Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a renowned fighter and administrator, founded the Maratha Empire in western India. He used his drive and administrative skills to establish a powerful empire from the fading Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur. He developed an efficient government with a disciplined military and a well-formed administrative system. Shivaji was known for his innovative military strategies, utilizing landscape and speed. On February 19, Maharashtra celebrates Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, a festival and public holiday commemorating his birth anniversary.

Shivaji, born on February 19, 1630, at Shivneri Fort, Pune, was the son of Maratha commander Shahaji Bhonsle and devout lady Jijabai. He kidnaped Javli and became lord of the Mavala area. Shivaji's victory in battle made him a legendary figure in the Maratha area. Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb witnessed Shivaji's ascent, but he destroyed Shaista Khan in 1663 and attacked Surat in 1664. In 1665, Shivaji initiated discussions with Jai Singh, which resulted in the Treaty of Purandar. The contract compelled Shivaji to give up 23 of his 35 forts in exchange for service and devotion to the Mughal Empire. Shivaji's son Shambaji received a mansab of 5000 rupees.

Shivaji was a secular ruler, accommodating all religions, and a strong supporter of women's rights. He had a council of ministers and was known for his guerrilla warfare tactics. Shivaji's education was overseen by a council of ministers that included Peshwa Shamrao Nilkanth, Mazumdar Balkrishna Pant, Sabnis Ragunath Ballal, Dabir Sonopant, and Chief Teacher Dadoji Konddeo. Kanhoji Jedhe and Baji Pasalkar were assigned to train him in the military and martial arts. Shivaji married Saibai Nimbalkar in 1640.

Shivaji's War with Bijapur

• Shivaji captured key forts in Bijapur Sultanate in 1645.
• Shahaji, a threat to Mohammed Adil Shah, was jailed in 1648.
• Shivaji was released on condition of maintaining a low profile and avoiding future conquests.
• After Shahaji's death in 1665, Shivaji seized Javali valley from Chandra Rao More.

Shivaji's Battles

• Battle of Pratapgad, 1659 The Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Adilshahi commander Afzal Khan fought at Pratapgad in Satara, Maharashtra.
• Battle of Pavan, 1660 The battle occurred at a mountain pass near Vishalgad fort in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, between Maratha Sardar Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Siddi Masud of Adilshahi.
• Battle of Surat, 1664: The battle at Surat, Gujarat, occurred between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Mughal commander Inayat Khan.
• Battle of Purandar, 1665: Major conflict between Mughal and Maratha Empires.
• Battle of Sinhagad, 1670: The fight took place at Sinhagad fort in Pune, Maharashtra, between Maratha leader Shivaji Maharaj and Mughal Army Chief Udaybhan Rathod, a fort keeper for Jai Singh I.
• Battle of Kalyan, 1682-83: Mughal Empire's Bahadur Khan defeated the Maratha army and took over Kalyan.
• Battle of Sangamner, 1679: Battl between the Mughal and Maratha Empires. This was the final fight in which Maratha King Shivaji fought.

Conflict with Mughal

• In 1657, he conducted attacks on Mughal territories around Ahmednagar and Junnar.
• In response to the attacks, Aurangzeb sent Nasiri Khan, who destroyed Shivaji's army in Ahmednagar.
• Shivaji defeated a huge force led by Shaista Khan (Aurangzeb's maternal uncle) and the Bijapur army at Pune in 1659.
• Shivaji destroyed Surat, a wealthy Mughal commercial port, in 1664.
• The Treaty of Purandar was signed in June 1665 by Shivaji and Raja Jai Singh I, who represented Aurangzeb.
• According to this pact, various forts were ceded to the Mughals, and it was arranged that Shivaji would meet Aurangzeb at Agra. Shivaji agreed to send his son Sambhaji as well.

Shivaji initially maintained a friendly relationship with the British in 1660, but their support for the Bijapur sultanate, along with his actions against the English in Bombay in 1670, resulted in an extended conflict, with multiple conversations failing to resolve the situation.

Marathas King's Coronation and Establishment

• On June 6, 1674, Shivaji was anointed King of the Marathas, creating a Hindu state in the Muslim-dominated south.
• He was known by several names, including Chhatrapati (paramount sovereign), Shakakarta (period founder), Kshatriya Kulavantas (leader of Kshatriyas), and Haindava Dharmodhhaarak (one who promotes Hinduism).
• Following the coronation, the Marathas undertook an aggressive invasion campaign to consolidate most Deccan kingdoms, including Khandesh, Bijapur, Karwar, Kolhapur, Janjira, Ramnagar, and Belgaum.
• Shivaji also negotiated an agreement with his stepbrother Venkoji on his assets in Tanjavur and Mysore.

