Rise of Maratha Under shivaji

 Rise of Maratha Under shivaji

• Shivaji was born February 1630.

• He was the second son of Shahji Bhonsle and Jijabai. 

• Shivaji's early childhood was one of constant warfare and famine in maharashtra. 

• Rise of Maratha during 17 century and the establishment of Maratha state was associated with the family of Shivaji. 

• The Bijapur government gives grants to Shahji in Pune. 

• He had several rights:

• Hereditary Patil rights (village headman) of three villages in Pune. 

• Deshmukh right of Indapur. 

• He also had Mokasa of Pune region. 

• The Pune region was largely devastated by two decades of warfare and famines of 1630.

• In 1640 Shivaji and his mother were shifted to Bangalore and Shivaji was married to Saibai the daughter of the Nimbalkar family.

• In 1647 Dadaji Kondev died and Shivaji took over the administration.

Struggle with Bijapur

Shivaji took over administration 

1.Challenge Bijapur govt. 

• In his first acts, Shivaji directly challenged the Bijapuri government.

• Shivaji took the fort of Torna and seized the  large treasury. 

• He used the treasury to build a new fort and named it Raigad.

• In the next 2 years Shivaji took another important fort near Pune, Chakan.

• Between 1650 and 1655, Shivaji recruited Deshmukhs and soldiers and successfully crushed the opposition. 

2.Capture Purandar fort

• Shortly, Shivaji captured the Purandar fort that made Bijapur angry.

• They sent an expedition to deal with Shivaji as a rebel.

• Without siege equipment, the Bijapuri force were unable to displace Shivaji from Purandar fort.

• The Bijapur king remained sick and they were busy in the war with Golconda, this caused their failure in the war with Shivaji.

3.increase his area

• According to Satish Chandra Shivaji began his real career of conquest in 1656.

• In 1656, Shivaji broke out his father's jagir with the new conquests just to the south. 

• There was a full scale war between the followers of Shivaji and the followers of the Mores. 

• By may, Shivaji had taken Raigad, the strongest fort in the area and four More brothers were killed in battle. 

• This campaign was a pure conquest and elimination of the rivals because Shivaji had no legal rights to the lands of Mores. 

• By this conquest he gained enough treasure to build another fort, which he named Pratapgad. 

Expanding empire through conquest

1.Bijapur under attack of Mughal

• According to Stewart Gordon, the period between 1655 to 1660 was an extraordinary period. 

• This period was strange in the politics of the Bijapur government. 

• Bijapur was under attack by a major Mughal army under the leadership of Aurangzeb. 

• Shivaji opened correspondence with Aurangzeb, offering to keep passes open and his services in return for recognition of his rights in the Pune region and the former More lands. 

• He raided several areas in the Junnar and Ahmadnagar regions, which were under the control of the Mughals.

2.Shivaji captured imp ports

• However in 1656, the situation changed when Aurangzeb left for the north to fight for the throne of the Mughal Empire on the death of Shah Jahan.

• Shivaji took advantage of this situation with further conquest. 

• From the More lands which were on the top of the Ghats, he raided down into the northern Konkan and captured the  towns of Kalyan and Bhiwandi and the large fort of Mahuli. 

• Kalyan and Bhiwandi ports were important for the import of war horses which the Portuguese were trying to monopolize. 

3.Expand towards western coast

• According to Stewart Gordon these conquests brought Shivaji attention towards the maritime powers on the west.

• Portuguese, Dutch and the British were some prominent powers of the Western coast. 

• In actual terms these Europeans were not more powerful than the Sidis and Abyssinian Muslim family who held power on the konkan coast argues by Stewart Gordon. 

• It became more complex when Shivaji entered the coastal region. 

• He invaded the coastal regions of the Konkan in 1657.

• By the end of 1659,Shivaji had control of the Pune area, the northern Satara district and about half of the Kolaba and Thana district. 

• He controlled forty four big and small forts, led a cavalry of 7,000 regular horses and infantry of 10,000 and 3,000 independent troopers. 

Campaign against Shivaji

1.Shivaji murdered Afzal khan

• With the death of Bijapur king, a minor was raised to the throne. 

• Bijapur finally took action in 1659.

• Afzal Khan, a noble of Bijapur, was head of 10000 troops and sent with instruction to capture Shivaji.

• Afzal Khan sent an invitation to Shivaji for a personal interview. 

• Shivaji knew that it was a trapped and he murdered Afzal Khan. 

