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Shivaji
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

ForShivaji(disambiguation),seeShivaji(disambiguation).
ShivajiBhonsle(Marathi[iaibos()le]c.1627/1630[1]3April

Shivaji

1680),alsoknownasChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj,wasanIndian
warriorkingandamemberoftheBhonsleMarathaclan.Shivaji
carvedoutanenclavefromthedecliningAdilshahi
sultanateofBijapurthatformedthegenesisoftheMarathaEmpire.
In1674,hewasformallycrownedastheChhatrapati(Monarch)of
hisrealmatRaigad.
Shivajiestablishedacompetentandprogressivecivilrulewiththe
helpofadisciplinedmilitaryandwellstructuredadministrative
organisations.Heinnovatedmilitarytactics,pioneeringtheguerrilla
warfaremethods(Shivasutraorganimikava),whichleveraged
strategicfactorslikegeography,speed,andsurpriseandfocused
pinpointattackstodefeathislargerandmorepowerfulenemies.He
revivedancientHindupoliticaltraditionsandcourtconventionsand
promotedtheusageofMarathiandSanskrit,ratherthanPersian,in
courtandadministration.
Shivaji'slegacywastovarybyobserverandtimebutbegantotake
onincreasedimportancewiththeemergenceoftheIndian

Shivaji'sportrait(1680s)housedintheBritish
Museum
1stSovereign(Chhatrapati)of
theMarathaRealm

independencemovement,asmanyelevatedhimasaproto
nationalistandherooftheHindus.[3]ParticularlyinMaharashtra,
debatesoverhishistoryandrolehaveengenderedgreatpassion
andsometimesevenviolenceasdisparategroupshavesoughtto
characterisehimandhislegacy.[citationneeded]

Reign

16741680CE

Coronation 6June1674
Successor Sambhaji
Born

c.April1627/19February1630[1]
ShivneriFort(presently
inMaharashtra,India)

Died

3April1680
RaigadFort,Raigad,Maratha
Empire(presentlyinMaharashtra)

2.2 BattleofPratapgarh

Consort

Saibai(Nimbalkar)

2.3 BattleofKolhapur

Wives

Soyarabai(Mohite)
Putalabai(Palkar)
Sakvarbai(Gaikwad)
Kashibai(Jadhav)[2]

Issue

Sambhaji,son
Rajaram,son
SakhubaiNimbalkar,daughter
RanubaiJadhav,daughter
AmbikabaiMahadik,daughter
RajkumaribaiShirke,daughter

Contents[hide]
1 Earlylife
1.1 Upbringing
2 ConflictwithAdilshahisultanate
2.1 CombatwithAfzalKhan

2.4 SiegeofPanhalaandBattleofPavanKhind
3 ClashwiththeMughals
3.1 AttackonShaistaKhan
3.2 TreatyofPurandar
3.3 ArrestinAgraandescape
4 Reconquest
4.1 DealingswiththeEnglish
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Father

ShahajiBhonsle

5 Coronation

Mother

Jijabai

6 ConquestinSouthernIndia

Religion

Hinduism

4.2 BattleofNesari

7 Deathandsuccession
7.1 TheMarathasafterShivaji
8 Governance
8.1 PromotionofMarathiandSanskrit
8.2 Religiouspolicy
9 Military
9.1 Forts
9.2 Navy
10 Legacy
10.1 Historiography
10.2 Politicallegacy
10.3 Commemorations
10.4 Depictioninpopularculture
11 Seealso
12 References
13 Furtherreading
14 Externallinks

Earlylife
Mainarticle:EarlylifeofShivaji
ShivajiwasborninthehillfortofShivneri,nearthecityofJunnarinPune
districton6April1627or19Feb.1630.[4]TheGovernmentof
Maharashtraaccepts19February1630ashisbirthdateothersuggested
datesinclude6April1627orotherdatesnearthisday.[5][6][7]Perlegend,
hismothernamedhimShivajiinhonourofthegoddessShivai,towhom
shehadprayedforahealthychild.[8]Shivajiwasnamedafterthislocal
deity.[9][10]Shivaji'sfatherShahajiBhonslewas
aMarathageneral [clarificationneeded]whoservedtheDeccan

Shivaji'sbirthplaceonShivneriFort.

Sultanates.[11]HismotherwasJijabai,thedaughterofLakhujiraoJadhav
ofSindkhed(SindkhedRaja).AtthetimeofShivaji'sbirth,thepowerinDeccanwassharedbythreeIslamic
sultanates:Bijapur,Ahmednagar,andGolconda.ShahajioftenchangedhisloyaltybetweentheNizamshahiof
Ahmadnagar,theAdilshahofBijapurandtheMughals,butalwayskepthisjagir(fiefdom)atPuneandhissmall
armywithhim.[11]

