A A

A

SHORT HISTORY3 3

OF

[TiEMAHRATTASUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. SAN DIEGO

3 1822

02399 6192

U. \. BA) L

ifornia Dnality

A

SHORT HISTORYOF

THE MARHATTAS.(From the early times to the deathof Shivaji).

BY

UPENDRA NATH BALL,Professor of Historynrt Shivnji's,

Escape Retreat

of the

Moghuls.

CHAPTERSurat

IX.

THE RESTORATIONof

119-136of

Reconquest

Sinhgad

The Second Sack

Further

Incursion into the Moghul Terof

ritorythe

Battleof

Salheir The

European

Factories Eosslinst

Danda Rajapuri Expedition...13

Bijapur The Coronation.

CHAPTER XThe Campaignin the

7-M4

South*Bi;

Konkan the

affairs in

Operations in the apur Alliance will!

CHAPTER

Golconda The Tanjore expedition. ...145 164 XI. The Last years of Shivaji Alliance with Bijapur The fall of Bhupalgadtroublesin

Furtheran

Bijapur Naval engage-

mentDeath of Shivaji Shivaji's system of Government The Chauth and Sardcshmurkhi estimate of his greatness.

SHORT HISTORYOF

THE MAHRATTAS.CHAPTERI.

INTRODUCTION.

Moghul Power in Indi& there arose a number of small states. The old officers emperors became practically indepencf the Delhi dent in Oudh, Hyderabad and Bengal paying nominal The Rajput princes ignored allegiance to the throne.

On

the

decline

of the

the suzerainty of Delhi. the Mahratta

confederacy, the foundationin

But in the Deccan flourished which ofof

wasmostto

laid

by Shivajistates

the reign

Aurangzeb, andBritish

which was ultimately broken up by theof

and

which

forming the confederacy were addedin the

the British

Empire

nineteenth century.

The

Mahrattas ceased to be a political power since the conquest of Deogir by Ala-ud-din in 1313 A. D. In the middle of the 17th century Shivaji made them a nation

and gave them an ideal to strive for and a history to make. The rise of the Mahrattas would not have beenpossibleif

Shivaji alone

was

the upheaval of the

had tried to effect it. "It whole population," saysRanade,

"strongly bound together by the

common

affinities

of

language,

race,

religion

and

literature,

and seeking

further solidarityexistence.

by a

commonfirst

independent politicalof the

This was the

experiment

kind

attempted in India after the disastrous period

of foreign

Mussalnian invasion."

The Mahrattas foundthe

in vShivaji a leader

fit

to fulfilin his

ambitions

of

the race.

They supported himthefortressesof

national

projects

and

started

foundation of thethe

structureGhats.

on the

strong

Westernof

Their power extended over the wholeof

the

Xteccan, and in the dark daysit

the

Delhi

Empire

reached the banks of the Sutlej on the

north and

of the chiefsItofis

Ganges on the east. At one time the Mahratta became the custodians of the Moghul prestige.therefore a most fascinating study forthe

studentof

Indian history to trace the rise and

fall

such a

power.

The word MahrattaSanskrit

or Maharattha

is

derived fromderived from

Maharashtra,

which again

is

Rashtra or

Katta by the addition of the prefix Maha.

Rastikas are mentioned in the Asoka inscriptions but it isdoubtful whether the

name Maharashtraoccur in

or Maharattha

bad come

The words some inscriptions Maharathi and Maharafthini 3n the cave temples at Bhaja, Bedsa and Karli, 'which are referred to the second century after Christ. (R. G.into

use in the time of Asoka.

Bhandarkar).

It is

therefore, asserted,

that theiu the

nameearly

Mahrattha or Maharashtra came into use

cen turies

of the Christian era.

A poemattributed

in the

Mahrathi dialect entitled Setubandha is

to

Kalidasafirst

who

lived either in the

fifth

cen-

By the time tury or in the of Kalidasa the dialect was sufficiently developed, and must have been cultivated two or three centuries earlier. Mahrathi is one of the old Prakrits, and one of thehalf of the sixth century.

principal provincialcient progress.

languages which has madeliteratureofitsis

suffi-

The Mahrathi

very rich,anti-

and veryquity.

important

on account

great

The Country

Theis

country of the

people

speaking

Mahrathi language

called Maharashtra.

People someits

times identify Maharashtra with Deccan, insense,thatis

narrowest

the

land

wateredthat

by

the

GodaveriKrishna.

and

lying

between

river

upper and the

In the Strictest

sense therefore Maharashtralies

includes the

Konkanthe seas.

which

between the Western

'Ghats

and

The Mahrattas have,

however*

extended beyond the original boundaries and Grant Duff in his " History of the Mahrattas " defines Maharashtraasthe

space which

is

Satpooraeast

mountains,

bounded on the north by the and extends from Naundole

on the west, along those mountains, to the Weinegunga, of Nagpur. The western bank of that river forms a part of the eastern boundary until'into the

it falls

Warda.

From

the junction of these ri-

vers

it

may

be traced up the east hank of the

Warda to

Manikdroog, and thence westwardthislast

to

Mahoor.he

Fromto-

place a

wavingcoversto

lineit is

mayarea

extendedthe

Goa, whilst

on the westtract

bounded byof

ocean.

The wholemiles.

an

102,000 square

According

the

lastisis

census the

Mahrathi

speaking population of Indiathe population of Maharashtra

about 20 millions andabout 30 millions.lying between-

The Konkau

is

a rugged country

the Ghats and the sea extending along the coast from Sewdasheogarh to the Tapti. The country is inters-

persed with mountains 3000 to 4000

feet

high.

Theof the

breadth

of the

country from the sea to the summitto 50 miles.

Sahyadri range varies from 25sive table-land on the topis

called the

The extenKonkan-GhatThul Konkan.miles broad.

Mahta and the lower regions are called The Konkan-Ghat Mahta is 20 to

the

25

The

table-land

is

divided into

three parts viz., the.

Mawals, the Khoras, and

the Mooras.

The

hills

have made the country very strong fromof

a military point

view.

The summits

are crowned

with strong basaltic rocks, and are, therefore,

capable

of being formed into fortresses without great difficulty.

The Ghat-Mahta hasThere are from westjrange from

sloped

down towardshills

the east-

four

important ranges ofthe Satpoora

runningis

to east viz.,

range which;

the northern boundary of

Maharashtrathe

the

Chandorehills

Rhoura

to Berar;

Ahmednagar

from JoonereofSatara.

to

Bheer and the Mahdeo to the northis

There

alsoof

a the

range

tois

the

south of

Poona.

The climateit is

country

healthy but

in fertility

inferior to

some parts

of India.

The

principal rivers of Maharashtra are thethe Godaveri,tributaries.its

Narmada,

the Tapti,

with their

Bhima, and the Krishna The banks of the Godaveri, thethe

Bhima and

tributaries the

Neera and the Maun are

celebrated for the breed of horses.

The rugged

surface

of the country influenced the character of the people to

a great extent.

Theviz.,

country

is

mainly divided into three partslandthethe

the

long strip ofasthe

behind

the

Sahyadrisregionthe

knownin

Konkau,

moitutainous

the

centre

knownthe theof

asof

Mawal,

and

wide plains to

east

the hills

called the

Desh.

Thewide

fertility

of

country

varies

according to thecircumstances.

varietyis

climate

and

other

There

plenty of rainfall in theeast

plains in the

Konkan, whereas the are almost dry, receiving not more

than 20 inches of rain (hiring the year.describing tin- character of the people a modern " The race that inhabits it varies, just writer saysIn:

as

Frenchmenraces.

of

different

provinces vary.differentiateit

But

it

has

distinct

characteristics,

whichof of

from otherTheir

Indianlack

The people

Maharashtra as a rule

the

regular features

Northern Indian.

tempers,

too,

are usually less under control than thosein

of the dwellers

the

Gangetichigh as

plain.

But

their

courageIndian

is

at

best

as

that

of

any other

nation,

while

their

exquisitely

keen sense of

humour,

the lofty intelligence of their educated classes,

their blunt speech

and frank bearing raTelythe Indiantraveller

fail to

win theit

love and admiration of those Englishmen whose lotto serve

is

among themdescription

Government."

(C.

A.

Kincaid).a vivid

The Chineseof

Hiuen Tsiang gave

years

thirteen hundred " Their manners Thus wrote he are simple and honest. They are tall, haughty and supercilious in character. Whoever does them a service

the

people:

back.

may count onthemwill

their

gratitude,

but he

thatIf

offends

not escape theirriskto

revenge.theirlives

any

one

insults

them, they willIf

to

wipe outtheyto flee

the affront.will

one applycare for

them

in

difficulty,

forget

to

'

themselves intheyto

order

to his

assistance.

Whenfail

have

an

injuryto-

to

avenge, they

never

give warninghis cuirass

their

enemy,his

afterin

which each dons

and grasps

spear

fugitives, but

his hand. In battle they pursue the do not slay those who give themselves

up.

