Chhattrapati Shahu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the 19th-century king, see Shahaji II.
 | This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. (June 2013) |
| Shahuji I | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
 5th Maratha Chhatrapati | |
| Reign | 1708 - 1749 CE |
| Coronation | 12th January 1708, Satara |
| Predecessor | Shivaji II |
| Successor | Rajaram II |
| Father | Sambhaji |
| Mother | Yesubai |
| Born | 18th May 1682 Ganguli Fort, Mangaon |
| Died | 15th December 1749 Rangmahal Palace, Satara |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Shahu Sambhaji Raje Bhosale (or Shahuji) (1682–1749 CE) was the fourth Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire created by his grandfather,Chhatrapati Shivaji, and was officially the Raja of Satara (now inMaharashtra, India). More popularly known as Chattrapati Shahuji, he came out of captivity by the Mughals and survived a civil war to gain the throne in 1708.[1]
He was the son of the second Chattrapati Sambhaji, who was killed by the Mughals in 1689.
Contents
[hide]Imprisonment[edit]
During the Mughal-Maratha war of 27 years Shahuji was imprisoned by the Mughals at the age of 7 years after the fall of Raigad fort, the Maratha capital in Feb. 1689, when his parents were also captured.
During his captivity, the Mughals raised him as a prince and never compromised his honor or that of his mother. He spent his entire childhood and youth, from age 7 to age 25, in the custody of the Mughals. He had passed through hardships and all uncertainties of life. Born a prince, he became a prisoner at the age of 7, became a Chattrapati at the age of 26 and saw the empire spreading all over the continent. These events strengthened him.
When the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb died in 1707, a war of succession ensued between his surviving sons. At the insistence of Mughal general Zulfiqar Khan and Nusrat Jang, Shahu was freed from imprisonment by Prince Muhammad Azam Shah. After the Battle of Jajua, the victor and next emperor Bahadur Shah also took the side of Shahuji againstTarabai at the insistence of his general Zulfiqar Khan, but under conditions which rendered him a vassal of the Mughal Empire. His mother was still held captive to ensure his good behavior, and he could only obtain her release in 1719 when the Marathas became strong enough.
After his release Shahuji had to contend with a competing claim by his aunt, Tarabai, and her son, Raja Shivaji II (son ofRajaram). She set up a competing Kingdom of Kolhapur. With the assistance of Dhanaji Jadhav, Balaji Vishwanath who was later appointed the Peshwa or prime minister, and Sardar Khanderao Dabhade who was later appointed the Senapati(Marathi: Commander-in-Chief), Shahuji prevailed over Tarabai in 1709 and consolidated his power in Satara; Tarabai ruled from the rival kingdom of Kolhapur.
Expansion of the empire[edit]
It was under the Shahu that the Marathas empire became the largest in India at this time. The Maratha empire expanded in four directions, in the north by Scindia, Holkar, in the east by Bhonsle, in the west by Dabhade and in the south by Fateh-Singh Bhosale and others.
- Shahuji's primary accomplishment was in stabilising the fractured Maratha empire after the defeat of the Mughals by the Marathas. During the War of 27 Years many Maratha nobles became powerful. He was the binding force of the Marathas.
- Shahuji was instrumental in giving space to new talents irrespective of their background. During his tenure almost all sections of society rose to power. Perhaps the Maratha empire was the most socially mobile empire which accommodated many new socio-economic groups which hitherto were miles away from power and that caused a socio-political revolution.
Socio-political revolution[edit]
His reign saw rise of many like Balaji, Shinde and many more talented people who later became the strong support on which the Maratha empire expanded and flourished, especially Peshwa Bajirao and the Holkars in the North. He is credited with establishing the position of Peshwa, which later became a hereditary position for those from a humble background.
Bahiroji Pingale, the younger son of Moropant Trimbak Pingle was the first Peshwa of Shahu I. When Kanhoji Angreattacked Satara in 1711, Bahiroji Pingale was taken a prisoner by him. Immediately Shahu I ordered Balaji Vishwanath to ensure his release and also gave him authority in the form of the post of Peshwa, so that he could negotiate with Kanhoji Angre on behalf of the king. After the premature death of Balaji Vishwanath he appointed a young Bajirao as Peshwa on April 17, 1719 . After 20 years tenure of Bajirao, he appointed Nanasaheb, as Peshwa. These three Peshwas were extremely efficient and Shahu always acknowledged their efforts to enhance the Maratha Empire. He is also responsible for appointing Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre to the position of first Maratha naval chief, in return for his shifting his loyalty from the Tarabai camp. Shahu appointed Sardar Khanderao Dabhade as his "Sarsenapati" or Commander-in-Chief.