Upbringing
ShivajiwasextremelydevotedtohismotherJijabai,whowasdeeplyreligious.Thisreligiousenvironmenthada
greatimpactonShivaji,andhecarefullystudiedthetwogreatHinduepics,RamayanaandMahabharatathese
weretoinfluencehislifelongdefenceofHinduvalues.[12]Throughouthislifehewasdeeplyinterestedinreligious
teachings,andregularlysoughtthecompanyofHinduandSufisaints.[6]
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Shahaji,meanwhilehadmarriedasecondwife,TukaBaifrom
theMohitefamily,andmovedtoKarnatakatoleadamilitarycampaignon
behalfofAdilshahi.HeleftShivajiandJijabaiinhisPuneholdingsinthe
careofhisadministrator,DadojiKonddeo.DadojiKonddeomade
significantcontributionsinteachingShivajibasicfightingtechniquessuch
ashorseriding,archeryandmarksmanship,pattaandothers.[13]Shivajias
aboywasakeenoutdoorsmanand,thoughhereceivedlittleformal
educationandmostlikelycouldneitherreadnorwrite,heissaidtohave
possessedconsiderableerudition.[14][15][16]Shivajidrewhisearliesttrusted
comradesandalargenumberofhissoldiersfrom
theMavalregion,[when?]includingYesajiKank,SuryajiKakade,Baji
Pasalkar,BajiPrabhuDeshpandeandTanajiMalusare.[17]Inthecompany
ofhisMavalcomrades,Shivajiwanderedoverthehillsandforestsof
theSahyadrirange,hardeninghimselfandacquiringfirsthandknowledge
oftheland,whichwastolaterproveapplicabletohismilitary
endeavours.[12]

AStatueofYoungShivajiwith
JijabaiinstalledatthefortofShivneriin
1960s.

Attheageof12,ShivajiwastakentoBangalorewherehe,hiselder
brotherSambhajiandhishalfbrotherEkojiIwerefurtherformallytrained.
HemarriedSaibaifromtheprominentNimbalkarfamilyin1640.[18]:60Around164546,theteenageShivajifirst
expressedhisconceptforHindaviswarajya,inalettertoDadajiNarasPrabhu.[19][20][21][22]

ConflictwithAdilshahisultanate
In1645,the15yearoldShivajibribedorpersuadedtheBijapuricommanderoftheTornaFort,InayatKhan,to
handoverthepossessionoftheforttohim.[6]:26[18]:61[23]:268FirangojiNarsala,whoheldtheChakanfortprofessed
hisloyaltytoShivajiandthefortofKondanawasacquiredbybribingtheAdilshahigovernor.[6]:26On25July1648,
ShahajiwasimprisonedbyBajiGhorpadeundertheordersofthecurrentAdilshah,MohammedAdilShah,inabid
tocontainShivaji.[24]Accountsvary,withsomesayingShahajiwasconditionallyreleasedin1649afterShivajiand
SambhajisurrenderedthefortsofKondana,BangaloreandKandarpi,[6]otherssayinghewasimprisoneduntil
1653or1655duringthisperiodShivajimaintainedalowprofile.[25]Afterhisrelease,Shahajiretiredfrompublic
life,anddiedaround16641665duringahuntingaccident.Followinghisfather'sdeath,Shivajiresumedraiding,
seizingthekingdomofJavalifromaneighbouringMarathachieftainin1656.[26]

CombatwithAfzalKhan
In1659,AdilshahsentAfzalKhan,anexperiencedandveterangeneraltodestroyShivajiinanefforttoputdown
whathesawasaregionalrevolt.
ThetwometinahutatthefoothillsofPratapgadforton10November1659.Thearrangementshaddictatedthat
eachcomearmedonlywithasword,andattendedbyafollower.Shivaji,eithersuspectingAfzalKhanwould
attackhim[6]:4752[27]orsecretlyplanningtoattack,[28]worearmourbeneathhisclothes,concealedabagh
nakh(metal"tigerclaw")onhisleftarm,andhadadaggerinhisrighthand.[23]:22Accountsvaryonwhether
ShivajiorAfzalKhanstruckthefirstblow:[27]theMarathachroniclesaccuseAfzalKhanoftreachery,whilethe
PersianlanguagechroniclesattributethetreacherytoShivaji.[29][30]Inthefight,AfzalKhan'sdaggerwasstopped
byShivaji'sarmour,andShivaji'sweaponsinflictedmortalwoundsonthegeneralShivajithensignalledhishidden
troopstolaunchtheassaultontheBijapuris.[28]
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BattleofPratapgarh
Mainarticle:BattleofPratapgarh
IntheensuingBattleofPratapgarhfoughton10November1659,Shivaji's
forcesdecisivelydefeatedtheBijapurSultanate'sforces.[31]Theagile
MarathainfantryandcavalryinflictedrapidstrikesonBijapuriunits,
attackedtheBijapuricavalrybeforeitwaspreparedforbattle,andpursued
retreatingtroopstowardWai.Morethan3,000soldiersoftheBijapurarmy
werekilledandtwosonsofAfzalKhanweretakenasprisoners.[6]:53
ThisunexpectedandunlikelyvictorymadeShivajiaheroofMaratha
folkloreandalegendaryfigureamonghispeople.Thelargequantitiesof
capturedweapons,horses,armourandothermaterialshelpedto
strengthenthenascentandemergingMarathaarmy.TheMughal
emperorAurangzebnowidentifiedShivajiasamajorthreattothe
mightyMughalEmpire.SoonthereafterShivaji,ShahajiandNetajiPalkar

