Shahaji
Shahaji Bhonsale | |
---|---|
Maloji | |
Religion | Hinduism |
Occupation | Military leader |
Shahaji Bhosale (Pronunciation:
Shahaji brought the house of Bhosale into prominence and was the father of
Early life
Shahaji was the son of
Shahaji was betrothed to Jijabai, the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhav, the Maratha Deshmukh of Sindkhed in the service of Ahmadnagar's Nizamshahi Sultanate, when both of them were children.[8]
Early career
Like his father Maloji, Shahaji served in the army of Malik Ambar, the prime minister of Ahmadnagar Sultanate. At the time of Maloji's death in 1622, 26-year old Shahaji was a minor commander in Malik Ambar's army.[9] By 1625, he held the high military position of Sar Lashkar, as suggested by a letter sent from Pune on 28 July.[10]
Ahmadnagar was involved in conflicts against the northern
Ibrahim Adil Shah II, Shahaji's patron in Bijapur, died in September 1627.[12] Adil Shah, a Muslim, was tolerant towards Hindus like Shahaji and saw Ahmadnagar as a buffer state between his kingdom and the Mughal Empire. After his death, an orthodox Muslim faction that advocated for an alliance with the Mughals against Ahmadnagar grew stronger in Bijapur.[11] Amid these circumstances, Shahaji returned to Ahmadnagar in early 1628[12] under the patronage of Malik Ambar's son Fatah Khan.[11] The power of Ahmadnagar had been declining after Malik Ambar's death in 1626, but Shahaji held a higher position there than the one he held in Bijapur. Meanwhile, the newly-crowned Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan launched a fresh campaign against Ahmadnagar. In 1629, Shahaji led a 6,000-strong cavalry force against the Mughals in the Khandesh region but was defeated.[12]
In 1630, Shahaji's in-laws and patrons were murdered as a result of factional politics in the Ahmadnagar court,[12] leading to Shahaji's defection to the Mughals along with a 2,000-strong cavalry unit.[13] The Mughals sent him to occupy Junnar and Sangamner and gave these districts to him as a jagir.[14]
War against the Mughals
In 1632, Malik Ambar's son Fatah Khan placed a puppet ruler on the Ahmednagar throne and allied with the Mughals. As a reward, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan granted him the jagir that had been earlier allotted to Shahaji.[15] Shahaji then left the Mughal service and began to plunder the region around Pune. When the Mughals sent an army against him, he took shelter with Hussein Shah the governor of Junnar and subsequently returned to Bijapur service.[14]
From 1630 to 1632, northern
Meanwhile, in Daulatabad, the Mughals imprisoned the nominal king of Ahamadnagar.[14] Shahaji installed 10-year old Murtaza of the Ahamadnagar royal family as the titular puppet ruler[17] and appointed himself chief minister.[18] Within a year, Shahaji's army captured Junnar and a large part of the northern Konkan region. Shahaji resided in Junnar and raised an army, which at its height numbered 12,000 soldiers. The strength of the army kept changing because of the changing loyalties of the various subordinate chiefs including Ghatge, Kate, Gaikwad, Kank, Chavan, Mohite, Mahadik, Pandhre, Wagh, and Ghorpade.[14] Shahaji set up his capital at Shahabad and gained control of several large forts. A contemporary Brahmin newsletter from Bijapur states that the area controlled by Shahaji, not including his jagir of Pune and Indapur, yielded 7.5 million rupees in annual revenue. This estimate was based on the potential rather than the actual revenue; the area had been devastated by war and famine and the actual revenue collected was likely far less.[19] The warring armies had destroyed several villages in the area to deny their enemies income, and most of the remaining villages yielded taxes only when forced to do so.[20] According to the newsletter, Shahaji's forces included a 3,000-man cavalry plus an additional 2,000-man contingent from Bijapur.[19]
By 1634, Shahaji had started raiding the area near the
Bijapur had two political factions. The first, which Shahaji sided with, favoured resisting Mughal influence in Deccan. The second favoured establishing peace with the Mughals by recognizing their control over parts of the former Ahmadnagar territory. In 1636, the second faction emerged more powerful, and a peace treaty was signed between Bijapur and the Mughal Empire.[19] As part of this treaty, Bijapur agreed to help the Mughals subjugate Shahaji, or depute him away from the Mughal frontier if he chose to serve Bijapur.[21] The Mughals besieged the Mahuli fort where Shahaji and Murtaza, the pretender to the Ahmadnagar throne, were residing. In October 1636, Shahaji surrendered Mahuli and Junnar to the Mughals and returned to the Bijapur service.[19] As a result, the Mughals controlled a major part of present-day Maharashtra, including Pune and Indapur.[22]
In Bangalore