When

a general

has

lost

a

battle,

instead

of

punishing

himclothes,life."

corpora lly.

they

makehimof

himto

wear

women'shis

and byInthe

that force

sacrifice

own

later

history

the

people

most

of these

characteristics

were greatly

in evidence;

7

and their rise was due to this nobility of character and intolerance for wrong. The Mahrattas possess the constructive genius in a greater degree than any otherrace in India^ and their

modern

institutions

one believe that

such a race could not but

make have a

grand though

tragic history.

s

CHAPTER

II.

Early History of the Deccan.

no connected history of the Deccan until conquest by Ala-ud-din Khalji in 1313. The labours of Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar and a few other scholars have brought to light a few fragments fromis

There

we come

to its

ancient

inscriptionsis still

and

literature.

the main historyin his "Early

very obscure.

But as yet Dr. Bhandarkar

History of the Deccan" describes only the

landmarks in the history of the various dynasties which ruled over the country, and there is very little to form a correct idea of the evolution of thegrand nation whichin India. figured

so prominently in

the

seventeenth and eighteenth centuries of the Christian era

Thebeenof

early

inhabitants of India

are said to havethe

the Dravidian stock.in

When

Aryans camesouth

and

settled

Northern

India

the

country

Vindhyas were inhabited by the Dravidians. The legendary march of Rishi Agastya is considered to be theof thefirst

attempt made by the Aryans to go intoforests

the south.

But the thick

between the Vindhyas and the seaa strong barrierthatinIt

and

the great central hills served asis

against such projects.

said

the

7th

century B.

C,

the

Aryans spread across

the

Vindhya

but

towards the further south the waveits

of

migration

gradually lost

strength.

The Epic Period.tion of theis is

The Ramayana gives a good descripof

forest

Dandaka but beyondus an ideatheof theof

that

there

very

little

to give

country.

So

it

believed that at

time

the

Ramayana

the

Aryans had not gone very far from the Vindhyas. In the Mahabharata we find Sahadeva, the youngestbrother of King Yudhisthira,Keralas, and Andhras.It

subduing the Pandyas,

therefore appears that at the

time

when

the

Mahabharata was written the

Aryans

had explored the southern peninsula. The Maharasthra was then known as Dandakaranya, by which namethe

Brahmanas

refer to theit

countrycloseto

in their

Mantrasit

even now.conquered

Althoughlast of all,

lies

Aryavarta

was

and itibecame the most Aryanisedold races were absorbed in the

part of the south.

The

race of the conquerors, and the language of the country

became richly blended with Sanskrit, the language of Aryans. Professor Rawlinson writes The inhabitants of the Dekhan appear to belong mainly tothe:'

a Scytho-Dravidian

stock,

with a considerable Aryan

elementis

in the

higher castes.descent,

They speak

a dialect

which

Aryan by

with an

intermixture of a few

aboriginal roots and forms."

10The Maurya Period Chandra Gupta Maurya (320 B. C.)

who had

his capital at Pataliputra, ruled

over Northern

India as far as Kathiwad.

His grandson, Asoka, whoB.to

reigned from 263

to

229east

C.

extendedin

his

swaywest.

from KalingaIn hisfifth

in

the

KathiwadPetinikas,

the

edict the Rastikas,

and Aparantasreligious

are mentioned as

provinces where he sentnot certain

preachers.these

It

is

whether

he

conqueredsemi-

provinces.

But most probably they were

independent, and owed allegiance to Asoka as suzerain.

Paithau or Pratisthana must have been the capital of the

KingsIs

of the

Rastikas at the time, as the information

gathered from the inscription at Pitalkhora.

The Aodhras The Maurya Dynasty lasted foryear?.Its last

137

King was murdered by Pushpami.tra whodynasty.

founded the Sunga

The Sungas were Kanvaslatter

in

power

for 112for

years and the45 years.

who

succeeded

them ruledby Simuka,bhrityas,

The

were

overthrown

the founder of the

dynasty

of the

Andhra-

who were oncelist

servants or dependants.of

The

Puranas give aof

of

names

these kings,the

and someand

these

names are

found

in

inscriptions

were discovered

in the

several parts of the Deccau.

The Andhras

dwelt between therivers,

mouthsof

of

the

Krishna and the Godaveri

on the Bay

Bengal.

11

They were

tributaries

of

Asoka, and

after

the death

of that king they

gradually

assumed independence,,

destroyed the Kanvas and overran Maharashtra. They

were alsoaboutthree

known

as Satabahanas.

They ruledC.

for

hundred

years from B.

73

to

about

213 A. D.tribe

Their long rule was interrupted by a foreign

called the Sakas for about 53 years.in

The dynastyPulamayi, thein

was founded by Simukasonof

B. C.

73.

Gotaraiputra, drovefather,

out the foreigners,

co-

operation with his

audof

the

fatherto the

and theGeograPaithan.

son ruled the country

jointly.

According

phy

of

Ptolemy the capital

Pulamayi

was

(130 A. D.).

The country under the Andhras was in a prosperous condition. The people were mostly Buddhist Brahmanism was in a flourishing state. althoughPrinces

and

chiefs,

merchants, goldsmiths, carpenters,,

orn -dealers and others excavated temples and monasteriesfor

the use

of

Bhikshus

out of solid rocks at

Karli aud other places at their

ownof

expense.

Monasteriesfor

were also dug outthetions

in

the

caves on the seashorethe historical

Buddhist priests.of in

Most

informa-

the

time are

derived

from

the

foundof the

these places.

We

gather from the

inscriptions " Periplus.

Krythrean Sea " that the countryprosperityin

was enjoyingvSopara,trade.for

materialPaithan.

these places.

Broach,

and

Tagara

werecall at

important

Foreign vessels used to

Broach, then

known as

12Barugaza,

and goods from the country were stockedPaithan

there for export.

the Dakshinapatha.

was the greatest city in The important articles of exportspices

were

rough stone,

coloured cottons,articles of imports

and

mallow and unguents, and the were wine, and glass and speciethe

ordinary cottons, muslin,

andfrom

beautiful girls forthis that

royal

harem.

It

is

evident

India

was

industrially ahead of the

Euro-

pean countries.

"There were"guildsof

in those

days"

writes Dr. Bhandarkar,

trades suchoil

as those of weavers, druggists,etc.

corn-dealers,zation seemssince,

-manufacturers,

Their

organieffective,

to

have been

complete

and

as

already mentioned,of

they received permanentinterestin

deposits

moneyguilds

and

paid

them fromhasthe

generation to generation.of

Self-government by meansvillage-communities

such

andan

alwayspolitical

formed

importantof

factor

of

administrationsab/iain

the

country.is

Amen-

uigamationed

orof

town

corporation

also

one

Ushavadata'slike

Nasik

inscriptions,

which shows that somethingexistedin

Municipal institution

thosefive

early

days."

Theof

rate

of

interest

was from

to

seven and half per cent per annum,evidencein

which is a government.testimonyto

sufficient

the

efficiency of

Inscriptionsthefact

different

placesof

bear

that

people

different

13provinces couldgreatdifficult}-.

move from long

distances

without

There must have therefore been good

inter-provincial roads.

The Dark Age -The

fall

ofof

the

Audhrashistoryof

wasthe

followed by a long periodthreerulers

darkness.clear

For about

centuriesof

there

is

no

the

country.

came fromin

the

The Sakas and the Huns west and there was great confusionItis

the country.

believed that a branch of thefor

Audhrasafter

ruled

some

time

and

the Kshatrapy dynasty

obtained a portion of the Deccan

the Satavahauas or Andhras.rise of the

The Vayu Furana

mentions thefor

sixty -seven years.

Andhras or a clan of cowherds They probably reigned in the

fourth century of the Christian era.

The

inscriptions

mention two indigenous

tribes of

Kshatriyas called Bhojas and Ratthis.the north calledtheir

The

Ratthis in

themselves

Maharatthis and one ofas

groups became

known

Rashtrakutas.

The

princes of this Rashtrakuta family were in power from

about the endcentury.

of the third to the

beginning of the sixth*

The Early Chalukyas.

In

the sixth century a the

dynasty spreadoriginal seat

its

supremacy overdynasty

Deccan.

new The

of

the

branch

of

it

migrated to the

was Ayodhya and a south and in course of timewere

became

supreme.

These

rulers

known

as

142

Buddhism wasprecepts of

the

prevalent religion.

Giaduallythe people,

the

Buddha were forgotten by

and

the cult of Mahabir appealed to the popu'ar view.

This

again was superseded by the monotheistic

religion,

preached

by Sankaracharya.

From

the seventh century

onwards

we

find

beautiful temples dedicated to

God

Shiva.

The

rationalism of the Vedantic religion, however, was notsufficient to

awaken

the devotional spirit of the Marathas.

