5/5 Mayur Pawar O. 5 years ago on Google
Shivaji
Bhonsle (Marathi [ʃiʋaˑɟiˑ
bʱoˑs(ə)leˑ]; c.
1627/1630 –
3
April
1680)
was
an
Indian
warrior
king
and
a
member
of
the BhonsleMaratha
clan.
Shivaji
carved
out
an
enclave
from
the
declining Adilshahi
sultanate of Bijapur that
formed
the
genesis
of
the Maratha
Empire.
In
1674,
he
was
formally
crowned
as
the chhatrapati (monarch)
of
his
realm
at Raigad.
Over
the
course
of
his
life,
Shivaji
engaged
in
both
alliances
and
hostilities
with
the Mughal
Empire, Sultanate
of
Golkonda,
and Sultanate
of
Bijapur,
as
well
as
the
English,
Portuguese,
and
French
colonial
powers.[citation
needed]Shivaji's
military
forces
expanded
the
Maratha
sphere
of
influence,
capturing
and
building
forts,
and
forming
a
Maratha
navy.
Shivaji
established
a
competent
and
progressive
civil
rule
with
well-structured
administrative
organisations.
He
revived
ancient
Hindu
political
traditions
and
court
conventions
and
promoted
the
usage
of Marathi and Sanskrit,
rather
than Persian,
in
court
and
administration.
Shivaji's
legacy
was
to
vary
by
observer
and
time
but
he
began
to
take
on
increased
importance
with
the
emergence
of
the Indian
independence
movement,
as
many
elevated
him
as
a
proto-nationalist
and
hero
of
the
Hindus.[3] Particularly
in Maharashtra,
debates
over
his
history
and
role
have
engendered
great
passion
and
sometimes
even
violence
as
disparate
groups
have
sought
to
characterise
him
and
his
legacy.
Early
life
Main
article: Early
life
of
Shivaji
Shivaji
was
born
in
the
hill-fort
of Shivneri,
near
the
city
of Junnar in
what
is
now Pune
district.
Scholars
disagree
on
his
date
of
birth.
The
government
of Maharashtra lists
19
February
as
a
holiday
commemorating
Shivaji's
birth
(Shivaji
Jayanthi).[a][6][7] Shivaji
was
named
after
a
local
deity,
the
goddess
Shivai.[8] Shivaji's
father Shahaji
Bhonsle was
a Maratha general
who
served
the Deccan
Sultanates.[9] His
mother
was
Jijabai,
the
daughter
of Lakhuji
Jadhavrao of Sindhkhed,
a
Mughal-aligned
sardar
claiming
descent
from
a Yadav royal
family
of Devagiri.[10][11]
At
the
time
of
Shivaji's
birth,
power
in
Deccan
was
shared
by
three
Islamic
sultanates: Bijapur, Ahmednagar,
and Golkonda.
Shahaji
often
changed
his
loyalty
between
the Nizamshahi of
Ahmadnagar,
the Adilshah of
Bijapur
and
the Mughals,
but
always
kept
his jagir (fiefdom)
at Pune and
his
small
army
with
him.[9]

A
statue
of
young
Shivaji
with
Jijabai
installed
at
the
fort
of
Shivneri
in
1960s
Upbringing
Shivaji
was
devoted
to
his
mother
Jijabai,
who
was
deeply
religious.
His
studies
of
the
Hindu
epics,
the Ramayana and
the Mahabharata,
also
influenced
his
lifelong
defence
of
Hindu
values.[12] Shivaji
was
deeply
interested
in
religious
teachings,
and
regularly
sought
the
company
of
Hindu
and Sufi saints.[13] Shahaji,
meanwhile
had
married
a
second
wife,
Tuka
Bai
from
the Mohite family.
Having
made
peace
with
the
Mughals,
ceding
them
six
forts,
he
went
to
serve
the
Sultanate
of
Bijapur.
He
moved
Shivaji
and
Jijabai
from
Shivneri
to
Pune
and
left
them
in
the
care
of
his jagir administrator, Dadoji
Konddeo.
Dadoji
has
been
credited
with
overseeing
the
education
and
training
of
young
Shivaji.[14][15][16]
Many
of
Shivaji's
comrades,
and
later
a
number
of
his
soldiers,
came
from
the Mavalregion,
including
Yesaji
Kank,
Suryaji
Kakade,
Baji
Pasalkar, Baji
Prabhu
Deshpande and Tanaji
Malusare.[17] Shivaji
traveled
the
hills
and
forests
of
the Sahyadri range
with
his
Maval
friends,
gaining
skills
and
familiarity
with
the
land
that
would
prove
useful
in
his
military
career.[12] Shivaji's
independent
spirit
and
his
association
with
the
Maval
youths
did
not
sit
well
with
Dadoji,
who
complained
to
Shahaji
to
no
avail.[18]
1 person found this review helpful 👍