Family[edit]
Shahuji had four wives, and fathered two sons and four daughters. He adopted two sons, Meherban Shrimant Fatehsinh I Raje Sahib Bhonsle and Shrimant Rajaram II Raje Bhonsle Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib in 1745 (who succeeded him as the Raja of Satara)
Death[edit]
After Shahuji's death in 1749 his adopted son, Rajaram II succeeded him, but he was largely incompetent. The Maratha empire was primarily governed by the Peshwas from then onwards, with the Chattrapatis remaining the titular head.
| Preceded by Shivaji II | Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire 1707–1749 | Succeeded by Rajaram II |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 2, p. 441.
- Kasar, D.B. Rigveda to Raigarh making of Shivaji the great, Mumbai: Manudevi Prakashan, Rs. 165 (2005).
- Akkalkot, Solapur district gazette
External links[edit]
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chhattrapati Shahu. |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Categories:
- 1682 births
- 1749 deaths
- Maharajas of Satara
Maratha Empire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maratha_Empire
The expansion of the empire under Shahu was carried by the generals ..... Deputy Prime Minister to the Emperor; Rajadnya: Deputy to the Crown; Sardar ...Chhattrapati Shahu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chhattrapati_Shahu
Shahu Sambhaji Raje Bhosale (or Shahuji) (1682–1749 CE) was the fourth ... When the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb died in 1707, a war of succession ensued... [PDF]03_literature review.pdf
shodh.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/.../03_literature%20review.pd...
Chhatrapati Sambhaji was the father of Shahu Maharaj. ... crowned a prince .Shivde ... kind of disaster was not experienced by Emperor Aurangzeb in his life. 10. A Social History of the Deccan, 1300-1761: Eight Indian Lives
https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=0521254841Richard M. Eaton - 2005 - HistoryOf the emperor's three surviving sons, Prince A'zam was the nearest to the ... the lateemperor's entourage, however, were the two Maratha hostages, Shahu and ... killed by his older brother who now crowned himself Emperor Bahadur Shah.Kingdoms of South Asia - Indian Maratha Empire
www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsFarEast/IndiaMarathas.htm
Shahuji is crowned king, but very quickly afterwards he and his mother are turned over ... The new Moghul emperor, Bahadur Shah, releases Shahu, son of the ...Maratha Empire - New World Encyclopedia
www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Maratha_Empire
Oct 7, 2008 - Shahu, a grandson of Shivaji, ruled as emperor until 1749. ... In 1681, Sambhaji had himself crowned and resumed his father's expansionist ...Marathwada Under the Nizams, 1724-1948
https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=8170990173P. V. Kate - 1987 - Indiaemperor Bahadurshah died in a.d. 1712. Following a civil war among his sons ... Shahuhad crowned himself as king in a.d. 1708. He was, however, opposed by ...Marathas and the English Company 1707-1818 by ...
www.san.beck.org/2-10-Marathas1707-1800.html
In May 1707 A'zam let the detained Maratha prince Shahu leave. ..... The next month Ali Gauhar crowned himself Emperor Shah Alam II and appointed Shuja ...Full text of "Rise Of The Maratha power" - Internet Archive
https://archive.org/stream/RiseOfTheMarathapower/TXT/00000111.txt... i.e. to restore to Shahu the territories held by his grandfather when he was crownedking at ... He assigned to Shahu as a marriage dowry his old Jahagir at Supa and ... commanders desiring them to stop the war and submit to the Emperor.Brief History - Suryavanshi Maratha Samaj, Jambusar
jambusarmarathasamaj.com/history_maratha.aspx
Following a brief struggle with his aunt Tarabai, Shahu became ruler. ... Shivaji formally established an independent Hindu Maratha kingdom when he crowned himself Chhatrapati ... Shahu, a grandson of Shivaji, ruled as emperor until 1749.
No comments:
Post a Comment