1. Central Administration
   • Chhatrapati was the highest ruler of the Maratha government, and an Ashtapradhan, or eight-member cabinet, was tasked with supervising the execution of various policies.
   • These eight ministers had significant power to carry out the King's directives and answered directly to Shivaji. Among the following eight ministers were:
     • Peshwa: When the monarch was not around, the Peshwa, or Prime Minister, handled the entire government and spoke on his behalf.
     • Auditor: The kingdom's financial well-being was under the jurisdiction of the Majumder, also called the Auditor.
     • Pandit: The Chief Spiritual Head, or Pandit Rao, was responsible for determining the dates of religious rituals, supervising the king's humanitarian initiatives, and monitoring the kingdom's spiritual wellness.
     • Dabir: The king's advisor on foreign policy issues was the Dabir, or Foreign Secretary.
     • Senapati: The Senapati, or Military General, was in charge of managing every facet of the armed forces, including recruitment, organization, and troop training. He was also the king's strategic adviser during the conflict.
     • Nyayadhish: The Chief Justice, Nyayadhish, was in charge of creating laws and ensuring that they were followed in civil, judicial, and military domains.
     • Mantri: The Chronicler, also known as the Mantri, was responsible for maintaining exact records of all the king's daily activities.
     • Sachiv: The person in charge of royal correspondence was called the Sachiv, or Superintendant.
   • There were four provinces in his realm, each headed by a Mamlatdar. The village, the smallest unit of government, was headed by a chief known as Deshpande, who oversaw the Village Panchayat.
   • Shivaji promoted the use of Marathi and Sanskrit in his court in addition to Persian.
   • He was strongly against caste prejudice and was accepting of other religions.
   
   
2. Revenue Administration
   • Shivaji eliminated the Jagirdari System to the benefit of the Ryotwari System, which removed the necessity for middlemen between farmers and governments.
   • Shivaji closely monitored the Mirasdars, who had inherited inland privileges.
   • The revenue system was based on Malik Amber's Kathi system, in which each plot of land had to be measured by Rod or Kathi.
   • Shivaji levied the Chauth and Sardeshmukhi taxes.
   • Chauth was one-fourth of the standard paid to Marathas to prevent Shivaji's army from assaulting non-Maratha territories.
   • Sardeshmukhi was a 10% extra fee imposed on places beyond the kingdom.
   
   
3. Judicial Administration
   • Under Shivaji, the legal system was straightforward, simple, and primitive. The system was based on ancient Hindu laws.
   • The king's "Hazar Majils" served as the highest court.
   • The Panchayats resolved conflicts between different groups in the societies, while the local 'Patel' determined criminal matters.
   
   
4. Military Administration
   • Shivaji was a military expert who maintained an efficient army. The regular army consisted of 30000 to 40000 cavalrymen who were led by havildars. They received a predetermined pay.
   • The Maratha cavalry was divided into two groups: bargirs, who had weapons and paid by the state, and silahdars, who were supported by nobility.
   • The Mavli foot men were critical to the military. He also maintained a navy.
   • Shivaji maintained an effective military force, built numerous significant forts to protect his frontiers, and created a significant naval presence on the Konkan and Goan coasts.
   • The forts were crucial to the Marathas' military activities. Shivaji possessed around 240 forts at the conclusion of his reign.
   • As a protection against treason, each fort was commanded by three commanders of equal rank.
   • Ordinary troops were paid in cash, but the chief and military commander received jagir grants (Saranjam or Mokasa).
   • The army was made up of battalions (Mavali foot soldiers), cavalry (horse riders and equipment carriers), and naval forces.
   
   

• On April 3, 1680, Shivaji died at the age of 52 as a result of dysentery.
• A succession battle erupted between Rajaram's sons Sambhaji and Soyrabai, both of whom claimed the crown.
• On June 20, 1680, Sambhaji dethroned Rajaram and took over the throne.
• Mughal-Maratha warfare continued after Shivaji, weakening Maratha prominence.
• Madhavrao Peshwa re-established Maratha magnificence and authority in North India.

• Shivaji Maharaj built a strong Maratha state with the help of great warrior families and highly mobile peasant-pastoralists (Kunbis).
• Poona became the capital, and the Peshwas built a strong military structure by invading cities and confronting Mughal armies.
• By the 1730s, the Maratha king was acknowledged as the supreme ruler of the whole Deccan peninsula, permitting Chauth and Sardeshmukhi to be levied.
• The Maratha kingdom expanded with a raid on Delhi in 1737, but these areas were not formally integrated and were forced to pay tribute in order to recognize Maratha rule.
• These military efforts turned other rulers against the Marathas, resulting in their disengagement during the third Battle of Panipat in 1761.
• The big, flourishing cities of Malwa and Ujjain displayed the Marathas' effective administrative capacities.

Shivaji was an effective commander and diplomat who laid the way for a powerful Maratha empire. He pushed the power of the Maratha Empire's authority from the Deccan to Karnataka, elevating it to the level of the entire India. He developed an effective administrative structure, a genuine taxation system for income, and expanded the empire's economic base with Chauth and Sardeshmukhi, a cash-based army, and so on. Shivaji was a great creative genius who helped to establish the nation. His rapid ascension from Jagirdar to Chatrapathi was incredible. He unified the Marathas while maintaining a significant adversary of the Mughal Empire. He was a brave fighter and intelligent administrator.