The

reign of

Dnyandev of Pandharpura who lived in the Ramdev of Devagiri gave a new turn to the He was an outcaste Brahman. But by movement. his devotion he became a saint. He wrote a Marathi commentary on the Bhagavat Gita and also many other poems rousing the devotional spirit of the people. Onpoet

account

of his saintly life

Pandharpur

attracted a large

number of pious men. His followers came mostly from low classes. Chokhamela was a Mhar, Rohidas was a Chambar. JCabir who came from the north was a Mussalman. Namdev was a tailor. ",,They were all "writes Mr. Kincaid,

"men

of

holy and austere

lives.

Their worship

of

Krishna was eminently pure and sane.

Their preaching and their poems stimulated men's minds and led them to seek a refuge from their sorrows atKrishna's shrine.

Thewere

spot where

Dnyandev and

his

brothers and sister died became centres frcm which the

Pandharpur

tenets

promulgated from the Bhima

to the Tapti and from Alandi to Saswad.

Men whoto

made pilgrimagesoth?r by their

to these shrines

were drawn

each

common knowledge

of the

Maiathi speech

5i;

;and

of the

doctrines of the Pandharpur Saints.

In thisof

way

there

came

into

existence

the

beginnings

B

national feeling."

The love for God made them realise the brotherhood Through religion people were brought to of man. " Religious revival and puritan enthusiasm " unity.says Mr.it

Ranadeto

'

were

at

work

in the

laud,

and

was

clear

men's minds that the old bigotry must

cease.

This religious enlightenment was the principal

point of departure from the earlier traditions of submission to brute force andof a determination

that

not again spread in

more strongly thanpur.others

made itself manifest in the form Mahomedau intolerance should the land. None felt this influence he worshippers, who placed theiritI

faith in the shrines of

Bhawanithis fire

at

Tuljapur and Kolha-

They caught"

andthe

communicatedGondhlis

it

to

through their

bards,

and

the

Bhata

The

spirit of

Maharashtra was thus

fully

awakenedtheall

for a national

regeneration.

The

social conditions,

religious spirit

and

the politicalof

circumstanceslife

were

favourable for the growth

aud character. The rise of the Marathas was not thus an accident. While the Mnssalmans in the south were indulging innationalvice

and

riot

the

M.irathas

werethus

going

through

a

process of purification.

Their

clean and pure lives

-pared the:n

for the position

acquired

later

on.

64

The Turk

rulers brought ruin

upou themselves.

When

they degraded themselves in the eyes of the people they Government could lost their power to control them.

no longer be

their

work, becauseof

it

required superior

moral force on the part

rulers.

The Marathas wereralliedin his

inspired by a religious fervour

and they quickly

roundlife

the

banner

of

their

leader

who embodied

and

character the noblest ideals of the people.

55

CHAPTERThe Moghul advanceMalik

V.in

the Deccan.of

Amber : The

last

days

Akbarson.

weredied

darkened by the rebellion

of his

eldest

son Selim and

the death of Prince Daniyal, his

third

He

in broken health in 1605, and was succeeded by Selim under the title of Jehangir. The rebellion of Khusru, Jehangir's eldest son, in turn, kept the Delhi Govern-

ment too busytill

to

look after the affairsintervalofof

of

the

south

1606 A.

D.

In this

six years

Malik

Amber, the Abyssinian ministerIItried

Murtiza Nizam Shah

to

retrieveafter

the lost position offall of

Immediatelyfortified

the

Ahmadnagar. Ahmadnagar he stronglythe

Daulatabad,

and reformed

system

of

revenue collection.

He

abolished revenue farming andfor

appointed Brahman agentssupervision ofof village

collection,

under theold

Mahomedanat

officers.

Theof

system

administration was restored, and the revenuethe rateof

was assessedpaid annually.

two

fifths

the actualto be

produce, which in

turn was

commuted

in

money

People under these

reforms becametreasury alsofelt

prosperous and

happy,

and the

state

became

full*.

In 1610 A.

DHis

Malik Amberthe

himself

strong enough tothe

regain

provinces conquered by1610to

Moghul emperor.

operations from

1615

A. D. were uninterrupted success.

He had madeand employed

Khirki,all

modern Aurangabad,of

the capital,in

the resources

the

state

driving the Moghuls

05out

of the

recovering the city

wholericts

of

Nizam Shahi territory. He succeeded in of Ahmadnagar, and almost the the old kingdom excepting one or two distJehangir did not like to be deprivedof his

in

the north.

of the conquests

father,

and

s nt his*

son,

iam, to conduct the campaign against Malik

KhurAmber.

Khurram was an

able soldier,

and made Malik Amberto

leave his newly conquered territories point by point.

The Abyssinian leader was putHis revenuefelloff,

serious troubles.

andlost

the

soldiers

could not be

paid regularly.

He

Ahmadnagarleft

fort,

and some

of the veteran generalsto the

his

service

Moghuls

(1621).of

Lokhjee Jadava Raorenegades.

and went over of Sindof a battle

kheir

was one

these

Other Mahratta

Chiefs remained faithful.

In

the

accounts

fought in 1620 the names of Jadava Rao and Shahjee

Bhonsle are mentioned.father

Thedied in

latter

had succeeded

his

Maliojeeof

who

1619.

Since he joinedhimself

the service

Ahmadnagar he

distinguished

by

his bravery.

In 1621 circumstances

in

Delhi interrupted

the

campaignsgir

in

the south.

Nur Jehan persuaded Jehanv Shahriyar,the youngestto recall

to accept her son-in-la

son of the emperor, as his heir, and from the Deccan. Khurram rose indefeated by the Imperial troops.inlast

rebellion, but

Khurram was

He

then sought refuge

Guzerat,

he came

At Khandesh and Bengal successively. Amber, and was cordially to Malik

57received by him. against thethe

The two now led combined attack Moghul troops. The prince did not findand asked the forgiveMalikfather,

newof

policy very hopefulhis

nessfate.

leaving

Amber

to

his

Jehangir,

however, was

now

not the master of

himself.

general Mahabat

He was first a prisoner in the hands of Khan who had incurred the displeaNur Jehan succeededthein extricat-

sure of

Nur Jehan.but

ing

Jehangir,

intriguing

generala

joinedtoit

Khurram,Persia.

who wasKhurram

then contemplatingof

flight

The deathfor

the emperor

in

1627

made

easier

to

occupy the throne.1626 leavinghis

Maliktohis,

Amber

died in

charge

son Fateh Khan.

The new

peace with the Moghul general,tiza

made up a Khan Jehan L,odi. Murminister

Nizam Shah'II had byto curtailof

this time attained

majority

and wantedthe help

the powers of the regent.

an

officer

With named Tukurrib Khan he put

Fateh

Khan

into the

prison (1629 A. D.)

On

the fall

of Fateh Khan Lokhjee Jadava Rao came back to Ahmadnagar, but he was treacherously murdered by the Nizam. In utter dismay his widow went to the Moghuls, and was confirmed in the jaghir of Sindkheir. afterwards the Jadavas remained faithful aud ever

to the

Moghuls.

Fresh troubles came upon the Nizam from differentquarters.

The

Moghul

general

Khan Jehan

Lodi

58

was

a

personal enemy of the

emperor Shah Jehan.

He

Delhi.

was transferred to Malwa and then called to There he suspected treachery and fled to thereceived the support of Murtizarebellion.

Deccan, and

Nizamfield in

Shah

in

his

Shah Jehan took theto

person.retreat,

Khanandrebel

Jehan Lodi was pursuedin

his

last

slain

1630.

The

Nizam Shahis were

now hardof the

pressed by the Moghuls for taking up the cause

commander.hisin his

Finding his position insecureservicesto

Shahjee

tendered

the emperor,

and

was confirmeddistricts

old jaghirs,

and granted some

belonging to Fateh Khan.

The

difficulties of

Murtiza Nizam Shah were increased by a famine at thetime.

Almost in a desperate condition he released Fateh Khan, and put him into power. But the offendedminister

threw

infant son,self

Murtiza into prison and placed his Hussain on the throne, and appointed him-

his

regent.

To

strengthen his

position

against

the

rebelliousof the

supportthe

spirit of the people he bought the emperor by rich presents and got back

districts

granted tothis

Shahjee.

The

latter

was

aggrieved at

treatment and with the help of Murarof Bijapur,

Jagdev, entered the servicebijapurand

(1631 A.D.)

Ahmadnagar

:

Ibrahimdivide

Adil Shah

II,

king of

Bijapur,ally

wasof

jealous of Malik

Amber.

Heof

had been an

the

Moghuls, and entered intoto

an agreement with

them

the

kingdom

Ahmadnagar between themselves.

Ibrahim,

however,

59died in the same year as" Malik

and was succeeded by

his

Amber (1626 A. D.) son Mahomed Adil Shah.

The new king wasgovernmentin his

not desirous of prepetuating Moghul

neighbourhood.

