Sambhaji
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| Birth name: | Sambhaji Bhonsle |
| Title: | Emperor and High Protector of the Maratha Empire |
| Birth: | May 14, 1657 |
| Birthplace: | Purandar Fort near Pune, India |
| Death: | March 11, 1689 |
| Succeeded by: | Rajaram |
| Marriage: | |
| Children: |
Sambhaji Raje Bhonsle (Marathi: धर्मवीर संभाजी राजे भोसले) (May 14, 1657 – March 11, 1689) was the eldest son of the Maratha Empire founder Shivaji, and succeeded him as the Chhatrapati or the High Protector of the Maratha Empire.
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[edit] Early life
A scholar of Sanskrit and eight other languages, Sambhaji quickly gained a firm political standing in the Maratha kingdom and, by the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji's coronation in 1674, he was able to impress visiting dignitaries with his acumen, intelligence, personality and, most important of all, modesty. Unfortunately, within two weeks after Chhatrapati Shivaji's coronation, his grandmother Jijabai died and Sambhaji was left with nobody to nurture him. And the fact that Shivaji was too busy with the affairs of the state did not help.
[edit] Estrangement and reconciliation with father
The politics fuelled by senior courtiers like Annaji Datto and Moropant Pingle led to Sambhaji's estrangement. For almost one year, Sambhaji left the Shivaji's kingdom and joined Aurangzeb's commander, Diler Khan as part of politics. This came as a rude and extremely sad shock for Shivaji. This process caused further widening of the rift between Sambhaji on one side, and Moropant Pingle and Annaji Datto on the other side. As a result, Sambhaji was not invited for Rajaram's wedding and moreover he was not even informed of sudden death of Chhatrapati MAHARAJ Shivaji a few days thereafter.
[edit] Coronation
Moropant Pingle and Annaji Datto plotted to arrest Sambhaji at the fort of Panhala, where he was staying at the time of Shivaji's death. They wanted to crown Rajaram to oppose Sambhaji as Maratha emperor. However Sarnobat (the then Supreme Commander of Maratha forces) and Soyarabai's brother, Hambirrao Mohite supported Sambhaji since he was the rightful heir to the throne. At the time of Shivaji's death, there was news of impending attack of Aurangzeb's army on Maharashtra and at such a crucial juncture, a strong leader like Sambhaji was need of the hour. Therefore Hambirrao did not support his own sister and sided with Sambhaji. Annaji Datto Sabnis and other courtiers namely Hiroji Bhosale(Farjad),Balaji Aavji,Rupaji Mane were arrested but after this Sambhaji Raje had taken a strong decision and prdoned all of them. Not only Moropant but Annaji Datto HIroji Farjand were even pardoned and their posts in Ashtapradhan Mandal were given back to them. After Moropant's death when during one mission Sambhajiraje was not on Raigad once again Annaji datto hiroji farzand and Soirabai had planned to crown Rajaram. And they try to took support from Akbar (Son of Aurangzeb)to crown Rajaram. At this time Sambhajiraje arrested all of them and punished them under Elephant's leg. Due to some miss understanding Balaji awaji and his son was also killed by considering them as trator. Afterwards Sambhajiraje came to know his mistake and he made a memorial at the place wher he killed Balaji Awaji. It was chiefly because of Hambirrao's support that Sambhaji was able to ascend to his rightful place on the maratha throne in 1681.However Sambhaji pardoned Moropant Pingale and again re-appointed him on the post of “Peshwa”.Later there were no differences between Sambhaji Raje and Moropant Pingale also participated in Burhanpur’s war during 1681 along with Sambhaji Raje.
[edit] War with Mughals
Within a year or so of Sambhaji's coronation, Sultan Muhammad Akbar took shelter with him and sought Sambhaji's aid in winning the Mughal throne from his father Aurangzeb. The Mughal Emperor invaded the Deccan vowing to destroy the Maratha state that had been founded by Shivaji. He headed the full strength Mughal army, which at the time was perhaps, the largest land army in the world. Sambhaji led the Maratha fight against the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. It was to be the final war in both men's lives, and would last all of 27 years.
It was a disproportionate battle in all senses. Aurangzeb's army was at least 8 to 9 times larger than Sambhaji's. His whole empire was around 15 times bigger than Sambhaji's. However Sambhaji led the fight valiantly and did not let Aurangzeb win even a single major victory. The tenacity and sheer will of the Maratha resistance to the mughal invasion is best illustrated by the story of the Ramshej fort near Nashik. Aurangzeb's commanders claimed that they would win the fort within hours but the fight for the fort lasted for over six years. Sambhaji also made strategically adroit moves by comprehensively defeating the enemies of his kingdom (Swarajya) like Siddi of Janjira, Chikkadev Rai of Mysore and Portuguese of Goa and Thane-Vasai before they could turn on him and support Aurangzeb.
