Shahu Sambhaji Raje Bhonsle Chhatrapati Maharaj (1682-1749) was the fourth ruler of the Maratha Empire created by his grandfather, Chhatrapati Shivaji, and was officially the Raja of Satara (now in the state of Maharashtra, India). More popularly known as Chattrapati Shahuji, he came out of captivity by the Mughals and survived a civil war to gain the throne in 1707. Somewhat of a roi fainéant, he was a good judge of character, but was content to let his Prime Ministers (the Peshwas) rule on a day-to-day basis.
He was the son of the second Chattrapati Sambhaji, who was killed by the Mughals in 1689.
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Imprisonment
During Mughal-Maratha war of 27 years Shahuji was imprisoned by the Mughals at the age of 7 years after the fall of Raigad, the Maratha capital in Feb. 1689 when his parents were also captured. When Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb died in 1707 a war of succession ensued between his surviving sons.Shahu at the insistence of Mughal general Zulfiqar Khan Nusrat Jang was freed from imprisonment by Prince Muhammad Azam Shah. After the Battle of Jajua, the victor and next Emperor Bahadur Shah also took the side of Shahuji against Tarabai at the insistence of his general Zulfiqar Khan but under conditions which rendered him a vassal of the Mughal Empire. His mother was still held captive to ensure good behavior by him and her release could be obtained only in 1719 when Marathas became strong enough.
After his release Shahuji had to contend with a competing claim by his aunt, Tarabai and her son, Raja Sambhaji II (son of Rajaram). She set up a competing Kingdom of Kolhapur. With the assistance of Balaji Vishwanath who was later appointed the ‘‘Peshwa or Prime Minister and Sardar Khanderao Dabhade who was later appointed the ‘‘Senapati (Marathi for Commander-in-Chief), Shahuji outmaneuvered Tarabai in 1714 and consolidated his power.
Despite being a grandson of Shivaji and son of Sambhaji, Shahu could not make a strong impression on history and the politics of his time. His childhood was spent in royal Mughals captivity, he was kept away from his own people, and he could not get any military education. After release from Mughals, then caretaker of Maratha kingdom, Rani Tarabai refused to give him throne, which she had defended from might Mughals.
Shahu was alone and was not very ambitious like his grandfather and father. Balaji Viswanath sensed opportunity to become kingmaker and helped Shahu to turn Maratha’s loyalty to Rani Tarabai towards Shahu. In exchange Shahu appointed Balaji Vishwanath Prime Minister of Maratha kingdom. After civil war Shahu was kept away from regular politics of the empire and was forced to settle at Satara. Maratha Empire was then governed by Peshwas of Pune.
Accomplishments
Shahuji's primary accomplishment was in stabilising the fractured Maratha empire after the defeat of the Mughals by Marathas. During the War of 27 Years many Maratha nobles became powerful. He was the binding force of the Marathas.
Under his patronage his many civilian officers like Balaji or army commanders like Bajirao, Raghoji I Bhonsle and many more expanded the Maratha frontiers. In a real sense he was the emperor of contemporary India, but remained grateful to even weak descendants of the great Mughals. During his captivity, Mughals had raised him as a prince and never compromised his honor or that of his mother. He spent his entire childhood and youth, from age 7 to age 28 in the custody of the Mughals. He had passed through hardships and all uncertainties of life. Born as a prince, he became a prisoner at the age of 7, became a Chattrapati at the age of 28 and saw the empire spreading all over the continent. These events strengthened him.
Shahu Maharaj is the emperor in MARATHA empire who hold the highest territory in his possession, with the help of his renowned sardars, named Raghuji Bhonsale Nagpurkar, Shinde, Bajirao Bhat Peshwe, Bhaskar Ram, Holkar, Gaikwad, Nanasaheb Peshwe. He had in possession the area of total India before independence including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Vidarbha, Gujrat, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Tamilnadu up to Tanjavur (Tanjore), Orissa, Zarkhand, Bihar( where he has Chauthai rights ), West Bengal along with East Bengal up to Chitgaon ( where he has chauthai & sardeshmukhi rights ). He had not ruled on Marwad & Punjab because he had friendly relationships with the rulers as they are Hindu sovereign emperors. Same is the thing about Kerala small rajes. Chhatrapati Shahu can not rule only 2 states unofficially named Delhi- Agra - Uttar Pradesh where Moghuls are prominent & Jammu & Kashmir. Otherwise, rest of India, including East Bengal or Bangladesh before independence, is in his possession, though unofficially. But, officially he can not rule 3 another states namely Punjab, Marwad & Kerala due to friendly states relations.
Socio-political revolution
As a patron, he always gave space to the rising talented buds to act and as an authority made those ambitious chiefs to submit before his highness. Shahuji was instrumental in giving space to new talents irrespective of their background. His reign saw rise of many like Balaji, Shinde and many more talented people who later became the strong support on which the Maratha empire expanded and flourished, especially Bajirao Peshwa and Holkars in North. He is credited with establishing the position of Peshwa, which later became a hereditary position. He appointed a young Bajirao as Peshwa on April 17, 1719 after the premature death of his father Balaji Vishwanath. After 20 years tenure of Bajirao, he appointed Nanasaheb, as Peshwa. These three Peshwas were extremely efficient and Shahu always acknowledged their efforts to enhance the Maratha Empire. He is also responsible for appointing Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre to the position of the first Maratha naval chief, in return for his moving loyalty from the Tarabai camp. He appointed Sardar Khanderao Dabhade as his "Sarsenapati" or Commander-in-Chief. During his tenure almost all sections of society rose to power. Perhaps Maratha empire was the most socially mobile empire which accommodated many new socio-economic groups which were hitherto miles away from the power. It had had an effect on the social fabric of the nation. Maharashtra witnessed a spate of social changes in late 19th century as a result of this.
Family
Shahuji had four wives, and fathered two sons and four daughters. He adopted two sons, Meherban Shrimant Fatehsinh I Raje Sahib Bhonsle and Shrimant Rajaram II Raje Bhonsle Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib in 1745 (who succeeded him as the Raja of Satara).
Death
After Shahuji's death in 1749 his adopted son, Rajaram II succeeded him, but he was largely incompetent. The Maratha empire was primarily governed by the Peshwas from then onwards, with the Chattrapatis remaining the titular head.
| Preceded by Rajaram I |
Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire 1707–1749 |
Succeeded by Rajaram II |
References
- Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 2, p. 441.
- Kasar, D.B. Rigveda to Raigarh making of Shivaji the great , , Mumbai: Manudevi Prakashan, Rs. 165 (2005).
- Akkalkot, Solapur district gazette
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