He

therefore entered

into a secret

negotiation with

Murtiza

Nizam. Shah,Moghuls, Randulla

and

sent Randulla

Khan apparentlyof

to help the

but really to promote the cause

Murtiza.

demanded

of the

promised in the old agreement.

Moghul general Azim Khan the districts Azim Khan did notrequest,inflicted a severe defeat

comply withRandulla

his

between the two kingdoms

and suspecting an intrigue upon

Khan. It was in these circumstances that Fateh Khan was released. We have already seen that Shahjee had left the Moghul service in disgust and

went over

to

Bijapur.

He persuaded Mahomed

Adil

make an attack upon Daulatabad. Fateh Khan applied to the Moghul general Mahabat Khan for help, and offerred the surrender of Daulatabad, and proposedShahto

Moghul Emperor. Mahabat Khan sent an army under his son Khan Jaman. But before Khan Jaman could reach Daulatabad Shahjee had come there, and by diplomatic overtures turned Fatehtothe

become

vassal of the

#

Khan from Moghul alliance. At this treachery of Fateh Khan Mahabat invested Daulatabad. The impregnable fort was stormed, Fateh Khan surrendered with thefort of

Daulatabed, and the infant king Hussain Nizam

vShah

was taken53

a

prisoner

to

Gwaliar.

The

siege

lasted for

days *and was marked by heroism

and

ravery on both sides.

60Shahjee tried oncestorm,

more

to

take the fortress by

but he was driven back byof

commandant

the

garrison.

Khan Dauran, the Mahabat Khan pursuedhe was superseded byin

the Bijapur troops.

At

this stage

prince Shuja, and he

was put second

command.

This

division of responsibility reduced the vigour of the operations.

The Moghuls were

defeated at Parenda, and were

compelled to retreat to Burhanpur. Meanwhile Shahjee

had put another infant named Ahmed Nizam Shah onthe throne ofregent.set

Ahmadnagar

and he himself acted as

He

regained his position greatly, and began toin the country.

up good governmentfelt

The Emperorto

Shah Jehan

that Bijapur

must be subdued

restore

settled conditions in the

newly acquired

territories.

He

sent an ambassador to

Mahomed

Adil Shah demandingthe

the restitution

of the forts

belonging

Nizam Shahiuponthe abanfive

kings, their guns and stores, and insisting

donment

of

Shahjee.

The

fort of

Sholapur with

and

half districts

was held out

as reward.

The

refusal

wasin-

threatened with annihilation.effective.

The overtures provedtill

So vigorous war continued

1636.

The

territory of the Bijapur king was overrun by the Moghuls. Ruin spread over the country and at last both sides,

wearywhole

of

war, cameof the

to

terms.

Bijapur got aincluding

large

portion

Ahmadnagar kingdom,the'condition of

the

of the territory lying

between the Bhima and the

Neera up

to

Chakan on

annual tribute of 20 lakhs'of pagodas.

payment of an Bv an article of

61the treaty Shahjee

was promised pardon providedin his possession.

he-

surrendered the forts

At

first

ShaVjeeof the

held out for some time. But without the support

king

of Bijapur

he could not

stand long against thehis forts

Moghul arms.he appliedperor.toldfor

When

most

of

were

reduced

pardon, and for service under the emthe prayer forin

Shah Jehan grantedin

pardon andSincethen.till

Shahjee to seek servicethe

Bijapur.

Shahjee remaineddeath.

service of the

Adil Shahs

of Ahmadnagar was now complete, and Bijapur and Golconda remained the only independent Afghan kingdoms in the South. The Maharashtra

The reduction

remained mainly under the king

of Bijapur.

(52

CHPTEREarly Whenonbehalf of

VI.

life of

Shivaji.against the11

Shahjee was busyMurtiza

fighting:

MoghulsShivner

Nizam ShahThis boy

his wife Jijabai

bore him a son on Aprilclosetoto

10, 1627, in the fort of

Junnar.theBritish

ThanksShivaji,

was named Shivaji. Government the birthplace of

who rose to be one of the greatest of Indian kings has now been marked out by a marble trablet. This was the second son of Jijabai, her first son, SamThe childhoodhardships.of

bhujee was born four years earlier.Shivajiafter his

passed

through

variousto

Shortly

birth Shahjee

had

go ever to the Moghuls.

But the disgrace which was meted out to him by depriving him of some districts granted by Shah Jehan made himforsake the

Moghul

service.

Since

1631 his entire

energy was devoted to crush the imperial power. He created a number of enemies in the Moghul Court He alienated the sympathy of his mother-in-law bycontracting a second marriagethe

with Tukabai, a girl ofthis

Mohite

family (1630).

After

Jijabai

went

to her relations.in

Whentoof

new marriage Daulatabad waswas takencon-

besieged bya

Mahabat KhanBut shethe

1633 Jijabai

prisoner.

managedoffices

keep Shivajiher relations

cealed.

With

good

who

Moghul Court she was released and brought to the fort of Kondane. In 1636 when Shfrhjee went with Morar Pant to Bijapur, Jijabai accompanied herwerein the

63

husband and remained therethe Carnatic by the

till

the

celebration

of

Shiva ji's marriage with Saibai. Shahjee was King of Bijapur shortly afterwards.Jijabai

sent to

So

and Shivajee were sent to Poona under the guardianship of Dadaji Kondadev.

At Poona Shiva ji received his training under Dadaji, future career was greatly influenced by the and environment in which he was brought up. Poona washis

then a small village near the confluence of the Muta .and the Mula. The country about was a barren wilderness.

The

late

wars had devastated the

entire Deccan.tolife

People were feeling insecure withproperty.carried

respect

and

Young children and women were often away by Mahomedans, and made converts.

The jaghirs of Shahjee were deliberately destroyed by the enemy and the inhabitants had either fled or perishDadaji was an able manager, and applied himself ed.to

improve the conditionrent freeto

of

Poona and Supa.cultivators

L,and

was given

the

and

the wild

beasts were hunted out of the fields by giving rewardsto huntsmen.off robbers.

BandsWithina

of

hillmen were armed to

ward

few years he succeded

in effect-

ing considerable progress.

Two more

talukas, Baramati

and Indapur, which were granted to Shahjee by the Bijapur Government, were also handed over to Dadajiior

management.

The

fertile soil of the tract

under his

able

management

shortly

began

to

reward

his labours.

Harvest was

abundant, and with the surplus revenue

64thus earnedvillage,

he

planted

mangoafter

trees,

and founded a

which he namedof

Shivaji, Shivapur.

The guardian

the

young Maratha was honest,a

pious and intelligent.

He broughtof

number

of

boys of

the age of Shivaji, to play withart.

The

best

known

him and. to learn military these companions were Tanajiof

Malusare,

a

petty

baron

Umrathe

village

in the

Konkan,Sahyadris.

Baji

Phasalkar, the deshmukh of the valley of

Mun, and Yesajithem lessonsinstructorsstories of hisin

Kank,

a

small 'landholder

in the

Paid instructors

were

appointed to giveof these

warlike exercises.

The teaching

was supplemented

by

Dadaji by relating

own

experience.

Besides these exercises the

young mengainedses

travelled through hills

and

forests

and thuspasthe

first

hand knowledgeof the

of the

Maval,

of the

to the

Konkan, and

obscure

regions on

Sahyadri.

coursefuture.life to

of

knowledge Shivaji acquired in the these wanderings was very useful to him in-

The

In addition to this training Dadaji pitched his

a high religious fervour

by giving sound religious

instructions.

saints ofstories

teachings of Dnyanadev and the Pandharpur were expounded to him, and the from Ramayana and Mahabharata were related

The

on winter evenings.

The heroism

of

the

Kshatriya

warriors, their skill and bravery in war, the statesmanship of Bhishma, and other elevating anecdotes

made a*

deep impression on the young Shivaji.

It is

no woudi

L

05therefore that cne of theof his liferr.cst

important characteristicsfervourin

wasas

the note of

deep religious

In

almosta

all

his activitiesif

he conducted himself

suchhe

manner

he received a call from within, andunless he

would not undertake anythingported

was sup-

by divine authority. Mr. Kincaid gives a fine which moulded his description of the surroundings character, and the passage is quoted below in full:' '

The scenery round Poona

kind.of the

To

the west are the

is of the most inspiring tremendous barrier ranges

Sahyadris.

Only twelve miles

to the south stands

out the colossal fortress of Sinhagad.

To

the south-

west

may be dimly seen the peaks of Rajgad and Torna. which, when outlined against the setting sun, arouseto-day

even

emotion

in

theto

phlegmaticthe

Englishof

man.lies

But

thirteen

miles

Alandi,

the

spotto

Poona where Dnyanadev entered hisnorth

living

tomb and

which,

now

as,

in

Shivaji's

time, thousands of pilgrims bearing yellow flagstheir

make

way from Pandharpur.more powerful than

But there was yet anothereither Dadaji

influence

Kondadev'sJijabai,

teachings or the grandeurfatherless, deserted

of the

landscape.

by her husband, and her eldest sonhervSheall

found a solacepossessionleft

for

grief

in

Shivaji,

the

oneall

her.

lavished

on

her

son

and more

than

a

mother's

love.

