Chhatrapati Rajaram

Rajaram Bhosle I (Pronunciation: �aːd͡ʒaɾaːm – 3 March 1700) was the third ''Chhatrapati'' of Maratha Empire, who ruled from 1689 to his death in 1700. He was the second son of the Shivaji, the founder of the empire and younger half-brother of Sambhaji, who he succeeded. His eleven-year reign was marked with a constant struggle against the Mughals. He was succeeded by his infant son Shivaji II under the regentship of his widow Tarabai.

Early life and family

Rajaram was born in a family of Bhonsle clan, to Shivaji and his younger wife, Soyarabai on 24 February 1670. He was thirteen years younger than his brother, Sambhaji. Given the ambitious nature of Soyarabai, Rajaram was installed on the Maratha throne upon the death of his father in 1680. However, the Maratha generals wanted Sambhaji as the king and thus, he claimed the throne. Upon Sambhaji's death, Rajaram was crowned as Chhatrapati of the Maratha state.

Rajaram married three times. His first marriage was at the age of ten to Jankibai, the five
-year-old daughter of Shivaji's army chief, Prataprao Gujar. His other wives were Tarabai, the daughter of Hambirrao Mohite, the army chief who succeeded Prataprao, and Rajasbai from the influential Ghatge family of Kagal. Rajaram had three sons,

*Raja Karna(died in 1700) with mistress Sagunabai
*Shivaji II with Tarabai,
*Sambhaji II with Rajasbai.

Coronation and attack by the Mughals

After the death of Sambhaji, Rajaram was crowned at Raigad on 12 March 1689. As the Mughals started laying siege to the region around Raigad on 25 March 1689, the widow of Sambhaji (Maharani Yesubai) and her minister Ramchandra Pant Amatya sent young Rajaram to the stronghold of Pratapgad through Kavlya ghat. The Maratha army fought with the Mughals and led the new Maratha king, Rajaram to escape through Kavlya ghat to the fort of Jinji in present-day state of Tamil Nadu via Pratapgad and Vishalgad forts, Rajaram reached Keladi (Near present-day Sagar in Karnataka) in disguise and pursued assistance from Keladi Chennamma - who kept the Mughal attack in check to ensure safe passage and escape of Rajaram to Jinji where he reached after a month and a half on 1 November 1689. Details of his escape are known from the incomplete poetical biography of Rajaram, the ''Rajaramacharita'' written by his Rajpurohit, Keshav Pandit, in Sanskrit.

Siege of Jinji

Aurangzeb deputed Ghazi-ud-din Firoze Jung against the Marathas in the Deccan, and specially sent Zulfiqar Khan Nusrat Jung to capture the Jingi Fort. He laid siege to it in September, 1690. After three failed attempts, it was finally captured after seven years on 8 January 1698. Rajaram, however, escaped and fled first to Vellore and later to Vishalgad.

Santaji and Dhanaji

Rajaram occupied the fort at Jinji from 11 November 1689, but left before it fell in 1698, setting up his court at fort Satara. During that period when Jinji remained unconquered, "the intrepid Maratha commanders, Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav, wrought havoc in the Karnataka and Maharashtra by defeating the Mughal generals and cutting off their lines of communication."

Death

Rajaram died of lung disease in 1700 because of excessive use of bidi at Sinhagad near Pune in Maharashtra leaving behind widows and infants. Janakibai, one of his widows, committed sati upon Rajaram's death. Another of Rajaram's widows, Tarabai proclaimed her young son, Shivaji II as the Chhatrapati and ruled as his regent. However, the release of Shahu, by the successors of Aurangzeb led to an internecine conflict between Tarabai and Shahu with the latter emerging as the successful claimant to the Maratha throne of Satara. Tarabai established a separate seat at Kolhapur and installed her son as the rival Chhatrapati. She was shortly deposed by Rajasbai, the other surviving widow of Rajaram. She installed her own son by Rajaram called Sambhaji II on the Kolhapur throne. The Kolhapur line has continued to this day through natural succession and adoptions per Hindu customs.

Books

* Chatrpati Rajaram Tararani (Dr. Sadashiv Shivade)
* Chatrpati Rajaram Maharaj (Ashokrao Shinde Sarkar)
* Marathi Riyasat - Chatrpati Rajaram Govind Sakharam Sardesai)
* Shiv Putra Rajaram (Dr. Pramila Jarag)
* Bhangale Swapna Maharashtra (Drama, written by Bashir Momin Kavathekar)

See also

* Khando Ballal
* List of people involved in the Maratha Empire

Notes

References

Imperial Gazetteer of India
v. 2, p. 440.

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chhatrapati, Rajaram
1670 births
1700 deaths
17th-century Indian monarchs
People of the Maratha Empire
Hindu monarchs
People from Maharashtra