The Marathas lead by Sambhaji fought almost single-handedly against all the enemies. To make matters worse, there was a devastating famine in Maharashtra in 1686-87.
[edit] Capture and Execution
In early 1689, Sambhaji called his commanders for a strategic meeting at Sangameshwar in Konkan. In a meticulously planned operation, Ganoji Shirke and Aurangzeb's commander, Mukarrab Khan attacked Sangameshwar when Sambhaji was about to leave the town. A small ambush followed and Sambhaji was captured by Mughal troops on 1 Feb, 1689. He and his advisor, Kavi Kalash were taken to Bahadurgad. Aurangzeb humiliated them by parading them wearing clown's clothes. Later, Sambhaji and Kavi Kalash were tied upside down to camels with Mughal soldiers throwing stones, mud, and cow dung at them.
When they were brought face to face with Aurangzeb, the latter offered to let Sambhaji live if he surrendered all the Maratha forts, turn over all his hidden treasures,disclose the names of all the Mughal officers who had helped him and embrace Islam. Sambhaji refused, and instead sang praises of Mahadev (Lord Shiva). Aurangzeb ordered him and Kavi Kalash to be tortured to death. Sambhaji and Kavi Kalash were brutally tortured for over a fortnight. The torture involved plucking out their eyes and tongue and pulling out their nails. The later part involved of removing their skin. On March 11, 1689, Sambhaji was finally killed, reportedly by tearing him apart from the front and back with 'Wagh Nakhe (Tiger claws, a kind of weapon), and was beheaded with an axe. This grievous death was given to him at Vadhu on the banks of Bhima river, near Pune.
Despite the torture, Sambhaji refused to submit to Aurangzeb's conditions. In so doing he earned the title of Dharmaveer (Protector of the Religion) by which he is known to this day. Aurangzeb ordered to cut Sambhaji's body into pieces and throw it into the river. Residents of nearby village named 'Vadhu' collected as many pieces of his body as they found, sewed them together and performed the final rites on his body. These villagers later went on to use the surname 'Shivle' or 'Shivale', as per spelling preference, which means sewing in the Marathi language.
There are lot of proofs that, Sambhaji Raje was very brilliant and brave, he wrote, "Buddhabhushanam" in sanskit.
[edit] Immediate aftereffects of Sambhaji's execution
With Sambhaji's death, Maratha confederacy was thrown in a disarray. He was succeeded as leader of the Marathas by his younger brother Rajaram. The Commander in chief of Maratha army, Mhaloji Ghorpade, who succeeded Hambirrao Mohite, died in the ambush at Sangameshwar. A few days after Sambhaji's death, the capital Raigad fell to the Mughals and Sambhaji's wife and son were captured. However, Sambhaji's torture and heroic death unleashed an unprecedented unity and heroic spirit among the Marathas. Aurangzeb continued his grim war against the Marathas for another 18 years but could not subjugate the Maratha state.
Aurangzeb spent the last 25 years of his life in the Deccan, in constant warfare to vanquish the Marathas. He died in 1707, at Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. In 1737, within 50 years of the torture and death of Sambhaji, Maratha JAT Allied armies entered Delhi and had re-established Hindu rule over all of western, central and much of northern India. It was the first time after 1192, when Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated by Mohammed Ghori, that a Hindu army was in control of Delhi except for a brief period by Hemu in 1556. The Maratha empire would remain the foremost military power in India till they lost power to the British after 3 Anglo-Maratha wars, the last of which ended in 1818..
[edit] Legacy
There is some dispute among historians about Sambhaji's ability as a ruler. Some historians have portrayed him as ineffective and alcoholic. Other historians, notably S.G. Shevde, portray Sambhaji as a capable ruler. But whatever may have been his inadequacies as a ruler, his redemption and symbolism came in his death, and it is for this that he is mostly remembered by the Marathi people to this day.
It is quite interesting to look at his own version. After he assumed the charge of Chhatrapati, he issued a Danapatra which is a eulogy right from his great grandfather Maloji to himself. He writes about him'Balbhavendra prasthadhinathanudnyat mallayudhadatt adnyabhanga:It means he(Aurangzeb) asked me to show wrestling before him to which he refused.'This was during his visit as child prodigy along with his father to Aurangzeb' court in Agra.
[edit] References
There are a few Marathi historical novels based on the life of Sambhaji. They include "Chhava" (meaning tiger cub) by Shivaji Sawant, "Sambhaji" by Vishwas Patil, and "Shree Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj" by W.S.Bendre.
[edit] See also
| Preceded by Shivaji |
Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire 1680–1689 |
Succeeded by Rajaram |
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jwal jwalan sambhaji raja