2.After the murder of Afzal khan

• Shivaji put his leaderless army to root and captured all his goods and equipment. 

•  After this situation, many Afghan mercenaries who had been previously in the service of Bijapur had joined the Shivaji's Army. 

• The murder of Afzal Khan escalated the conflict of Maratha with Bijapur

3.Another campaign against Shivaji

• The Sultan immediately dispatched another campaign under the command of Afzal Khan's son, Fazal Khan. 

 • Therefore the campaign of Bijapur has been slackened. 

• In 1662 Shivaji made an agreement with Bijapur where he agreed not to invade the Bijapur territories.  

Struggle with Mughal

Insult of Mughals 

1.Shivaji shifted his focus towards Mughals

• After securing his back, Shivaji was able to concentrate on the Mughals. 

• For Mughals Shivaji was an inherited problem. 

• Shivaji asked for his ancestral land in return for providing 500 trained troops to the mughal armies to protect the imperial boundaries. 

• He also asked for rights to the areas of content that he conquered from Bijapur. 

2.Aurangzeb sent Shaista Khan

• Aurangzeb sent his maternal uncle, Shaista Khan, to the Deccan to put the affairs in order. 

• In 1659, Shivaji raded the southern Konkan. 

• In response to this act Shaista Khan secured the districts of Ahmadnagar and devastated Shivaji's home district around Pune. 

• Shaista Khan also offered service grants to Shivaji's commanders in return for seizing territories. 

3.Shivaji's attack on Shaista Khan's camp

• In April 1663, Shivaji executed a daring night attack on Shaista Khan's camp. 

• Shivaji attacked into the camp of Khan at Poona and killed his son and one of his captain. 

• This makes Aurangzeb angry and he transfer Shaista Khan to Bengal. 

4.Attack on Surat

• Meanwhile Shivaji made another important move. 

• He attacked Surat, it was a main port of the Mughal Empire. 

• He looted it, returning home in 1664 laden with treasure worth a crore of rupees. 

• These two incident (defeat of Shaista khan and attack on Surat) were well mentioned in the European accounts

• These incidents turned Shivaji from a regional power to a major problem for the Mughals. 

Raja Jai Singh's Campaign against Shivaji

1.Jai Singh became Viceroy of Deccan

• After the disgrace of Shaista Khan, Aurangzeb appointed Raja Jai Singh to lead the campaign against Shivaji. 

• He was given an army of 12,000 - 14,000 trained troops. 

• He was given full military as well as administrative charge of allotting Jagirs and making promotions and demotions. 

• Later, he became the viceroy of Deccan in place of Prince Muazzam. 

2.Planning for conquest

• Unlike others Raja Jai Singh did not underestimate the marathas. 

• He made careful diplomatic and military preparation. 

• Raja Jai Singh appeal to all the rivals and opponents of Shivaji and in order to isolate Shivaji. 

• He also induced some of the Maratha Deshmukhs hostile to Shivaji to join him. 

• Meanwhile, Jai Singh took a number of Shivaji's important commander into Mughal service as well as individual cavalryman. 

• According to Stewart Gordon, this situation sharply reduce Shivaji troop strength. 

3.Jai Singh's attack on Shivaji

• The Mughal Army systematically began to capture the Shivaji's forts. 

• Jai Singh decided to strike at the heart of Shivaji's territory– fort of Purandar where Shivaji had lodged his family and his treasure. 

• By June 1665, Shivaji was trapped in a fort, effectively surrounded by the Mughal Army. 

• With the fall of fort, Shivaji opened negotiation with Jai Singh. 

4.Negotiation 

• Jai Singh refused many offers of negotiation, demanding Shivaji's unarmed visit to his tent. 

• Shivaji had to agree to the terms of the Treaty of Purandhar. 

• The Mughals took 23 of Shivaji's forts, including most of the major ones, leaving him twelve forts, including his capital, Raigad. 

• The treaty also confirmed that all Shivaji's lands and possessions were subject to loyal service to the Mughals. 

• His son, Shambhuji, was created a high Mughal mansabdar of rank of 5,000.

5.Maratha was important for Mughals 

• For the larger objective, Mughal wanted to conquest over the two remaining Deccani Sultanates that is Bijapur and Golconda. 

• However they knew that Shivaji was an important factor to be dealt with. 

• For Raja Jai Singh alliance with the Maratha chief was necessary for the success against Bijapur. 

• His plan was to first neutralize Shivaji then proceed with the war against Bijapur. 

