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Study Notes
Shivaji: Indian King and Founder of the Maratha Empire
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Shivaji was a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan who founded the Maratha Empire by carving out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur.
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He was crowned the Chhatrapati of his realm in 1674 and engaged in both alliances and hostilities with the Mughal Empire, the Sultanate of Golkonda, Sultanate of Bijapur, and the European colonial powers.
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Shivaji's military forces expanded the Maratha sphere of influence, capturing and building forts, and forming a Maratha navy.
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He established a competent and progressive civil rule with well-structured administrative organizations, revived ancient Hindu political traditions, court conventions, and promoted the usage of the Marathi and Sanskrit languages, replacing Persian in court and administration.
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Shivaji was born in the hill-fort of Shivneri, near the city of Junnar, which is now in Pune district. Scholars disagree on his date of birth, but the Government of Maharashtra lists 19 February as a holiday commemorating Shivaji's birth.
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Shivaji's father Shahaji Bhonsle was a Maratha general who served the Deccan Sultanates, and his mother was Jijabai, the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhavrao of Sindhkhed, a Mughal-aligned sardar claiming descent from a Yadav royal family of Devagiri.
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Shivaji's paternal grandfather Maloji was an influential general of Ahmadnagar Sultanate, and was awarded the epithet of "Raja". He was given deshmukhi rights of Pune, Supe, Chakan, and Indapur for military expenses and was also given Fort Shivneri for his family's residence.
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At the time of Shivaji's birth, power in the Deccan was shared by three Islamic sultanates: Bijapur, Ahmednagar, and Golkonda.
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Shivaji began his conquests by taking the Torna Fort in 1646, and in the following years, he took several other important forts near Pune, including Purandar, Kondhana, and Chakan, and brought areas east of Pune around Supa, Baramati, and Indapur under his direct control.
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Shivaji's confrontations with the Mughals began in March 1657 when two of his officers raided the Mughal territory near Ahmednagar, and his attacks on Shaista Khan and Surat were in retaliation for Shaista Khan's attacks on his army and to replenish his depleted treasury.
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In the Battle of Pratapgarh fought on 10 November 1659, Shivaji's forces decisively defeated the Bijapur Sultanate's forces, and in the ensuing Battle of Pavan Khind, Baji Prabhu Deshpande of Bandal Deshmukh and hisShivaji: Rise to Power and Reign
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Shivaji was a Maratha warrior who challenged the Mughal Empire’s rule in India during the 17th century.
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Shivaji defeated the Portuguese in present-day Karnataka and gained a large booty.
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The Treaty of Purandar was signed between Shivaji and Mughal general Mirza Raja Jai Singh I, in which Shivaji agreed to become a vassal of the Mughal empire, give up 23 of his forts, and pay compensation of 400,000 gold hun to the Mughals.
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Shivaji was summoned by Aurangzeb to Agra in 1666, but was put under house arrest when he took offense at being made to stand alongside relatively low-ranking nobles in court.
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Shivaji hatched a plan to escape from house arrest by sending most of his men back home and pretending to be ill, and escaped with his son in baskets of sweets.
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Hostilities between Shivaji and the Mughals ended after Shivaji’s escape, and peace proposals were made with the Mughal sardar Jaswant Singh acting as an intermediary between Shivaji and Aurangzeb.
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Shivaji was crowned king of the Maratha empire in a lavish ceremony on 6 June 1674 at Raigad fort, with nearly fifty thousand people in attendance.
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The Marathas undertook an aggressive campaign beginning in 1674, raiding and capturing various territories in southern India.
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Shivaji invaded Karnataka in 1677, seizing the forts of Vellore and Gingee, with the intention of reconciling with his half-brother Venkoji, who ruled Thanjavur after Shivaji’s father.
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The question of Shivaji’s heir-apparent was complicated, with his son Sambhaji being confined and defecting to the Mughals for a year before returning home.
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Shivaji died in April 1680 at the age of 50, and the cause of his death is disputed.
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Shivaji’s legacy as a warrior and leader who challenged Mughal rule in India continues to be celebrated in modern-day India.The Life and Legacy of Shivaji
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Shivaji was a 17th century Indian warrior king who founded the Maratha Empire and is considered a national hero in India.
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The cause of Shivaji's death is debated, with some sources stating it was anthrax and others claiming it was fever.
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Shivaji's wives played a significant role in his legacy, with his childless eldest wife committing sati and allegations of his second wife poisoning him to put her own son on the throne.
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Shivaji established the Ashta Pradhan Mandal, a council of eight ministers who advised him on political and administrative matters.
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He promoted the use of Marathi and Sanskrit in his court and commissioned a comprehensive lexicon to replace Persian and Arabic terms with their Sanskrit equivalents.
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Shivaji was known for his liberal and tolerant religious policies, allowing Muslims to practice freely and even supporting their ministries with endowments.
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He was a master of guerrilla warfare and his strategies consistently perplexed and defeated armies sent against him.
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Shivaji's navy played a significant role in maintaining control along the Konkan coast and he built a number of forts, with the number estimated to be around 240-280 at the time of his death.
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After Shivaji's death, his grandson Shahu ruled the Maratha Empire and expanded it greatly under the leadership of the Peshwas.
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Shivaji is recognized as a national hero and his legacy has been reimagined by various groups throughout history, including Marathi social reformer Jyotirao Phule and Indian nationalist leader Lokmanya Tilak.
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His memory has been leveraged for political purposes, with his legacy used to undermine the Brahmins and uplift lower classes.
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Shivaji's life and legacy continue to inspire people in India and beyond, with his heroic exploits and clever stratagems admired by writers and scholars alike.The Legacy of Shivaji in Modern India
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Shivaji's reputation in India has fluctuated over time, with some leaders criticizing his actions while others have hailed him as a national hero.
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Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, had previously criticized Shivaji's "treacherous" killing of the Bijapur general, but later changed his stance following public outcry.
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The Shiv Sena political party was formed in 1966 to promote the interests of Marathi-speaking people in Maharashtra and has since used Shivaji's image in propaganda.
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Shivaji is widely considered a national hero in India, particularly in Maharashtra, where his stories are an integral part of the Marathi people's identity.
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Regional political parties and offshoots of the Congress party, such as the Indira Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, also uphold Shivaji's legacy.
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Author Babasaheb Purandare has been a significant figure in portraying Shivaji in his writings, but has been accused of overemphasizing the influence of Brahmin gurus on Shivaji.
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In September 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a new Indian Naval Ensign that includes an octagon design inspired by a royal seal of Shivaji.
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Shivaji's legacy has been the subject of controversy, with some accusing him of being opposed to Muslims and others claiming he was influenced by the Mughal Empire.
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A book about Shivaji by American academic James W. Laine led to public demonstrations and legal action in Maharashtra, but a ban on the book was eventually lifted by the Supreme Court of India in 2010.
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Shivaji is commemorated throughout India with statues, monuments, postage stamps, and even a naval station named after him.
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A proposal to build a giant memorial called Shiv Smarak was approved in 2016 and, if completed, will be the world's largest statue.
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In Maharashtra, it is traditional for children to build toy replicas of forts during the festival of Diwali in memory of Shivaji.
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Description
How much do you know about Shivaji, the Indian king and founder of the Maratha Empire? Test your knowledge with this quiz! From his rise to power to his legacy in modern India, this quiz will challenge your understanding of one of India's most celebrated historical figures. With questions about Shivaji's military campaigns, political strategies, and cultural impact, you'll learn about the man who carved out his own independent kingdom and challenged the Mughal Empire's rule in India. So, come and