Shahaji was allowed to retain his
Having established peace with the Mughals in the north, the Bijapur government directed its military to the southern frontier.[23] An army led by the general Rustam-i-Zaman Ranadulla Khan invaded Mysore with Shahaji serving as a subordinate commander.[25][23] During each campaigning season between 1637–1640, Bijapur forces crossed the Krishna and the Tungabhadra rivers, and entered Mysore. The Bijapuri forces defeated several Nayakas, local chiefs who administered the area after the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire.[23] In December 1638, the Bijapur forces seized Bangalore, which was given as a jagir to Shahaji. Shahaji was also given charge of the Kolar, Hoskote, Doddaballapura, and Sira areas by Ranadulla Khan, in consultation with the Bijapur ruler Muhammad Adil Shah.[25] Shahaji chose Bangalore as his headquarters because of its secure fortress and good climate.[25] While Shahaji was unable to retain control of this entire territory after the departure of the main Bijapur army,[23] the Bijapur army's annual expeditions continued to bring more territories under his control.[25]
The rulers of Bijapur exercised little control over the Bangalore region, and Shahaji ruled the area almost independently. The ruler of Bijapur trusted him and even called him "the pillar of the state" in a letter.[25] However, in 1639, Shahaji appears to have been involved in a conflict against the Bijapur government. Records show that the Bijapur ruler Muhammad Adil Shah ordered the Deshmukh of Lakshmeshwara to support commander Sidi Mooflah in arresting the "relations, dependents, servants and horses" of Shahaji. However, few further details are available about this episode.[23]
Shahaji's relations with the Bijapur ruler improved in the subsequent years, and in 1641, he supported the Bijapur government in suppressing a revolt by the Hindu chiefs. He joined an army led by the Bijapur general Afzal Khan that captured the fort of Basavapatna from Keng Nayak. The Bijapur army captured several other forts, including Vellore, during this campaign.[23] A letter from Bijapur dated 30 January 1642 expressed appreciation for Shahaji's services in the Karnataka region.[26]
Not much is known about Shahaji's activities during 1642-1645; he likely stayed at his jagir in
Shahaji beautified Bangalore by commissioning several gardens and also built a palace called Gowri Mahal, which, according to popular tradition, was located in the present-day Basavanagudi extension.
Shahaji appointed several Brahmins from the Pune region to the Bangalore administration. Meanwhile, Dadoji Kondadev revived the taxation system in Pune and remitted surplus revenue to Shahaji's treasury in Bangalore.[26]
Later life
Amid the rise of Muslim orthodoxy in Bijapur,
In 1648, during a Bijapur campaign to support the rebellion of the Nayakas against the Vijayanagara king
Little information is available about Shahaji's life from 1648 to 1660. He appears to have moved out of Bangalore, where his son
Meanwhile, Shivaji, who now administered Shahaji's jagir in the Pune region, began acting independently of the Bijapur government and started capturing territories of Bijapur vassals around Pune. Shivaji claimed to be a servant of the Bijapur government and justified his actions by arguing that he was governing these territories better than the deposed rulers did. However, the ruler of Bijapur doubted Shivaji's loyalty and Shahaji distanced himself from his son's actions.[32] A letter from Bijapur, dated 26 May 1658, returns to Shahaji the control of his former jagir of Bangalore and assures him that he will not be punished for the rebellion of his son. Some writers have speculated that Shahaji and Shivaji collaborated to establish an independent kingdom, but no contemporary sources support this theory. The majority of historians believe that Shahaji did not support his son's rebellion.[33] In 1659, the Bijapur government sent a 12,000-strong army led by Afzal Khan against Shivaji, but Shivaji emerged victorious in the conflict.[34] Between the years 1659 and 1662, Shahaji travelled to Pune as a mediator between Shivaji and Bijapur, meeting his son for the first time in 12 years. This was also Shahaji's last meeting with Shivaji, as Shahaji died in early 1664 in a hunting accident.[33]
Patronage to scholars
At his court in Bangalore, Shahaji patronized several scholars, including Jayarama Pindye, who composed Radha-Madhava-Vilasa
Poets cited in the Radha-Madhava-Vilasa Champu include Sbuddhi-Rav, a native of
Legacy
Shahaji's tomb is located at Hodigere, near Channagiri in Karnataka.[41]
In popular culture
- In Raja Shivchatrapati (2008), a Marathi historical TV serial aired on Star Pravah, Avinash Narakar played the role of Shahaji Raje.[42]
- In Bharat Ek Khoj, Shahaji was portrayed by Achyut Potdar.[43]
References
Citations
- ISBN 9788185016504.
