§ABOUT SHAHAJI[EDIT]
Shahaji's father, Maloji was childless for a long time. After seeking blessings from a famous
Sufi pir of the time, called
Hazrat Shah Sharif, two sons were born to him. Maloji named his sons Shahaji and Sharifji in honour of the pir.
[3] Maloji was a capable soldier and eventually became Sar Giroh and was awarded independent
Jagir (
Fief) of
Pune &
Supe districts in the court of
Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar. Shahaji was an extremely ambitious and capable general. At a young age, Shahaji had achieved a lot. He was well known not only for his military and leadership skills but also as a Man who kept his word. He had not lost a single battle in his entire life which made him the prominent Maratha legend who was treated even at par with Nizam and Adilshah.
[citation needed].
Shahji in his letter to adil shah mention and called himself a
sisodia rajput. This incident was also mentioned by his poet Jayram Pindye in his book Radhav Vilas Champu.
Shahaji had defeated quite a number of eminent commanders of
Mughals,
Adil Shah and
Nizam Shah.
[citation needed] Shahaji was prominent in the whole of
Hindustan (India) for he had not lost a single battle in his lifetime and had always prevailed no matter what the circumstances. Mughal, Adil, Nizam Sultanates were leaving no stone unturned to get Shahaji on their side. When Shahaji was serving in the Adilshahi court, he was awarded the title of
Farzand (someone placed much higher than a chief commanding an army of 10,000) which was equivalent to the designation of a Prince.
§BATTLE OF BHATVADI[EDIT]
The battle of Bhataudi was fought in 1624 near Ahmednagar, Maharashtra between forces of Shahaji, Nizam and the combined forces of Mughals and Adilshahi Sultanates. Mughal Emperor
Jahangir's son, Prince Khurram ( later on Emperor
Shah Jahan left his father in hostility and took asylum with Shahaji Raje Bhonsle of Nizamshahi.
[citation needed] To defeat Shahaji and rescue Khurram, Jahangir had ordered his commander-in-chief Lashkar Khan to finish off Nizamshahi. Accordingly, Lashkar Khan with an army of 120,000 (1.2 lakhs) marched on
Ahmednagar. The Adilshahi Sultanate had also agreed to help the Mughals. Adilshahi army amounted to no less than 80,000 men. Thus, a massive army of 200,000 (2 lakhs) walked on Ahmednagar. On the other hand, Shahaji had an army of 20,000 at his disposal. Shahaji had assigned 10,000 of these, the task of protecting and defending the Ahmednagar fort and town. The remaining 10,000 were with Shahaji.
Such a huge army required huge amount of food and water. Thus, both Mughal and Adil forces were encamped on the bank of the Mehkari River. It flowed North-South. The river had a dam to conserve water, as Ahmednagar experienced water shortage. However, during this period, there had been good amount of rainfall. The river had abundant water and was filled to the brim. Shahaji came up with a brilliant idea. With utmost care, cracks were developed in the dam. It was night time; the whole Mughal and Adil encampments were fast asleep. Suddenly, water started gushing out of the dam from each of the cracks. Mughals and Adils were clueless about what was happening. It was as if a huge wall of irate water was running over the Mughals and Adils. Everyone started running helter-skelter to save their lives. There was chaos and confusion. The whole encampment was flooded with water. Clothes, rations, arms, ammunitions, cannons and cattle everything drowned. Dead elephants were seen floating in the water. Many were taken as prisoners. As many as 25 renowned Mughal and Adil chiefs were imprisoned by Shahaji. It was a huge win for Shahaji, after which Shahaji became very well-known throughout India.
§ALLIANCE WITH DECCAN SULTANATES AND THE MUGHALS[EDIT]
At various points of time Shahaji allied himself with the Adilshah of Bijapur, the Nizamshah of Ahmednagar and the Mughals. His ultimate ambition was to set up an independent Maratha kingdom. He tried on two occasions, first one after the brutal murder of his father-in-law Lakhuji Rao Jadhav (father of
Jijabai)
[citation needed] and second in 1636. The second attempt was a formidable challenge.
[citation needed]
In the meantime, Jahan Khan, the wazir of Nizam killed Nizam on the reasoning that the Nizam was an incapable and unwise ruler, who couldn’t take appropriate decisions and was easily deceived by some people. Jahan Khan greeted Shahaji with open hands and asked Shahaji to join him. Shahaji started leading Nizam’s forces. However, at that time, the Mughal forces on the order of Shah Jahan had slain all the men in relation to Nizam and also killed two pregnant women. This was done to finish off the Nizamshahi, as there wouldn’t be any Male heir to the throne of the Nizam. However, Shahaji, in order to protect Nizamshahi decided to crown a child named Murtuza, who was in relation with Nizam, as the next Nizam. Shahaji assured Murtuza’s mother that he would not be harmed and vouched for his safety.
Shahajahan dispatched a force of 48,000 to reduce Shahaji, Nizam and his ally Adilshah. Under such mounting attack Adilshah sued for peace. With the withdrawal of Adilshah's support, Shahaji could not hold much against the Mughals. His possessions were reduced quickly. In the fort of
Mahuli he was besieged.
Portuguese did not offer any help from naval side due to fear of the Mughals. In this war, Shahaji fought till the last. But, unfortunately Murtaza, the infant Nizam, was kidnapped by Mughals and for the purpose of saving the life of Nizam, it became necessary for Shahaji to make compromise. This compromise finished Nizamshahi. Shahaji, on the condition of protecting the life of little Mourtaza Nizam at any condition, handed him over to Shahajahan. Nizam was taken away by Sardar Ranoji Wable (regional sardar of Shah Jahan)to Delhi. He was inducted into Adilshahi. As a precaution Shahajahan, ensured that Shahaji was posted in deep south so as not to pose any challenge to Mughals. He finally became one of the top generals in the Adilshah's army, accepting a
Jagir in his court, being based in
Bengaluru (present-day
Bangalore in
Karnataka). This is one phase of Shahaji's life.