DeathofAfzalKhan

(thechiefoftheMarathacavalry)decidedtoattackanddefeatthe
AdilshahikingdomatBijapur.[citationneeded]

BattleofKolhapur
Mainarticle:BattleofKolhapur
TocounterthelossatPratapgadandtodefeatthenewlyemerging

Pratapgadfort

Marathapower,anotherarmy,thistimenumberingover10,000,wassent
againstShivaji,commandedbyBijapur'sAbyssiniangeneralRustam
Zaman.Withacavalryforceof5,000Marathas,ShivajiattackedthemnearKolhapuron28December1659.Ina
swiftmovement,Shivajiledafullfrontalattackatthecentreoftheenemyforceswhiletwootherportionsofhis
cavalryattackedtheflanks.ThisbattlelastedforseveralhoursandattheendBijapuriforcesweresoundly
defeatedandRustamjamanfledthebattlefield.Adilshahiforceslostabout2,000horsesand12elephantstothe
Marathas.[citationneeded]ThisvictoryalarmedAurangazeb,whonowderisivelyreferredtoShivajiasthe"Mountain
Rat",andpreparedtoaddressthisrisingMarathathreat.[32]

SiegeofPanhalaandBattleofPavanKhind
Mainarticle:BattleofPavanKhind
In1660,AdilshahsenthisgeneralSiddiJauhartoattackShivaji'ssouthernborder,
inalliancewiththeMughalswhoplannedtoattackfromthenorth.Atthattime,
ShivajiwasencampedatPanhalafortnearpresentdayKolhapurwithhisforces.
SiddiJauhar'sarmybesiegedPanhalainmid1660,cuttingoffsupplyroutestothe
fort.DuringthebombardmentofPanhala,SiddhiJahuarhadpurchasedgrenades
fromtheBritishatRajapurtoincreasehisefficacy,andalsohiredsomeEnglish
artillerymentobombardthefort,conspicuouslyflyingaflagusedbytheEnglish.
ThisperceivedbetrayalangeredShivaji,whoinDecemberwouldexactrevengeby
plunderingtheEnglishfactoryatRajapurandcapturingfourofthefactors,
imprisoningthemuntilmid1663.[33]
Accountsvaryastotheendofthesiege,withsomeaccountsstatingthatShivaji
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theentrancetoPaavankhind
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escapedfromtheencircledfortandwithdrewtoRagna,followingwhichAliAdil
Shahpersonallycametotakechargeofthesiege,capturingthefortafterfourmonthsbesiegement.[34]Other
accountsstatethataftermonthsofsiege,ShivajinegotiatedwithSiddhiJahuarandhandedovertheforton22
September1660,withdrawingtoVishalgad[35]ShivajiwouldlaterretakePanhalain1673.[34]
ThereissomedisputeoverthecircumstancesofShivaji'swithdrawal(treatyorescape)andhisdestination
(RagnaorVishalgad),butthepopularstorydetailshisnightmovementtoVishalgadandasacrificialrearguard
actiontoallowhimtoescape.[36]Pertheseaccounts,ShivajiwithdrewfromPanhalabycoverofnight,andashe
waspursuedbytheenemycavalry,sohisMarathasardarBajiPrabhuDeshpandeofBandalDeshmukh,along
with300soldiers,volunteeredtofighttothedeathtoholdbacktheenemyatGhodKhind("horseravine")togive
ShivajiandtherestofthearmyachancetoreachthesafetyoftheVishalgadfort.[37]IntheensuingBattleof
PavanKhind,thesmallerMarathaforceheldbackthelargerenemytobuytimeforShivajitoescape.BajiPrabhu
Deshpandewaswoundedbutcontinuedtofightuntilheheardthesoundofcannonfirefrom
Vishalgad,[38]signallingShivajihadsafelyreachedthefort,ontheeveningof13July1660.[39]Ghod
Khind(khindmeaning"anarrowmountainpass")waslaterrenamedPaavanKhind("sacredpass")inhonourof
BajiprabhuDeshpande,ShibosinghJadhav,Fuloji,andallothersoldierswhofoughtinthere.[39]

ClashwiththeMughals
Upuntil1657,ShivajimaintainedpeacefulrelationswiththeMughalEmpire.Shivajiofferedhisassistanceto
AurangzebinconqueringBijapurandinreturn,hewasassuredoftheformalrecognitionofhisrighttotheBijapuri
fortsandvillagesunderhispossession.[6]:37Shivaji'sconfrontationswiththeMughalsbeganinMarch1657,when
twoofShivaji'sofficersraidedtheMughalterritorynearAhmednagar.[40]ThiswasfollowedbyraidsinJunnar,with
Shivajicarryingoff300,000hunincashand200horses.[6]:38AurangzebrespondedtotheraidsbysendingNasiri
Khan,whodefeatedtheforcesofShivajiatAhmednagar.However,Aurangzeb'scountermeasuresagainstShivaji
wereinterruptedbytherainyseasonandhisbattleofsuccessionwithhisbrothersfortheMughalthronefollowing
theillnessofShahJahan.

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