History of Sambhaji Maharaj: The eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was Sambhaji Maharaj, often known as Shambhuraje. The second king of the Maratha Empire. He was born on May 14,1657, in the nearby Purandar Fort. When his father Shivaji was crowned in 1674, he was seventeen years old. At the age of two, he lost his mother Saibai, Shivaji’s favourite wife. His grandmother has been taking care of him ever since. The year of Shivaji’s coronation coincided with the death of his guru and grandmother, Jijabai. Mughal Sardar Mirza raja Jayasingh took Sambhaji under guard until he received all the agreements. Shivaji Maharaj had made with him to halt his onslaught on the Maratha kingdom that he controlled. At the moment, Sambhaji was nine years old.
History of Sambhaji Maharaj: Succession After Shivaji Maharaj
When Shivaji Maharaj passed away, Sambhaji Maharaj stayed in the fort of Panhala. Soyrabai and her supporters planned to arrest him there. They aimed to crown Rajaram as the new Maratha emperor, stopping Sambhaji Maharaj from replacing him. Nonetheless, because Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was the legitimate heir to the throne. Hambirrao Mohite, the brother of Soyarabai, and Sarnobat, the Supreme Commander of the Maratha army, backed him. There were rumors of an approaching Aurangzeb army invasion of Maharashtra at the time of Shivaji Maharaj’s passing. At such a critical point, a strong leader like Sambhaji Maharaj was required. As a result, Hambirrao sided with Sambhaji Maharaj rather than his sister.
After being detained for backing Soyarabai, Annaji Datto Sabnis and other courtiers, including Hiroji Bhosale (Farjad), Balaji Aavji, and Rupaji Mane, were cruelly punished. By being slain by being trampled on by war elephants. The main reason Sambhaji Maharaj was able to take the Maratha kingdom in 1681 was because of Hambirrao’s backing. (History of Sambhaji Maharaj)
Acquiring
Sambhaji Maharaj called his commanders to a strategic discussion at Sangameshwar in the Konkan at the beginning of 1689. Sambhaji Maharaj was preparing to leave the town when, in a well-coordinated operation. His brother Ganoji Shirke (yesubai’s brother) and Aurangzeb’s commander Mukarrab Khan attacked Sangameshwar. Following a brief ambush, Mughal forces seized Sambhaji Maharaj on February 1, 1689. After that, he was brought to Bahadurgad with his advisor, Kavi Kalash. They were made to feel degraded by Aurangzeb by being displayed in clown attire. Later on, Mughal soldiers tied Sambhaji Maharaj and Kavi Kalash upside down on camels. Threw dirt, stones, and cow dung at them.
Sambhaji Maharaj Torture Days
When Aurangzeb faced them, he promised to spare Sambhaji Maharaj’s life. In return for all the Maratha forts being given up. All his hidden valuables being turned over, and the names of all the Mughal officers. Who had assisted him in being made public? Sambhaji Maharaj declined and began to sing Mahadev’s (Lord Shiva) praises instead. He and Kavi Kalash were to be tortured to death by Aurangzeb’s order. For more than two weeks, Sambhaji Maharaj and Kavi Kalash were subjected to extreme torture. They were punished with ripping off their nails, tongues, and eyeballs as well as torture.
Later on, they had to have their skin removed. Sambhaji Maharaj was finally killed on March 11, 1689, according to reports. He was beheaded with an axe and torn apart from the front. Raised with a weapon known as “Wagh Nakhe,” or “Tiger claws.” He was given this terrible death in Vadhu, which is close to Pune, on the banks of the Bhima River.
Aurangzeb would ask the brave king time and again whether he had had enough and wanted to convert. But he would always say no. He came to be known as the Dharmaveer, or Protector of Dharma. As a result, he still has this title today. Sambhaji Maharaj’s body was to be chopped and thrown into the river under Aurangzeb’s orders. The people who lived in the next village called “Vadhu” gathered as many fragments of his body as they could locate. Sewed them together, and carried out the last rituals on his corpse. These villagers then adopted the surname “Shivle,” which means “sewing” in Marathi, or “Shivale,” depending on spelling choice. (History of Sambhaji Maharaj)
Immediate After-Effects of Sambhaji Maharaj’s Execution
History of Sambhaji Maharaj: The death of Sambhaji Maharaj left the Maratha Confederacy in ruins. His younger brother Rajaram, who rose to become the Marathas’ chief, replaced him. Following Hambirrao Mohite as Maratha army commander-in-chief, Mhaloji Ghorpade perished in the ambush at Sangameshwar. Sambhaji Maharaj’s wife and son were taken prisoner when the Mughals took Raigad. The capital, a few days after Sambhaji Maharaj’s passing. Nonetheless, the Marathas experienced an unparalleled sense of solidarity and bravery following Sambhaji Maharaj’s torturing and valiant demise. For eighteen years, Aurangzeb waged a bloody battle against the Marathas. But he was unable to bring the Maratha state under control.
For the final twenty-five years of his life, Aurangzeb fought nonstop in the Deccan to defeat the Marathas. He died in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, in 1707. 50 years after Sambhaji Maharaj was tortured and killed, in 1737, the Maratha-Jat Allied armies invaded Delhi. Restored Hindu authority over the entirety of western, central, and northern India. Except a brief occupation by Hemu in 1556. It was the first time a Hindu army had held control of Delhi since Prithviraj Chauhan was driven out by Mohammed Ghori in 1192. The Maratha Empire would hold the position of greatest military force in India until 3 Anglo-Maratha wars. The last of which concluded in 1818, caused them to hand over control to the British.
Conclusion
Throughout his rule, Sambhaji Maharaj demonstrated his strength in several areas. In the domains of politics, economics, religion, and humanism, for example. He tried his hardest to bring about improvements.
Like every other mythical king, he continued to win people’s respect and gratitude long after his passing. Sambhaji Maharaj Punyatithi Day was observed by the Marathi people in remembrance of his valor and accomplishments. (History of Sambhaji Maharaj)
We suggest you to read this yet another interesting blog about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s Life Journey click here.