In 1638, a large
Bijapur army led by Ranadulla Khan and accompanied by Shahaji defeated Kempe Gowda III and Bangalore was given to Shahaji as a
jagir.
[4][5] Shahaji successfully led the Bijapur army to many victories against the
Rajas of southern India. Instead of punishing or executing them, Shahaji reprieved all the
Rajas. The
Rajas thus developed healthy relations with Shahaji and offered military support to Shahaji whenever required.
[6]
§CRISIS PHASE[EDIT]
After this military defeat, the second phase of Shahaji's life started. He sent his wife Jijabai and their younger son,
Shivaji to
Pune to manage his jagir of Pune. The couple's elder son, Sambhaji and another son
Venkoji from his second wife stayed with him at Bangalore. Shivaji and Sambhaji both emerged as accomplished generals. Meanwhile young Shivaji started capturing territory controlled by Adilshah around Pune. AdilShah, alarmed by the activities of Shivaji in particular, deceitfully captured Shahaji and imprisoned him as he suspected that Shahaji encouraged Shivaji. Two expeditions were sent simultaneously against Shivaji and his elder brother Sambhaji, who defeated Adilshahi forces. Shivaji meanwhile approached Mughal Emperor Shahjahan asking for help against Adilshah. Fearing another Mughal campaign against Bijapur, Adilshah released Shahaji from prison. However, the elder son Sambhaji was killed during an expedition due to the treacherous role of
Afzal Khan. Later Shivaji killed Afzal Khan.
Thus these events proved that Shahaji had taken a sensible decision in keeping Shivaji in the original stronghold of Pune barring which, like Shahaji, Shivaji would have been imprisoned or killed like his elder brother. This period of crisis was overcome by sacrifice and personal bonds of the family. Shahaji actively supported Shivaji in his earlier enterprises, like the campaign against Afzal Khan. Sensing treachery by Afzal khan, Shahaji was waiting near Bijapur with his army of 17,000. He had warned Badi Begum of Adilshah that, if Afzal Khan and his Adilshahi forces killed Shivaji by deceit, then there wouldn't remain even a brick of the Adilshahi kingdom.
[citation needed]
Shahaji died around 1665, after falling off his horse during a hunt.
Shahaji had two sons by Jijabai, Sambhaji and
Shivaji. Sambhaji was killed while on a military expedition in Karnataka.He was cremated in town of channagiri taluk of Davanagere district of karnataka. Shahaji had one son
Venkoji (Ekoji I) by his second wife, who came from the Mohite family. Venkoji later ruled over the independent Maratha kingdom of
Thanjavur. Shahaji groomed all his sons as good administrators and men of culture and taste, Shivaji in the Pune region, Sambhaji in Banglore, and Venkoji in Thanjavur region. Shivaji encouraged farming and cultivation, similarly Venkoji also dug canals in Thanjavur and promoted farming activities. Both were good administrators. Like Shahaji they were scholars and warriors. Shahaji had causeed a
champukavya. At Bangalore, literary activities were promoted by him. His court poet Jayram Pindye composed
Radha madhav vilas champu in flowery
Sanskrit. His literary traditions were carried on by his sons, and had strong influence on the mind of Shivaji and the Thanjavur branch. Shahaji samadhi/tomb is at Hodigere near Channagiri (Davangere Taluk) in Karanataka. Karnataka state govt (2012) is releasing fund for maintaining it.
Shahaji's dream of an independent kingdom was made a reality by his both sons, the great
Shivaji Maharaj in Deccan and
Ekoji I in
Thanjavur
§REFERENCES[EDIT]
- Jump up^ "Full text of "Shivaji The Great Vol I"". Archive.org. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- Jump up^ Gazetteer of Mysore - 2 Vols. - B. L. Rice - Google Books. Books.google.co.in. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- Jump up^ [The Islamic path: sufism, society, and politics in India, Saiyid Zaheer Husain Jafri, Helmut Reifeld - 2006 ]
- Jump up^ S. Srinivas (22 February 2005). "The bean city". The Hindu (Chennai, India). Retrieved 2 July 2007.
- Jump up^ The Mughal Throne, Abraham Eraly, Phoenix, London, 2004 (ISBN 0-7538-1758-6), Incidental Data, page 538.
- Jump up^ Producer-Nitin Desai. "Raja ShivChhatrapati". Star Pravah.
Shahaji Raje Bhonsle (Marathi: शहाजी राजे भोसले) was a Maratha general from the 17th century.. He was an early exponent of guerrilla warfare. He was ...
Father, Shahaji Raje Bhosale. Mother, Jijabai. Born, 1623. Died, 1658. Sambhaji was elder son of Shahaji Bhosale and Jijabai. Sambhaji belongs to sisodia ...
Maloji Bhosale ... He was the father of Shahaji and the grandfather of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. ... Maloji was born in 1552 to Babaji Raje (d.
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५ ऑग, २००९ - Shahaji Raje Bhosale(Marathi: शहाजी राजे भोसले) was the eldest son of Maloji Raje Bhosale of Verul (present-day Ellora, Maharashtra).
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Chatrapati Shahaji Raje Bhosale. 246 likes · 4 talking about this. "श्री"
Chatrapati Shahaji Raje Bhosale. 246 likes. "श्री"
ShahajiRaje Bhosale, A personality who instilled courage and enabled ... begetting a child, and when she did, she named her sons Shahaji and Sharif after him.
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