At

the

same time she bade him naver forget that he was descended both from the Yadavas of Devagiri,

66

ami

the

Ranas

of

Udaipur.

She

reeitedof

to

him

the

Puranas with

their

marvellous feats

But she wished to see

war and daring. him pious as well as brave. Sheat

made him pray constantlywhichstill

the

little

village

shrinesite

may

be seen at Poona

not far from the

of Jijabai's

home.

There too she welcomed Kathekaristranslate

or religious

preachers to

and expoundthe

to

him,

better than

even Dadajiof

could do,

various

virtues

and merits

Krishna.at eighteen

Thus grew Etruriawas a man,tireless,

strong;fearless

and Shiva ji

and deeply devout.*'in

Thus

an inspiring atmosphere under the

influence-

of his guardian Dadaji,Jijabai, Shiva ji

and his high souled mother formed an ideal for himself. He underMaratha racefromfo-

took the task

of liberating the

reign j'oke, and of establishing a Swarojya for them. He did not want preferment for himself in court, which.

he could

easily get

through his father or

relatives.

He

did not desire to renounce the world-eligious

either, as

other

would do. But he chose a perilous ahead. course with full knowledge of the dangers Although young companions encouraged him, and his old tutor blessed him in his mission, he was not sure As a matter of the support of the great Maratha chiefs.peopleof fact he

had

to fight against

many

of

them.

Yet in-

spire of all these"he

difficulties, without fear or hesitation plunged himself into the noble task of nation-build-

?ng.

The

teachings of

the Bhagavatgita

must

have

67prepared his mind to undergothe the severeof

hardships of

great

work. Exhortations

Srikrishna to Arjuna

in the field of

Kmukshetra could not but have appealed

to Shivaji s mind,

08

CHAPTERTorn;i

VII.

Rebuilding a Mahratta State.and otherhill

-forts The

young Shiva ji waswhich were beforeInhis

quick

in

finding

the

opportunities

him

in

forming a strong Mahratta State.to his friends of

boy-

hood he talkeddent poiygar.

becoming an indepenencurageDadaji

But he did not receive anyDadaji inhis

ment from

designs.(

gave

management of the jaghir, statecraft. In the trained him up in thus and course of his business Shiva ji met a number of respectable Mahrattas, who were drawn towards him byShiv^ji a large share inthe

his conciliatory

deportment.

His intimate

adherents

at the

time were

Tanaji

Mulasare, Baji Phasalkar,

andhis

Yesaji Kouk.

Thein

hill

men

of

the

most

faithful adherents,

'ihe Mavalis

Maval were were clow-

nish and stupidactive

appearance, but they were very

and

intelligent

situations of trust.theirlife

and remarkably faithful in They were very poor and spentin the

in the

most abject conditiontheir

valleys

of Maval.

Dadaji improved

condition by

makvery

ing concessions in their favour,

and byShivaji

admitting a

number

of

them

into his service.

was

attentive to these people,

and theypaths

generally accom-

panied him on his

becamehilly

With their help he and defiles of the country round about Poona, and the survey thatfamiliar

excursions.

with the

69lie

made

of the situation in the

Mahratta country sug-

gested to him

the possibility of attaining independence.

He foundMostdarsor

the hill-forts

neglected,

and

unfortified.

were entrusted to Mahratta jaghirof them was Scarcely any deshmukhs. garrisoned by Mahomedans as they were considered unhealthy specially in the rains. Shivaji intended to occupy some of these forts, and thus to prepare himof these fortsself

for his further projects.in

The

forts

within his

jaghir were not

The fort of Koudane had a Mahomedan killidar and Puraudhar was under a Brahman named Nilkant Rao. Twenty mileschargeof Dadaji.

south west of Poona was the hill-fort of Torna.fort

Theit

was

situated at the source of

the

Neera, and

couldthein

not be easily

approached.

Shivaji

wonof the

overfort

killidar of

Torna, and gotIn order to stop

possession

1646 A. D.

opposition from Bijabeforethe Court

pur he sent his agentsthat

to represent

the transfer of the managment of the fort would be to the benefit of the king and would bring him more revenue than he could get from the Deshmukhs. Mean-

while

he

began

to

repair

the

fort

and

got a large

treasure in digging Up a part of the ruins.

Withbuilt

this

money he

got arms and ammunitions,

and

an-

other fort three miles south-east of Torna.

T

cthis fort

he gave the

name

of

Rajgad.if

The

activities o

hivajito

roused suspicion at courtforts.

and he was forbidden

build the

His

father,.

roShahjee was also warned and askedof his sonto

keep the activities

under cheek.

Shahjee represented to the king

that hisstate,its

son was not inimical to the interests of the and that what he was doing was to strengthen

position.

On

the othercontrol.

hand he asked DadajiDadaji was thento in

to

keep

Shivajibed.

under

his sickhisall

He

tried his best

dissuade Shivaji from

course and impressed upon him the danger of losinghis future prospects

by offending the Kingon deafears.

of Bijapur.

But his adviceji

fell

He found

that Shiva-

was

firm

and

resolute.

He had an inward symIt is

pathy with his ambitions.

said that before heof

died

he advised him to prosecute his plansto protect

independence,

Brahmans, kine and cultivators and preserve

the temples of the Hindus from violation. He exhorted him to follow his fortune and blessed him in the bold and noble undertaking of forming the Mahrattas into

a nation.

His

blessings

and exhortations

brought

upon Shivaji the support of the subordinate jaghirdars and gave as it were a divine sanction to his projects.After the death of Dadaji

Kondadev

Shivaji assumed

charge of the jaghir of Poona. He evaded all payments to his father, and at last he informed him that the heavy expenditure of the jaghir did not leave anysurplus of revenue to be sent to him.

HetheBaji

also

ma-

naged

to get the fort of

Chakan, and

adjoining

villages from Phirangojee Narsulla.

Mohite, the

nbrotheryielding.of

his

step -mother,

Tukahis

Bai,

proved una partyof-

Shiva ji

surrounded Sopa withparty

Mavalis, and and sent him awayofficers of

took Mohits and

prisoners,

to the Carnatic to join Shahjee.

The

Baramati and Indapur without dispute subShivaji.

mitted to

Inits

this

way he

consolidated his

power

in

Poona and

neighbourhood,

Killidar

a

Koudaue was in charge of a Mahomedan who handed it over to Shivaji on receiving handsome bribe. The Brahman Killidar of PuranThefort of

dhar

had died

by

this time,

and there wassons.

a quarrel

over succession

among

his

three

Shivajigarrison,

took

advantage

of this quarrel,

surprised theAll the

and

made

the

brothers

submit.

brotheis

were

persuaded to take service under him.

Kondane was changedtions of

into

The name of hinhagad. The acquisibecame master of the Neera without opposinot consider thesenoticeof the

these few years secured Shivaji a strong posithe

tiontracttion.

in

Ecccan.

Hethe

between Chakan and

Theof

King

of

Bijapur diddid not

places

important.

He

take any

activities

Sbivaji,

while he was busy in

adorning

his capital

with grand mausoleums and fine buildings.of

Thetion

stateof the

affairs

in the

Carnatic required the attenAllthe

engagedhilly

there,

Government. and the

able generals werejaghirsin

affairs

of the

the

tracts

went altogether neglected.

The Moghul

72governorsinto the

north

were busyof

in

restoring order

that tract.in

The systemIndia

revenue collection intro-

ducedadoptedKuliyears.tohis

northern

by

Todar Mall wasdistricts

also-

in

Ahmadnagar.

The

under Murshid20

Khan

thus enjoyed peaceful government for

The permanent settlement brought prosperitySoin

the people.

every

way

Shivaji carried

on

operations uninterrupted. The Moghul rulers had no occasion to interfere and the King of Bijapur was busy otherwise. The circumstances were therefore

favourable to

the

formationof

of

an

independent

governmentdom.

on the

outskirts

the

Bijapur

King-

Adventures

in

the

Konkan The

occupation

of

the

four fortresses at Toiua, Rajgad,

dhar made the southern frontier

Sinhagad and Purauof Foona safe. Shivaii

nowthe

cast his lcoks towards the Konkan. This part of country was made ever to the King of Bijapur by

Shah Jehan on the fall of the Kingdom of Ahmadnagar. vShahjee had overrun the tracts before he surrendered in1636.

There were a numberall

of hillforts in the country,

but they were not

well guarded.

