Soyarabai Bhosale (née Mohite) (died 1681) was one of the eight wives of
Shivaji
Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adi ...
, the founder of
Maratha empire
The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of S ...
in western
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
. She was mother of Shivaji's second son,
Rajaram Rajaram or Raja Ram is one of the Indian names:
* Several Chhatrapatis, leaders of the Maratha Empire in India
** Rajaram I (1670–1700), younger son of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji, ruled 1689–1700
** Rajaram II of Satara, putative grand ...
. She was the younger sister of Maratha army chief
Hambirrao Mohite. She was executed in 1681, after she failed to dethrone
Sambhaji, her stepson, and the elder son of Shivaji.
Early life
Born Soyarabai Mohite, she was married to Shivaji at a very young age in 1650.
The marriage took place when Shivaji visited his father
Shahaji at
Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
with his mother
Jijabai
Jijabai Bhonsle (or Bhonsale, Bhosale, Bhosle) or Jadhav (12 January 1598 – 17 June 1674), referred to as Rajmata, Rastramata, Jijabai or Jijau, was the mother of Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. She was a daughter of Lakhujirao J ...
. Tukabai (née Mohite), the stepmother of Shivaji and paternal aunt of Soyarabai insisted on the marriage.
After the death of
Jijabai
Jijabai Bhonsle (or Bhonsale, Bhosale, Bhosle) or Jadhav (12 January 1598 – 17 June 1674), referred to as Rajmata, Rastramata, Jijabai or Jijau, was the mother of Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. She was a daughter of Lakhujirao J ...
in (1674), Soyarabai gained prominence in Shivaji's family and by extension, in the Maratha court politics.
Soyrabai bore two children to Shivaji, a daughter Balibai and son Rajaram.
After Shivaji's death
Soyrabai was ambitious and wanted her son Rajaram to succeed Shivaji instead of the elder son Sambhaji. Sambhaji was not kept informed on the Shivaji's death and he was absent when Shivaji was cremated. After Shivaji's death in 1680, with the help of some of the courtiers, Soyarabai got her ten-year-old son, Rajaram, on the vacant throne on 21 April 1680. Her stepson and
heir presumptive
An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question.
...
Sambhaji, was able to remove him from power with the help of Soyrabai's own brother and army chief
Hambirrao Mohite. He imprisoned courtiers and formally assumed power as the Chhatrapati on 20 July 1680.
After Sambhaji seized power from Soyrabai, she tried every means to dethrone him.
Soyarabai's henchmen tried to poison Sambhaji in August 1681, but he survived.The enraged Sambhaji ordered execution of Soyarabai.Kale says she was executed by burying in a wall, whereas Mehta claims that she was poisoned.
In a letter dated 27 Oct 1681, written by British Bombay council to Surat,it is mentioned that "Ramrajah's Mother
oyra Baiis dead by report, poisoned by Shambhuji Rajah's contrivance "
After Sambhaji's death at the hands of the Mughals,
Rajaram Rajaram or Raja Ram is one of the Indian names:
* Several Chhatrapatis, leaders of the Maratha Empire in India
** Rajaram I (1670–1700), younger son of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji, ruled 1689–1700
** Rajaram II of Satara, putative grand ...
became the next Chhatrapati. During his reign, the Marathas were engaged in continuous warfare with Mughals.
In Popular Culture
*
Ayesha Kaduskar portrays a young Soyarabai while
Ruchita Jadhav portrays the older Soyarabai in the 2011 series
Veer Shivaji
*Elakshi Gupta plays Soyrabai in the 2019 Bollywood film
Tanhaji
*
Ruchi Savarn portrays Soyarabai in the 2019 Marathi film
Fatteshikast
*
Shruti Marathe plays Soyarabai in 2022 film, Sarsenapati Hambirrao
References
See also
*
Shivaji
Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adi ...
*
Chhatrapati Rajaram
*
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of S ...
{{MarathaEmpire
Executed royalty
Executed Indian women
Indian female royalty
Marathi people
Women of the Maratha Empire
1680 deaths
People executed by poison
17th-century executions in India
Year of birth unknown
17th-century Indian women
17th-century Indian people