44/365 – Chatrapati Shivaji

Name: Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
Full name: Shivaji Bhosle
Titles: Kshatriya Kulavataunsha
Born: 19 February 1627
Birthplace: Shivneri Fort, near Pune, India
Died: 3 April 1680, Tuesday
Place of death: Raigad Fort
Successor : Sambhaji
Wives: Sai bai, Soyarabai, Putalabai, Laxmibai, Kashibai, Sagunabai, Gunvantibai and Sakavaarbai
Offspring: Sambhaji, Rajaram, and six daughters Sakhubai Nimbalkar, Ranubai Jadhav, Ambikabai Mahadik, Deepabai, Rajkunvarbai Shirke, Kamlabai Palkar.
Father: Shahaji
Mother; Jijabai
Religious beliefs: Hinduism

 

 

Shivaji Raje Bhosle, with the royal title Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was a Maratha aristocrat of the Bhosle clan who founded the Maratha empire. Shivaji led a resistance to free the Maratha kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur, and establish Hindavi Swarajya (“self-rule of Hindu people”).

He created an independent Maratha kingdom with Vedant Raigad as its capital, and successfully fought against the Mughals to defend his kingdom. He was crowned as Chhatrapati (“sovereign“) of the Maratha kingdom in 1674.

He achieved the re-establishment of Hindu rule in the region after being ruled and dominated by various foreign Muslim dynasties for several hundred years. He established a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of a well-regulated and disciplined military and well-structured administrative organizations.

The prevalent practices of treating women as spoils of war, destruction of religious monuments, slavery and forceful religious conversions were firmly opposed under his administration. Shivaji was a religious Hindu.

He also innovated rules of military engagement, pioneering the “Shiva sutra” or ganimi kava (guerrilla tactics), which leveraged strategic factors like geography, speed, surprise and focused pinpoint attacks to defeat his larger and more powerful enemies and built many sea-forts.