Shivaji had

be-

orehar.d sent agents to

make

a survey of theto

region,

and

the accounts he received

emboldened him

under-

take fresh adventures. He had received news of the despatch from Kalyan of a large amount of money collected by Maulana Ahmad, the Mussalman Governorof the place to Bijapur. Shivaji

with

a

body

of

3Co

73

horse

overtook

the

party on thether

way

carrying the

treasure near

Wai down

Bhor Pass

The money1

thus

obtained was conve3 ed to Ragjad.expedition

he successa seriesof

of this

was followed

up

by

attacks

upon

the neighbouring forts. Within a short time

the whole

of the

Konkan upwas

to the borders of

Savant in

wadi

fell

into his hands.

The most important event

these campaigns

the capture of

Kalyan by AbajiDadaji.

Sonde v, onegovernorof

of the

officers

trained by

Theasres-

Kalyan, Maulana

Ahmad, was brought

a prisoner before Shivaji who received him withShivaji pect and allowed him to go to Bijapur. showed his respect for women by not taking

also

the

family of the late governor

prisoners.of Shivaji's

Of

the forts

which

fell

into the

handsthe

corps the most

important were Rairi, Lohgad, and

Rajmachi.

Rainthe

became afterwards

capital

of Shivaji,

under

name

of

Raigad.

Lohgad stands above

the

Bhor Passis

on the way from Bombay to Poona.

Rajmachi

at the

foot of the pass. The conquest of Kalyan and the other forts in the Konkan did not go unnoticed by the

Bijapur

Government.

Tbey however hadby the

not

the

boldness to take any measures

openly against Shivaji.

The people were

tired of the misrule

Muhammadansthe conquests

and gladly welcomedd the old

a change.

As soon asof

were made the revenue systeminstitutions

Dadaji was introduced,All

revived.

endowmentsrestore)

to

temples or

in

the

interest of

Brahmans were

7i

The conqueror had thussympathy on hisCaptivityof

the greatest

asset

of

popular

side.:

Shahjee

Theof

King

of Bijapur, feeling

his position insecure thought

bringing Shivaji under

conrol through his father. Shahjee

was

in the Cainatics,

and was

engaged in the operations against

the polygarsa jaghir,

of that part.

He

received the grant of

andfaith-

made Bangalore

his headquarters.

Heson.

rendered

ful service to the state

and could not possibly be madeBut the King

responsible for the activities of his

suspected that he hadsent orders to Baji

complicityof

with Shivaji,to bring

Ghorpade

Mudholeof

and him

a prisoner.after inviting

Ghorpade

was

a relative

Shahjee and

him

to a dinner seized histo

peison treacheinsistedof

rously,

and sent him

Bijapur.

The Kingfrom

upon Shabjee

to dissuade Shivaji

his policy

aggression but Shahjee pleaded in vain that he had nothing to do with his son, and that he could

not

in

any

way

be

made answerabletheto

for

his sou'sspirit

deeds.

He

was asked to control The King had writtenBut he agreedto

rebellious

of his son.

Shivaji

to

come

to Bijapur.

come providedfief.

all his

conquests werehis

conferred upon him inoffer,

The King had declined

and

tried to bring

on

his father.

him round by putting pressure The Mussalman officers of Muhammadof

Adil vShah were jealous

Sbahjee's powers, and gave

he King such

advice

as

would bring

this

faithful

5

servant into disgrace.

and was

threatened to

Shahjee was put into a dungeon be walled up unless he hadpleaded his innocence tochin,to

confessed his guilt.the last.

He however

The wall was built up to his was to be closed up if Shiva ji did not comewithin asituationcertainto

andthe

Bijapur

period.

Shahjee wrote

about

his

son.

Shivaji

was

thus

inovlved in

great difficulty.

His surrender

into the

handsif

of the

King would bring death upon himself, arid In this father would be killed. dilemma at the advice of his wife, Saibai, he appealednot surrender histo

he did

the

Moghulto

Emperor.Emperor,

Shivaji

offered

hisfor

services

the

and

prayed

intercession

anxious to

Shah Jehan was in favour of his father. find an opportunity to pick up a quarrelof

with the King

Bijapur

in

order that he

might get

the territories of the old

Ahmadnagar Kingdom, which

were given away

to Bijapur in 1636.

He

therefore readilyfor his pre-

granted Shivaji's prayer,

excused Shahjee

vious conduct, and conferred upon Shivaji a5,000 horse.

Munsub

of

The Kingof the

of

Bijapur could not put Shahjeeat the request of

to death for fear

Emperor, and

Moral Punt relieved him from the dungeon, but did not allow him to leave Bijapur for four years. During these years the King could not do any harm to Shivajias he dreaded the Emperor,in

and Shivaji did not carrysakeof

his

depredationsin

for

the

his

father.

At

last the affairs

the

Caruatic required the services of

70Shahjee.Killidarofficer

His son Shambhujee had been killed by theof

Kanikgiri,

anddied.to

also

his

chief

Naroto

Pantproced

had

Before

hehe

allowed

the

Carnatic

was was

made to promise that he would not molest Ghorpade.Although Shahjee kepttothis

promise he wrote to ShivajiShivaji

avenge the

treachery.

remembered

the

wishes

of his father,

portunity came.

The

and carried them out when opletter which Shahjee wrote to" Be careful to

Shivaji ran as follows.

complete the

work which you have undertaken. By the grace of the most High may the wives of your enemies ever breathe in their own warm tears. May God crown your hopes with success and insure your prosperity.

You

will

notfor

fail

to

be courteousthe

always

to

Eaji

Ghorpade,

you know'

great obligations underletter

which he has placed me.

The

not only enjoined

upon Shivajialso approved

the

punishmentgreat

ofof

Ghorpade

but

it

of the

work

nation-building he

had undertaken.Jaoli

Invested

(1655 A.

D.) AfterShivaji

the

return

of

Shahjee tooperations.Jaoli.

the

Carnatics

resumed

hisof

First of all

he dealt with Balaji More

Balaji

was

a faithful vassal of the

King

of Bija-

pur. His ancestor, Parsoji Bajirao, received Mahablesh-

war

as a jaghir

from Yusuf

Adil Shah for

his

ser-

vices in connection with the suppression of the Shirkes.

He

was

also

conferred

the

title

of

Chandra Rao

77

which

his

descendants

enjo}r ed

afterwards

aiono-

with the jaghir.hereditaryoftitle of

His son, Yeshwant

Rao earned

the

Raja by capturing the green standardchief

Ahmadnagar. Thevalley of the

town

of the

Mores was JoaliMahableshwar.

in the

Koyna

river near

days

The plateau down Mahableshwar was known in the The place is conof Shiva ji as the Nahar forest.it is

sidered sacred asthe five

believedthe

that

it

is

the source of

important

rivers,

Krishna,

the

Yenna,Gaj-atrisea.

andand

th^

Koyna, which flow eastward, and thewestwardinto thebuilt a

the Savitri flowing

Arabian

The Yadava king SinghauaShiva at the sourceplace has since thenthe presidingdeity.

temple to the

god

of these five rivers in 1215,

and theafter

been

called

Mahableshwar

The

place

was consideredvisit the

holy

and

a large

Jijabai

number once wentofof

of pilgrims

used to

temple.

there with

Shivaji,

and attractedof Balaji

by the beautyaskedofferfor

the three

daughters

one

them

to be

marriedas the

to

Shivaji.

More The

howeverof

was declined

Mores

consideredShivaji

themselves

superior social position.in his

Whenthe

was engaged

work

of

uniting

Mahratta

State he invited the co-operation of Balaji More.

Once

again

Shivaji

was disappointed.Baji Shainraj

It

is

also

believed

that Balaji allowed the baseof

to

use his estate as

operations against Shivaji,

when he waskill

appointed bysecretly.

Muhammad

Adil Shah to

Shivajiof

The Mahratta

leader got the information

78this

conspiracy

before

and overpowered Sliamraj near

Mahad, and

drove his party into Jaoli.

The

fiist

busi-

ness therefore of Shivaji after the

release

of

Shahjee

was

to secure himself against this danger from Jaoli.

Shivaji had no intention of entering into hostility

against Balaji

More.

He

therefore triedJaoli

all

means

to

win himRaja.

over.

He

visited

personally

and apthe

pealed to the religious and patriotic sentiment of

But Balaji remained stubborn, and

it is

believed

he

tried to

hand over

Shivaji to the

King

of

Bijapur,

When however but the latter managed to escape. he found all friendlv offers were refused he sent twoenvoys, Ragho Ballal Atre and Sambhaji Kavaji with an

ultimatum asking himing the handsrefusetheof his

to join Shivaji at

once and demand-

daughter.

This time Balaji Aid not

offer,

but evaded a definite answer.

Mean-

while Shivaji had occupied Mahableshwar.

This afford-

ed the occasion of an altercation Balaji and the envoys of Shivaji.altercationBalaji

of

high words betweenIn the courseof this

More and

his

brother were killed,Shivaji through

and

the

envoys managed

to escape to

the jungles.

