Shahaji

Shahaji Bhosale
Maharaj
Predecessor	Maloji Bhosale
Successor	Shivaji (son of Jijabai) becomes Raja of Satara, Vyankoji (son of Tukabai) became Raja of Tanjore
Wives	Jijabai Tukabai Narsabai
Names Shahaji Maloji Bhosale
House	Bhosale
Father	Maloji Babaji Bhosale

Shahaji Bhosale(Kannada:ಶಾಹಜಿ ಭೊಂಸಲೆ) was the eldest son of Maloji Bhosale of Verul (present-day Ellora, Maharashtra). He brought the house of Bhosale into prominence. The princely states of Kolhapur, Satara and Thanjavur are Bhosale legacies. If Shivaji the great was the founder of the Maratha Empire, it was his father Shahaji who started the Marathas on that path.

By the late sixteenth century in central India, while religious and racial bigotry continued to be a feature of many Islamic rulers, cold realism dictated that capable locals from the majority Hindu community needed to be given positions of responsibility. One of the Islamic rulers of the age was Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur, who appointed Hindus to key positions and changed the official court language from Persian to Marathi.

Maloji was childless for a long time. Two sons were born to him after seeking blessings from a famous Sufi pir of the time, named Shah Sharif. In honour of the pir, Maloji named his sons Shahaji and Sharifji. Maloji was a capable soldier and eventually became an independent Jagirdar in the court of Adil Shah.

About Shahaji

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.

Shahaji had defeated quite a number of eminent commanders of Mughalshah, Adilshah and Nizamshah. 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 Shah Jahan revolted against his father Jehangir, he had come to Shahaji for help. Shahaji had sheltered and protected Shah Jahan for about 8 months, during which Mughal forces weren’t able to catch hold of and imprison Shah Jahan.

Battle of Bhatvadi

The battle of Bhataudi was fought in 1624 in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra between forces of Shahaji, Nizam and the combined forces of Mughalshahi and Adilshahi Sultanates. Shah Jahan 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 the time of night; the whole Mughal and Adil encampment was 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 well known worldwide.

At various points of time he allied himself with the Adilshah of Bijapur, the Nizamshah of Ahmednagar and the Mughals. His ultimate ambition was to set up an independent kingdom.

He tried on two occasions, first one after the brutal murder of his father-in-law Lakhuji Rao Jadhav (father of Jijabai) and second in 1636. The second attempt was a formidable challenge.

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 wouldn’t 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. Thus locked from land and sea, Shahaji was forced to sue for peace. He surrendered and handed over puppet minor Nizamshah to Mughals, on the condition that the Nizam wouldn't be harmed. Nizam was taken away by 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 Jahagir in his court, being based in Bangalur (Present day Bangalore in Karnataka). This is one phase of Shahaji's life.

Crisis phase

After this military defeat, his second phase started. He sent his wife Jijabai as Queen Regent their younger son Shivaji to Pune to manage his jahagir of Pune,Their elder son Sambhaji and another son Vyankoji 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, captured Shahaji and had him thrown into prison as he suspected that Shahaji encouraged Shivaji.Two expeditions were sent simultaneously against Shivaji and Sambhaji. They defeated Adilshahi forces. Shivaji meanwhile approached Mughal Emperor Shahjahan for the job. 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. Similarly Shahaista Khan had defeated Shahaji in his second attempt. Shivaji in a daring attack defeated him and forced him to retreat. Thus these events proved that Shahaji had taken a sensible decision in keeping Shivaji in the original stronghold barring which, like Shahaji, he would have been imprisoned or killed like his elder brother. This period of crisis was overcome by sacrifice and personal bonds of this royal family. Shahaji actively supported Shivaji in his earlier enterprises, like the campaign against Afzal Khan.

Shahaji died c. 1665 while on a hunt, after falling off his horse.

Legacy

Shahaji had two sons by Jijabai, Sambhaji and Shivaji. Sambhaji was killed while on a military expedition in Karnataka. Shahaji had one son Vyankoji or Ekoji by his second wife, who came from the Mohite family. Vyankoji 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 Vyankoji in Thanjavur region. Shivaji encouraged farming and cultivation, similarly Vyankoji also dug canals in Thanjavur and promoted farming activities. Both were good administrators. Like Shahaji they were scholars and warriors. Shahaji had caused a champukavya. At Bangalore, literary activities got a filip. His court poet Jayram Pindye had written 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. Thanjavur branch continued till modern times.

जगदिश विरंचिकु पूछत है, कहो सृष्टी रची, रखे कोन कहा । शशि वो रवि पूरब पश्चिम लो, तुम सोय रहो सिरसिंधु महां । अरु उत्तर दच्छिन रच्छनकों इत साहजि हैं, उत साहजहाँ ॥

Shahaji's dream of an independent kingdom was made a reality by his second son, the great Shivaji Maharaj.

References

• Babasaheb Purandare, Raja ShivChhatrapati