Shahaji
| Shahaji Bhosle | |
|---|---|
| Raje | |
| Predecessor | Maloji Bhosle |
| Successor |
Vyankoji Bhosale I Shivaji |
| Born | March 18, 1594[1] |
| Died |
January 23, 1664[2] Hodigere near Channagiri Davanagere Dist |
| Spouse |
Jijabai Tukabai Narsabai |
| Issue |
Sambhaji Raje Bhosale Shivaji Vyankoji Bhosale Koyaji Raje Santaji Raje |
| House | Bhosle Sisodiya |
Shahaji (March 18, 1594/1602 - January 23, 1664) was the son of Raja of Verul and a general in the court of Adilshah, sultan of Bijapur. The eldest son of Maloji Bhosle, Raja of Verul, Shahaji inherited the Pune and Supe jagirs, under the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. During the Mughal invasion of Deccan, he joined the Mughal forces and served Emperor Shah Jahan for a brief period. After being deprived of his jagirs, he defected to the Bijapur Sultanate in 1632 and regained control over Pune and Supe. In 1638, he also received the jagir of Bangalore, after Bijapur's invasion of Kempe Gowda III's territories. He eventually became the chief general of Bijapur and oversaw its expansion.[3]
An early exponent of guerrilla warfare, he brought the house of Bhonsle into prominence. He was father of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of Maratha Empire. The princely states of Tanjore, Kolhapur and Satara are also Bhonsle legacies.
Early life
Shahaji was the son of Maratha warrior Maloji Bhosale. 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. Maloji was childless for a long time. After seeking blessings from a Sufi muslim pir called Shah Sharif, two sons were born to him. Maloji named his sons Shahaji and Sharifji in honour of the pir.[4][5] Shahaji married Jijabai,the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhav, another Maratha general in the service of Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar when both of them were children.[6]
The Bhosale clan, despite being from the Maharashtra region, claimed to be Rajput. Shahaji, in his letter to Adil Shah, called himself a Sisodia Rajput.[7]
Alliance with Deccan Sultanates and Mughals
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.[8][9]
Jagirdar of Bangalore
In Bangalore, 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, Shambuji (also called as Sambhaji) and another son Venkoji from his second wife stayed with him at Bangalore. Shahji was virtually the king of the territory under his control; the Sultan trusted him and called him the a son and pillar of the state. In Bangalore, Shahaji patronized men of learning.[10]
Legacy
Shahaji samadhi (tomb) is at Hodigere near Channagiri in Karnataka.[11]
References
- ↑ Full text of "Shivaji The Great Vol I"
- ↑ Gazetteer of Mysore - 2 Vols. - B. L. Rice
- ↑ Farooqui Salma Ahmed (2011). A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century. Pearson. p. 315. ISBN 9788131732021.
- ↑ [The Islamic path: sufism, society, and politics in India, Saiyid Zaheer Husain Jafri, Helmut Reifeld - 2006 ]
- ↑ Kosambi, Meera (editor); Laine, James (2000). Intersections : socio-cultural trends in Maharashtra. London: Sangam. p. 62. ISBN 9780863118241. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- ↑ Bhave, Y.G. (2000). From the death of Shivaji to the death of Aurangzeb : the critical years. New Delhi: Northern Book Centre. p. 19. ISBN 9788172111007.
- ↑ Bakshi, Shiri Ram; Sharma, Sita Ram; Gajrani, S (1998). Contemporary Political Leadership in India:Sharad Pawar The Maratha Legacy. New Delhi: S.B. Nangia. ISBN 81-7648-007-X.
- ↑ S. Srinivas (22 February 2005). "The bean city". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 2 July 2007.
- ↑ The Mughal Throne, Abraham Eraly, Phoenix, London, 2004 ( ISBN 0-7538-1758-6), Incidental Data, page 538.
- ↑ Muddachari, B. (1966). "MARATHA COURT IN THE KARNATAK". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 28: 177-. JSTOR 44140420.
- ↑ "Sunday Story: In Davangere rests a great Maratha warrior, the pride of Kannadigas". Deccan Chronicle. 10 December 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2018.