Although Shivaji had not authorised thethis

envoys to take them over. Hejoined by

now

extreme step he could not give turned upon Jaoli. He was

Balaji's brothers

who wereThe sonsstout

deprivedof

of their

villages by the late

Raja.

Balaji

and hisBut

minister

Hanmantrao

offered

resistance.

7J

l

they could not stand against the disciplined ariny ofShivaji.

The

minister

was

killed

in

action,

andwithin

the

sons were taken prisoners.admitted into the serviceshort t:me theentire

Theof

troops

of Jaoli

werea

Shivaji

and

jahgir

with

the

strong fort ofShivaji

Wasota was brought underin Jaoli a

his control.

found

large treasure,

with which he improved thefort of

temple at Mahableshwar, and built thegad.

Pratap-

Thereat

is

a

stor}'

thatat

he built theexpress

temple ofof

Bhawani

Pratapgadlive

the

desire

the

goddess to

near Mahableshwar, and the fortress

was built round the temple under the supervision of Moro Pingle. Tne fort was built at the height of 1000 It occupies a very importfeet from the Koyna vallej'. ant position as it conmands the Mahad Ghat which is the Konkan and the Koyna the only pass between valley, and the occupation of this place connectedShiva ji's old possessions with the territory newly conquered.Relationswiththe

Mogbuls:

Theof the

Moghulsdistricts

were

carrying on the administration

in their

possession in the Deccan peacefully.interfered with them,

Shivaji had never

sought the help

of

the

and we have already seen that he Moghul Emperor against the

King

of

Bijapur.of the

Prince

Aurangzeb was

appointedopportunity

Viceroythe

Deccan

in 1G50.

He found anin 1655.

of declaring

war against Golcondaministerof

Mir Jurnlah,

prime

Abdulla

Kulb Shah

had a

SOdifference

with his master

on account

of his dissolute

son,help,zeb.

Muhammad Amin.andthis

He

application

applied to the Emperor for was supported by Aurang-

Sultan

Muhammad,

the eldest son of

Aurangzeb,

was sent against Abdulla. andthe city plundered.to

Hyderabad was attacked,to release

The King was forcedrestore

Muhammad Aminandto

Mir

Jumlah's property,

to give his daughter in marriage to Sultan

Muhammad,of

pay up the arrears

of tribute at the rate

one

crort a year,the

Emperor.

which was reduced by twenty lakhs by Mir Jumlah went to Delhi and wasof Vizier.

appointed to the rank

This crafty Persian

urged the Emperor

to

invade

Bijapur and Golcondah,

in order that these provinces

might be annexed

to the

empire.

They were not longdeclare hostilities against

in finding

out a

pretext to

Bijapur.

Muhammadhis father at the

Adil

Shah Shahof

died on the 4th November, 1656. His son,II succeeded to the th]

Ali Adil

one

of

age

nineteen.

The

late

king had friendly relations with

Dara Sukoh, which Aurangzeb did not like and was On his death therefore anxious to put him into trovole. Ali Adil Shah did not pay any homage to the Moghulspite the

Emperor, or did not pay any compliments. Out of Moghuls circulated a rumour that Ali Adil was not the son of the late king, and that the Shah

Emperor

should

nominate

a successor.

War was

81therefore declared against Ali Adil

on the parttois

Shah. This War, Moguls." says Grant Duff " appears have been made completely destitute of apology than commonly found, even in the unprincipled tran'

of the

sactions

of Asiatic

Governments.*

appointed at the head of the

second

in

command.

Jumlah was army and Aurangzeb was put The Moghtil army marched uponMirKalyani, Bidar and Guiburga

1

Bijapur in March. 1657.fell

The

Bijapur was besieged. was pressed with great vigour when Aurangzed received news of the serious illness of his hither in September. Shiva ji became an ally of Aurangzeb iusiege

in

quick succession, and

Aurangzeb had recognized his claims to his new conquests and sought bis co-operation in the war against Bijapur. But Shiva jialthough anxious to see the powers of Bijapur crusheddid not

the expedition against Bijapur.

look within thein

favour

upon

the

advanceother

of

the

Moghulsactive

P4)

: Jaswant Singh made

an ineffective attempt

to invest

main armywhilelichest

retiredto

to

Sinhgad and then the Aurangabad. Shivaji was meanSurat,

planning

attack

cuestands

ol

the

Moghul

tnvns.

This

town

on the

101rirerfocal

Taptitradition

in

South

Grtzerat.

According

to*.

the

town was established by one Gopiwifeits

and

called

after

hisof

Suraj.

It

rose into promiposition.

nence on accountfmift a

geographicalin 1512.it

The

Portugese sacked the placefort in [546 to

The King

of Gu/.eiat.

protect

against foreign attacks.

Akbar conquered Surat in 1573, and made a treaty with the Portugese. wtlO became the chief merchants of thepfaee.Fn

Hut withthe

the

fall

of

the

powerin

of

Portugal.

Ettrope

Portugese possessions

India

wereper-

couffttered by the Hutch.

The Moghul Emperor gaveSuratpermission to build

mission

to the

Dutch

to huild a factory in

in 16J.8.a fac-

The Englishtory \u L612,in164.?.

also obtained

and the French got the same privilegesforeignin

These

merchants madethe

Surat

the

lichest

emporiumto

Moghul

Empire.

Shivajh

planned

help himself

with

the riches of

Surat.

He

assembled his army betweenthe apparent objectliut

Uasseiu and Choul with

of

reducing the

Portugese there.Surat..all

his

real

intention

was

to

march

Meanwhileol

his

spy.

P.ahirji

Xaik,

upon brought himalsoin

the

informations about the city,a

Shivajithe

disguise

mendicant

explored

roadsa

to

South-

Guzerat.

Thus

fully

prepared he made

rapid

marcho';

withvnirat,

4i)oii

horse,

and appeared on

the

outskirts

on January 5,1664.

The Moghul Governor asked the help, of the Dutch and the English merchants to defend the town.

105 But they

could

not

renderfactories.

any

assistance

except

defending their

own

The governor

made

nointo

efforts

to

protect

the

inhabitantsin

whoriver

fled in fear

the

country or took shelter

boats.

Onand

thehis_i.it

other

hand he wentFor six days

inside

the

castle

walls withcity,

men.

Shivaji

sacked the

immense wealth.01

He

could not plunder the fac-

European merchants on account of their On receivin.; news of the approach of strong defence. a Moghul army the Marhatta chief retired on Jamrarytories

the

10.

The

treasure

he brought

to

Raigad

as

safely

as he

ha~d started

on:of

his expedition.

IX-iitli

of Shiihjcc

On

his return

from Surat ShivajiShahjee wassuppresslong thestout

receivedil

the

news

his father's death.

by theof

Bijapur

Governmentin the

to

the

rfeoellion

some noblesof

Doab

a

Tungresist-

bhadra.ance.

The ChiefShahjee

Bednore offeredin

succeeded

crushing the rebellion.at

While he

washis

encampedbuck

Basavapatan

he

went out on

black

hunting.inits

A

buckthe

wasen-

wounded bythe

arrow andfell

followingforelegtell

victim

horse of Shahjeein

by

being

tangled

someneck,his

creeper.

Shahjeethe

headlong andhis

broke

his d

ami bylife

time

attendants1664).

him

had

expired

(January,

Venkeji wes informedt'

of the accident,

ami he hastened

tin-

place to perform the funeral rites.

The Bijaput

vernmeitt

in

recognition

of

the

services

of

the

dead general confirmed the fief of Bmgalore and Tanjore on his son Venkoji, Shivaji on receivingthe

news

of

his

father's

death,

was

thrownto

into

deep

affliction,

and some time afterwards went

avenge

his death by attacking thelost

Doabin

nobles, because Shahjeethe

his

life

while

engaged

Doab expedition.Government,

He

received the village, where his father met with thisa

accident, as

grant froma

the

Bijapur

and erected there

memorial temple.in

Shahje; died while

servicein

under the Bijapur

Government.

But his shareis

the

making

of

thethat

Mahratta history

not

to

be

overlooked

on

account. His ability as a soldier and as an administrator

wasbay

of afcr

high order.

He

kept

the

Moghul armyaffairs

at

sometime and

managed

the

of

the

Ahmadnagar Kingdom as a regent. His services to the Bijapur Government were iny a luable. He broughtorderin

the

affairsin

of

the southern

provinces,

and

when advancedto

age his services were requisitionedin

suppress

the

rising

the

Doab.

The

later

relations between

the Bijapur

were thediplomacy.

direct

result

of

his

Government and Shivaji statesmanship andthe Mahratta troops

could

He had shown that successfully sUnd againstto

trained

Mussalman

armies by rapid movements and with local knowledge.

His attempt

maintain the integrity of the

Ahmadnnger

107

Kingdomarmies

failed

as

he

was

opposed

by

the

of the

Moghuls, and the Bijapur Governmentattitudeof

assumednecessity

an

hostility.

