Bhonsle (clan)

The Bhosle or Bhosale (pronounced Bhoslay) were a prominent Maratha clan who served as rulers of several states in India .

The most prominent member of the clan was Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire. His successors ruled as maharajas from their capital at Satara, although de facto rule of the empire passed to the Peshwas, the Marathas' hereditary chief ministers, during the reign of Shahu I.

In addition to the Bhonsle Maharajas of Satara, rulers of the Bhonsle clan established themselves at Nagpur and Kolhapur in modern-day Maharashtra in the 18th century. The Bhonsle of Thanjavur were descendants of Sivaji's half-brother Venkoji, while the Bhonsle of Satara and Kolhapur were descended from Sivaji's sons, Sambhaji and Rajaram.

After the British defeat of the Marathas in the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818, the Marathas were forced to accept British rule. The four Bhonsle dynasties continued as rulers of their princely states, acknowledging British sovereignty while retaining local autonomy. The states of Nagpur, Thanjavur, and Satara came under direct British rule in the mid-nineteenth century when their rulers died without male heirs; Kolhapur continued as a princely state until India's independence in 1947, when the rulers acceded to the Indian government.

Info About Clan

Flag of the Maratha

Bhosale/Bhonsle

• Lineage: Gehlot Rajput clan(Sisodia/Rana)of Mewar.
• Original kingdom: Mainawati, Tuljapur, Raygad fort (Raigad) and Burhanpur
• Current kingdoms: Kolhapur, Satara, Nagpur Akalkot Sawantwadi and Thanjavur.
• Colour of throne, canopy, sign (Nishan), and Horse (Varu): Bhagwa (Ochre), *Heraldic sign (Nishan): Rudra on flagpole
• Clan goddess: Jagdamba Bhavani, Tulja Bhavani, chittoud Bhavani, *Clan god: Eklingji, Bada Mahadeo of shikhar shingnapur Satara, Saptashrungi Nivasini Devi in Nasik district near Vani *Clan object (Devak): Five Leaf,
• Guru: Shankkayan, *Gotra: Kaushika, *Veda: Rigveda *Mantra: Gayatri mantra

• Surnames:Aher, Awatar, Ubale, Aadhale, Bhondve, Desale, Dhole, Kacchawah, Kalse, Kanse, Kanase, Kadoo, Kharade, Ghorpade, Chavle, Devaskar, Deokar, Dhorne, Nakashe, Polhar, Fhale, Bansode, Badhe, Borde, Matale, Navsare, Mahajan. Ranbagul, Eaw, Lokhande, Widhate, Wiradh, Watekar, Pedgaonkar, Shisode, Sawant, Bhosale, Hivrale, Sarupye, kotwal(Total 37)

Notable Bhosale Subclans

• Ghorpade
• Kharade
• Desale
• Shisode
• Deshmukh
• Shinde
• Shirke
• Sawant
• Ingale
• Vichare
• Kadu
• Raut

After Chhatrapati Shahu returned to the Maratha kingdom, he wanted to form a future government along with Tarabai for the Maratha state. But Tarabai declined as she didn not wish to work under Shahu. She even refused to accept him as the son of Sambhaji. In the battle of Khed, the two armies met, where Tarabai was defeated. Subsequently, Tarabai established her own kingdom in Kolhapur. Thus, there existed two Maratha kingdoms- one at Satara and other at Kolhapur only during and after Tarabai and not before her.

Maharajas of Satara

• Tarabai (regent 1700-1708). Wife of Rajaram.
• Shahu I (1708-1749). Son of Sambhaji I.
• Ramaraja (1749-1777). Grandson of Rajaram and Tarabai; adopted son of Shahu I.
• Shahu II (1777-1808). Son of Ramaraja.
• Pratapsinh (1808-1839)
• Shahaji III (1839-1848)
• 1848 to Great Britain
• Pratapsinh I (adopted)
• Rajaram III
• Pratapsinh II
• Raja Shahu (1918 - 1950)
• Pratapsinhraje (1950-1978)
• Chatrapati Udayanraje Bhonsle (1978 till present)
• Virpratapsinhraje Bhonsle (2003)

Maharajas of Kolhapur

• Shivaji II (1760-1812) (adopted from the family of Khanwilkar)
• Shambhu (1812-1821)
• Shahoji I (1821-1837)
• Shivaji III (1837-1866)
• Rajaram I (1866-1870) (adopted from the family of Patankar)
• Shivaji IV (1870-1883)
• Shahu IV (1883-1922) (adopted from the family of Ghatge)
• Rajaram II (1922-1940)
• British rule (1940-1942)
• Shivaji V (1942-1947)
• Shahoji II (1947-1949), titular Maharaja 1949-1983 (adopted from the family of Pawar)
• 1948 to India
• Shahu II as titular Maharaja (1983-present)(adopted from Kadam family of Bande)

Maharajas of Nagpur

• Raghoji I (1738-1755)
• Janoji (1755-1772)
• Sabaji (1772-1775)
• Mudhoji I (1775-1788)
• Raghoji II (1788-1816)
• Parsoji Bhonsle (181-1817)
• Mudhoji II (1816-1818)
• Raghoji III (1818-1853)
• 1853 to Great Britain
• Janoji II (1853-1881) (adopted)
• Raghujideo 1881 -

See also

• Shivaji
• Maratha Empire
• Marathas
• Marathi people
• Maratha clan system

External links

• The Bhonsle Dynasty, GENEALOGY
• Bhosale family history
• Brief history of Savantwadi royal house
• Prince of a secular dynasty
• Tanjore (Princely State)
• Kolphapur (Princely State)
• Nagpur (Princely State)