Shivaji's Visit to Agra

1.Jai Singh insisted him to visit Agra

• By the end of 1665, Jai Singh persuaded Shivaji to visit the emperor at Agra. 

• He thought if Shivaji and Aurangzeb could be reconciled then Aurangzeb might provide greater resources for the invasion of Bijapur. 

• After so much discussion Shivaji and his son and a small party of 250 troops set out for Agra in May 1666.

• Shivaji already perceived himself as a king with lands, forts, subjects, and an administration. 

• To the Mughal Emperor, however, Shivaji was only a relatively successful rebel zamindar from Bijapur.

2.Visit of Agra 

• Shivaji felt insulted when he was put in the category of mansabdar of 5000.

• This rank had been earlier granted to his minor son. 

Shivaji was able to negotiate a loan of Rs. 66,000 from his patron at court 

• Hence Shivaji refused Imperial service and managed to escape. 

• According to Satish Chandra Shivaji's Agra visit proved to be a turning point in Mughal relations with the marathas. 

• Aurangzeb's refusal to recognise Shivaji's importance and attaching a low price to his friendship were among the biggest political mistakes made by Aurangzeb. 

3.Debates regarding low ranking of Shivaji

• There were some historical debates about the offer of Mansab.

• Some argued that the Mansab of 5000 awarded to Shivaji was not a low one, the rank of 5000 was given to his son on his behalf since he was not willing to accept the service at that time. 

• Mamuri argued that his minor son had been given a mansab of 5000 and his relative Netaji given the same rank, so Shivaji had hoped for a mansab not less than 7000.

4.After returning from Agra

• Quite to the contrary, the following three years were ones of peace with the Mughals. 

• The peace broke down in the fall of 1669. 

• The immediate provocation was a Mughal demand for recovery of the costs of Shivaji's trip to Agra. 

•  Shivaji launched rapid attacks to recover the lost forts. 

• He wanted to recover some of the hill forts which were surrendered by the Treaty of Purandar in 1665.

5.Shivaji's attack on Mughals

• Within six months, Shivaji's forces had taken four more forts - Purandar, Rohida, Lohgad and Mahuli. 

• In October of 1670, Shivaji sacked Surat for the second time, once again obtaining much booty. 

• At the same time, he was able to expel Mughal forces from Nasik. 

• Throughout this period, the Mughals were not focused on Shivaji in Maharashtra, but on a fierce war with the Pathans in the north.

Shivaji crowned himself

• In 1674 Shivaji formally crowned himself at Rajgarh. 

• He became most powerful among the Maratha chief and by virtue of the extent of his dominions and the size of his army. 

• Now he could claim a status equal to the other Deccani Sultans. 

• Shivaji tried to rise the position of his family in social skills by entering into matrimonial alliance. 

• Shivaji married into some of the leading old Maratha families– the Mohites, the Shirkes, etc. 

• A formal declaration was also made by the priest, Ganga Bhatta, that Shivaji was a high class Kshatriya. 

Shivaji's invasion of Karnataka

1.Planned to invade Karnataka

• In 1676 Shivaji undertook a new journey. 

• He planned the invasion of Karnataka which was also known as the Land of gold. 

• Shivaji was also keen to claim the patrimony of his father at Tanjore which was under the control of his half brother, Vyankoji. 

• Shivaji was aided greatly by the brothers, Madanna and Akanna, who dominated Hyderabad at that time. 

2.Friendship with Qutb Khan

• Shivaji was given a grand welcome by the Qutb Shah at his capital and a formal agreement was arrived. 

• Qutb Shah agreed to pay a subsidiary of one lakh huns (5 lakh Rs.). 

• The territory and the booty gained in Karnataka was to be shared. 

• Qutb Shah supplied a contingent of 5000 troops and artillery to aid Shivaji and also provided money for the expenses of his army.

• Treaty was very favourable to Shivaji.

3.Annexed much more territory

• This enabled him to capture Jinji and Vellore from Bijapuri officials and also to conquer much of the territories held by his half brother. 

• He also ousted Sher Khan Lodhi from southern Karnataka. 

• Although Shivaji had assumed the title of Haindava- dharmoddharakla (Protector of the Hindu faith). 

• According to Sabhasad, Shivaji annexed territory worth 20 lakhs of huns a year and captured booty which was beyond computation. 

• Returning home laden with treasure, Shivaji refused to share anything with the Qutb Shah, thus straining his relations with him.