggressive conquest efforts to consolidate most of the Deccan states under Hindu sovereignty, conquering several regions and capturing forts. Shivaji aimed to unify the Deccan states under the rule of a native Hindu ruler and protect them from outsiders like Muslims and Mughals.