- ^ Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II, Satish Chandra, p.327 [1]
- ISBN 9788131732021.
- ^ G. H. Khare (1974). Studies in Indology and Medieval History. Joshi & Lokhande. p. 176.
- ISBN 9788125018780. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ Jagadish Narayan Sarkar (1977). History of History Writing in Medieval India. Ratna Prakashan. p. 7.
- ^ Shivaji The Great Vol I, Dr. Bal Krishna, p.53
- ISBN 9788172111007.
- ^ a b Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 44.
- ^ R. V. Oturkar 1956, p. 272.
- ^ a b c d R. V. Oturkar 1956, p. 273.
- ^ a b c d e Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 45.
- ^ Stewart Gordon 1993, pp. 45–46.
- ^ a b c d e f g Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 46.
- ^ Satish Chandra 2005, p. 204.
- ^ Stewart Gordon 1993, pp. 51–52.
- ^ Abraham Eraly 2000, p. 437.
- ^ Sumit Guha 2011, p. 56.
- ^ a b c d e Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 47.
- ^ Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 52.
- ^ Satish Chandra 2005, p. 205.
- ^ Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 47-49.
- ^ a b c d e f g Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 55.
- ^ a b c Sumit Guha 2011, p. 57.
- ^ a b c d e f g B. Muddachari 1966, p. 177.
- ^ a b c d B. Muddachari 1966, p. 178.
- ^ a b c d Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 56.
- ^ B. Muddachari 1966, p. 179.
- ^ a b c d Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 57.
- ^ Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 60.
- ^ Stewart Gordon 1993, pp. 56–57.
- ^ James W. Laine 2003, p. 21.
- ^ a b Stewart Gordon 1993, p. 58.
- ^ James W. Laine 2003, pp. 21–23.
- ^ a b Sumit Guha 2011, pp. 58–59.
- ^ B. Muddachari 1966, pp. 177–178.
- ^ Sumit Guha 2011, pp. 57–58.
- ^ a b Bal Krishna 1932, p. 57.
- ^ Sumit Guha 2011, p. 58.
- ^ Sumit Guha 2011, p. 59.
- ^ "Sunday Story: In Davangere rests a great Maratha warrior, the pride of Kannadigas". Deccan Chronicle. 10 December 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- ^ "Popular historical show 'Raja Shivchatrapati' to return on the audience's demand - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ Bharat Ek Khoj (TV Series 1988– ) - IMDb, retrieved 2 January 2023
Bibliography
- Abraham Eraly (2000). Emperors of the Peacock Throne: The Saga of the Great Mughals. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-100143-2.
- B. Muddachari (1966). "Maratha Court in the Karnatak". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 28. Indian History Congress: 177–179. JSTOR 44140420.
- Bal Krishna (1932). Shivaji the Great. Vol. I. Shahji. D. B. Taraporevala Sons.
- James W. Laine (2003). Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-566771-4.
- R. V. Oturkar (1956). "A study of the movements of Shahaji (Shiwaji's father) during the period of 1624-30". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 19. Indian History Congress: 271–274. JSTOR 44140849.
- Satish Chandra (2005). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II. Har-Anand Publications. ISBN 978-81-241-1066-9.
- Stewart Gordon (1993). The Marathas 1600-1818. The New Cambridge History of India. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-26883-7.
- Sumit Guha (2011). "Bad Language and Good Language: Lexical Awareness in the Cultural Politics of Peninsular India, ca. 1300–1800". In Sheldon Pollock (ed.). Forms of Knowledge in Early Modern Asia: Explorations in the Intellectual History of India and Tibet, 1500–1800. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-4904-4.