Happy Shiv Jayanti to all members.

PD_Solo

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Remembering the great Shivaji Maharaj who fought against the Moguls.




The rise of Maratha under Shivaji is an event of great significance in the History of India. Shivaji organised the Marathas into a nation.
Shivaji was born in 1627 in the Hill fort of Shivner. His father Sahaji Bhonsale was serving under the Sultan of Bijapur. He came to join his jagir with his second wife Sahaji left his son. Shivaji and his mother Jijabai under the care of Dadaji Kondadev.
Jijabai was extremely religious. She inspired her son Shivaji with noble and partriotic ideas by narrating him stories from Ramayana and Mahabharat. Dadaji Kondadev trained Shivaji in the art of horse riding and on military exploits.
He also encouraged Shivaji to defend the Hindu religion. Shivaji spent his early career in the Maval country. The hill men of the Western Ghat region or the Mavalis turned out to be his best soldiers during the subsequent years.
In 1644 Shivaji was assigned with the Jagir of Poona by his father. He chose an independent career. With his hill man he began his career of conquest. In 1646 he occupied the hill frort of Torna.
He also occupid the forts of Chakan, Kondana and Purandhar. He built the fort of Raigarh five mile east of Torna.
The Sultan of Bijapur put his father under arrest to force Shivaji to suspend his military enterprises. So Shivaji was forced to suspend his military activities for some years. In 1646 the Bijapur Sultan released his father.
Shivaji occupied the Maratha principality of Javali in 1656. He also became the master of the Maval country which was the recruiting ground of his army.
He took full advantage of the war between Aurangzeb the viceroy of the Deccan and the Sultan of Bijapur. He captured Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Mahuli. The Sultan of Bijapur after making peace with the Mughal decided to take action against Shivaji.
1659 the Sultan Bijapur sent a powerful army under Afzal Khan to bring Shivaji dead or alive. Shivaji was at Pratapagarh.
Afzal Khan resorted to treachry and sent a Brahmin envoy named Krishnaji Bhaskar to Shivaji inviting him for a friendly meeting. But Shivaji could not know the real intention of Afzal Khan and proceeded to meet him apparently unarmed but with concealed weapons.
At the place of meeting Afzal Khan attempted to kill Shivaji but Shivaji killed Afzal Khan with his Baghnakha of gloves with claws. The Bijipur army was completely routed Shivaji occupied Konkan and Kolhapur district.
Aurangzeb the Mughal emperor sent his maternal uncle Shaista Khan as the victory for Deccan and asked him to curb the power of Shivaji Shaista Khan occupied Poona and Konkan region and encamped himself at Poona. But Shivaji entered Poona in the disguise of marriage party and made surprise night attack upon Shaista Khan.
There was confusion in the Mughal camp and Shaista Khan narrowly escaped his death. In 1664 Shivaji sacked Surat. Mughal emperor Aurangzeb sent Raja Jaisingh of Amber to subdue Shivaji. The Mughal army ravaged the Maratha country and besieged the fort of Purandhar.
Finally Shivaji was forced to conclude the Treaty of Purandhar with Jaisingh in June 1665. He surrendered 23 forts to the Mughals and retained only twelve forts.
He also agreed to visit the imperial court Shivaji along with Shambhuji started for Agra and arrived there in May 1666. But he felt humiliated at the Mughal court. So he made his dramatic escape from the Mughal court and reached Poona.
He renewed his war with the Mughals. In 1670 he asked Surat. He occupied Kondana, Purandhar and Kalyan. He captural Jiji and Jellore 1672.
Shivaji celebrated his coronation ceremony on 13th June 1674. He assumed the title of Chhatrapati. He died in 1680.
The Maratha kingdom for Shivaji extended along the coast of Ramnagar in the North to Karwar in the South. It extended from Baglana up to Kolahpur.
Shivaji was an able administrator. He was a benevolent ruler. In the work of administration he was helped by a council of eight ministers known as Astha-Pradhana.
The Prime Minister was known as the Peshua. He had divided his kingdom into a number of Pranta which were against subdivided into Praganas. The villages were the lowest unit administration.
The peasants used to pay thirty percent of the total production as revenue to the state. Shivaji maintained a regular army.
Shivaji was a great organiser. He wielded the scattered Maratha race into a nation. He was tolerent in the matter of religion. He patronised Hindu religion and learning.




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