Maratha-Shahji Raje Bhonsle

Birthdate:     March 18, 1594
Death:          January 23, 1664

Shahji Bhonsle (also Shahji Raje Bhonsle, Shahaji Raje Bhonsle) was the father of Shivaji Maharaj. He was the first to raise the prestige of Bhonsle family ( to which Shivaji Maharaj belongs) to acquire military distinction. Shahji acquired practical experience of war under his father Maloji and Malik Ambar.

It was in course of the wards of Malik Ambar that Shahji learnt how a small force could exploit local topography to inflict defeats on much larger armies by the use of guerilla tactics. Shahji remained loyal to the states of the Deccan and fought against the Mughals on the side of Malik Ambar.

Shahji now settled down with a number of Maharashtrian Brahmins and Marathas in this jagir and acquired great fame and renown not only as a capable administrator but also as a patron of arts and letters.

Early life

 Shahaji was the son of Maratha warrior Maloji Bhosale.Maloji was a capable soldier and eventually became Sar Giroh and was awarded independent Jagir (Fief) of Pune & Supe districts in the court of Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar. Maloji was childless for a long time. After seeking blessings from a Sufi muslim pir called Shah Sharif, two sons were born to him. Maloji named his sons Shahaji and Sharifji in honour of the pir. Shahaji married Jijabai,the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhav,another Maratha general in the service of Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar when both of them were children.

The Bhosale clan ,despite being from Maharashtra region claimed to be Rajput.Shahaji, in his letter to Adil Shah, called himself a Sisodia Rajput

Jagirdar of Bangalore

         In Bangalore, the second phase of Shahaji's life started. He sent his wife Jijabai and their younger son, Shivaji to Pune to manage his jagir of Pune. The couple's elder son, Shambuji and another son Venkoji from his second wife stayed with him at Bangalore.Shahji was virtually the king of the territory under his control.the Sultan trusted him and called him the a son and pillar of the state.In Bangalore, Shahaji patronizedmen of learning

        Meanwhile young Shivaji started capturing territory controlled by Adilshah around Pune. AdilShah, alarmed by the activities of Shivaji in particular, deceitfully captured Shahaji and imprisoned him as he suspected that Shahaji encouraged Shivaji. Two expeditions were sent simultaneously against Shivaji and his elder brother Sambhaji, who defeated Adilshahi forces. Shivaji meanwhile approached the Mughal Emperor, Shahjahan, seeking help against Adilshah. Fearing another Mughal campaign against Bijapur, Adilshah released Shahaji from prison. However, the elder son Sambhaji was killed during an expedition due to the treacherous role of Afzal Khan. Later Shivaji killed Afzal Khan.

         Thus these events proved that Shahaji had taken a sensible decision in keeping Shivaji in the original stronghold of Pune barring which, like Shahaji, Shivaji would have been imprisoned or killed like his elder brother. This period of crisis was overcome by sacrifice and personal bonds of the family. Shahaji actively supported Shivaji in his earlier enterprises, like the campaign against Afzal Khan. Sensing treachery by Afzal khan, Shahaji was waiting near Bijapur with his army of 17,000. He had warned Badi Begum of Adilshah that, if Afzal Khan and his Adilshahi forces killed Shivaji by deceit, then there wouldn't remain even a brick of the Adilshahi kingdom.

          

         Shahaji had two sons by Jijabai, Sambhaji and Shivaji. Sambhaji was killed by Afzal Khan. He was cremated in town of Channagiri Taluka of Davanagere district of Karnataka. Shahaji had one son Venkoji (Ekoji I) by his second wife, who came from the Mohite family. Venkoji later ruled over the independent Maratha kingdom of Thanjavur. Shahaji groomed all his sons as good administrators and men of culture and taste, Shivaji in the Pune region, Sambhaji in Banglore and Venkoji in Thanjavur region. Shivaji encouraged farming and cultivation, similarly Venkoji also dug canals in Thanjavur and promoted farming activities. Both were good administrators. Like Shahaji, they were scholars and warriors. Shahaji had causeed a champukavya. At Bangalore, literary activities were promoted by him. His court poet Jayram Pindye composed Radha Madhav Vilas Champu in flowery Sanskrit. His literary traditions were carried on by his sons and had strong influence on the mind of Shivaji and the Thanjavur branch.Shahaji samadhi/tomb is at Hodigere near Channagiri (Davangere Taluka) in Karanataka. Shahaji's dream of an independent kingdom was made a reality by his both sons, the great Shivaji Maharaj in Deccan and Ekoji I in Thanjavur

Shahaji died around 1664, after falling off his horse during a hunt.