Shivaji

gained

by the failureof

of his father's enterprise

standing behind the figure of ahis

and he had no puppetShahjeehis

king

to

exercise

power and

authority.

had shown whatoutdid himofin

a

Mahratta could do

and

sou

freeing his nation from

the

oppressionera for

foreign

governments.

Hethe

heralded a

newof

the

Mahrattas.

The honourbyhisin

of liberating the

Mahrattas

belongs to Shivaji but

foundation

Mahrattaheldthe

power wascharacterletter

laid

father.

Shivaji

of

his father

very high

esteem.

In

a

to

his

brother, Yenkoji,

some years afterwards,' :

he referred to his father in the following termsdid

Howper-

he encounter and surmount

all

difficulties,

form great actions, escape all dangers by his spirit and resolutiou and acquire a renown which hemaintained to theof his fatherlast.''

The brave souexample always

was proudbefore his

and kept

his

tyes.

Convention of Piirandhnr 1665fathervShivaji

assumed theasa

title

conferredof

on his

grand -father

: On the death of his of Raja which was Mallojee by the kingof

Ahmadnagar, andwhichhe had

mark

his

independent

authority he also struck coins in hisfleet

own name.in

His

built

became very busy

plunder-

ing the ships from the M>jfiul ports, and the pilgrims

1(8to

Mfecca

were forcedwiththe

to'pay ransom when captured.pilgrims

Interferencethe

drew

the

attention

of

Delhi

and the

Bijapur

Governments.

Attraugze*b

recalled Jaswant Singh and Prince Muazzim,

and appoint-

ed

in their

place

Mir/i

Raja Jay Singh

of

Dilereot

Khan.

Meanwhile Shivaji plunderedthe coast.

Amber and a numberan attack

ports on

Heas

also

repulsed

upon

his territory

by

the Bijapur

He wenttime.

as

far

south

army near Panhala. Goknrna in his plunderfull

ing expedition,

-and

returned to his capital after somepreparationsfor

The Mbghuls had madein

an offensiveJay SinghSUbdtlCBijapur.

ids

absence.

Aurangzebwitharrears

had

sentto

and

Dilere

Khanexact

instructionsof

.Shivaji

and

to

tribute

from

The two generals arrived in the Deccan 1665. They began their operations in Pmandhar. The fort was invested by Dilere Khan and Jay Singh blockaded Sinhgad. I'urandhar wasin

April,

defended by

Murar

Baji.

a

Prabhu1,000

by

caste.

The

garrison consisted ofkaris.

about

Mavalis and Het-

Murar

Baji

maintained his position with great

bravery.killed

Ahis

large

number

of

Moghul troopsfort

wereby

by

men.

The lower

was

carried

Moghuls by mining one of the bastions. Ihit tin advance of the troops was held by the stout resistance of the Hetkaris ami tin- Mavalis. At la'slthe

Murar

Baji

was shot and

killed

hv Dilere Khan.into

Thefort

Mahtatta

soldiers

now

letreated

the

upper

of

Rudra Mai,

situated on the north-east of Purandhar.his

Dilere

Khan He

pressed onwithhis

attack.

Shivaji held

a

nsultationtion.

principalthetold

people on the situaadviceoflit-

also

sought

the

goddess

Jihawani.

The goddessNetoji Palkar,

hiin

that

would notof

succeed against Jaycavalry,

Singh.alsoat

Thea

commander

his

could not render himgreater distance.

any assistance as he wibthe

At

same time he was threatenedIn

with

attacks from

Bijapur.tionsAt

such circumstances he carried on negotiafor

with

Raja Jay Singhto

an

armistice.

He

Raghunath Pant

Jay Singh

with

a

view to

The Mirza Raja assured the agent of Shivaji that he would procure pardon from the emperor and would grant him favours when he sui rendered. On receiving this assurance Shivajipresented himselfreceived by thebefore

bring about a settlement.

Jay Singh

in July,

ami was

general

with due honour.

went

to Dilere

furious but Shivajithe

keys of

Khan in Purandhar. won his sympathies by presenting the gate with his own hand. Thepeace

He next The Khan was

terms ofwards.Shivajilie

the

were

settled

shortly

after-

wasin

forced lo give

up

the forts and territory

had conquered from the Moghuls.theforts

He

surrendered

all

his possession including Sinbgad and12 forts

Pur&ndhax except

and adjoining lands

yielding;

110flnI*

incomebe

of

5

lakhs

f

rupees.

He

promised'

tin-

Moghul emperor and not to plunder His son. Shambhujee was [tnperial made a mnnsuMar of 5, COO, and he and Nelojifaithful to the

dominions.

Palkat were

to

attend

Shivaji pledged himself

on the Siibedat of the Deccan. to render any service in theof

Deccan,

which

might be asked*

him.of

Shivaji

wasin

also promised lands yieldingol

lakhs3

tons (20 lakhsof

rupees) in

Thal-Konkan and

lakhs

/inns

Kalaghat Bijapuri

when

these

lands would be

con-

quered from the State of Bijapur. In return Shivaji to pay 40 lakhs of linns to the Emperor promise1

in

yearly instalments of 3 lakhs.of the

Some

writers

state

on the authority

Mahratta accounts that Shivaji

obtained the right to levy Chant h and Sardcshmnkhi

vn Bijapur. Prof Jadunath Sarkar denies this claim on the authority of the Persian documents. {Modern Revinc.July1916.

Aurangzeb's

letter

to

Shivaji confirmingto the

the terms

of

settlement containsletter of

no reference

Chauth. Thealsosetis

Raja Jay Singh to the Kmperorpoint.of

very clear on thein

The

claims were

forth

the petition

Shivaji,

and most prob-

ably neither the Emperor nor Raja Jay Singh attached

any importanceSardcshmnkhi.

to

the

claims relating to

Chaiith

and

The

Emperor did not either understand

Ihe significance of such a levy or

knowing

its

meaning,

did not commit himself

to

such an arrangement.

Ill

Therankof

treatya

of

Purandhar reduced Shivajifelt

to

the

vassal chief of the

Moghul Empire.greatly

The

Mahratta leader must havethe humiliatingof

mortified at

terms

of

the treat}'.of

The

ambitionState

maintaining the integrityfrustratedfor

the

Mahratta

was

the

time being.

His main business

now wasBijapur.spirit of

to follow

the

Although suchShivaji

Moghul generals in reducing a position was galling to thein all sincerity.

he accepted the terms

80 long he hadwasin

fought against the Delhi and the Bijapur

armies separately.

In fighting against the Moghuls heBijapur,

alliance with

and

in

his

campaigns

against Bijapur he

was on

friendly

terms with the

Moghnls.the fronts.

Now

he had

to deal with the

enemy from bothview

The

friendship of the Moghuls with a

to share in the spoils of Bijapur might have influencedhis policy at the time.Shivaji at the Imperial Court

: Raja Jay Singh was

nowthe

free

to

attack

Bijapur.

The Deccan was neverof

completely subjugated by the emperors

Delhi since

withdrawaltxptoof

of

Muhammad

Tughlak.

Akbar

conqueredthein

Khandesh, and Shah

Jehan reduced

Kingdomthe

Ahmadnagar.

Aurangzeb had beenhe-

Deccan

before he occupied the throne, and

had a strong desire to reduce the Kingdoms i Bijapur and (b)loonda in order to extend the imperial swa\ Into Southern India and to become the supreme master

of India, of

Jay Singh receivedin

tin-

help and co-operfetionBijapur.

Shivaji

his

operations

Against

The

latter

joined

the

8000 infantry.

Moghul army with _'000 horse and He reduced l'lialtan the fief of thethefort

Nimbalkars, and escaladedmilesto to

of

Thatwadnsent

Kt

the

sojth-east.

He

was thenin

south-

wardsattack

engage the Bijapuris

the

Konkan, andthefirst,

Panhala.

The successesrecognitiona

of

Shivaji in

operations received

A handsomementfell

dress anda

Kmperor. jewelled sword were sent totheletter.

from

him along withof

congratulatory

The

invest-

Panhala however proved afort of

failure,

and ShivajiNetoji

back upon his ownthe

Yeshalg;ad.

Palkar,

commanderand

of

the

Mahra.ta cavalry, was

corrupted by the Bijapuris, and went over to the enemy.

Raja Jay Singh

Dilere

Khan hadreachedAfter

already pro-

ceeded towards Bijapur.

Their march didnot meet with

any

resistance

till

they

had

Mangalveda,a week's siege

60 miles to the north of Bijapur.the placefightingfell,

and two Moghul armies5 A'os

after

two months'

reached

distance from the capital of the

Adtl Shahis.atthis

AHto

Adil Shahrepel

made

strenv.ous exertions-

stage

the

received substantial help in

Moghul attack. He also men from Kutb-ii