48 Facts About Sambhaji

Sambhaji was the eldest son of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire.

At the age of nine, Sambhaji was taken as a political hostage of the Mughal Empire, to guarantee his father's compliance with the treaty of Purandar.

Sambhaji later accompanied his father to Agra where both were placed under house arrest by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb; they subsequently escaped.

Sambhaji was later confined by his father at Panhala Fort, with some theories suggesting that it was due to his addiction to "sensual pleasures" or for violating a Brahmin woman.

Sambhaji subsequently defected to the Mughal Empire and served under Diler Khan in the Battle of Bhupalgarh against his father.

Sambhaji ascended the throne following his father's death, with his rule being largely shaped by the ongoing wars between the Marathas and the Mughal Empire, as well as other neighbouring powers such as the Siddi of Janjira, the Wadiyars of Mysore and the Portuguese Empire in Goa.

Early in his rule, Marathas under Sambhaji attacked and disrupted supply lines and raided into the Mughal territory, although they were unsuccessful in taking over main forts.

In 1683, Sambhaji executed 24 members of influential families including top government ministers after discovering a plot to poison him.

Sambhaji was a scholar who authored several works in Sanskrit and Hindustani, including the political treatise Budhbhushanam.

Sambhaji remains popular in modern India among many Hindu nationalists.

Sambhaji was born at Purandar fort to the Maratha Chhtrapati, Shivaji, and his first wife, Saibai, who died when he was two years old.

Sambhaji was married to Jivubai in a marriage of political alliance and as per Maratha custom, she took the name Yesubai.

Sambhaji later attacked the fort of Bhupalgad, which was under Maratha control while serving the Mughals.

However, Sambhaji later returned to the Maratha fold following Diler Khan's unscrupulous behavior.

Some influential sardars including ministers Annaji Datto and other ministers conspired against Sambhaji, supported by Soyarabai, to prevent Sambhaji from succeeding the throne.

Shortly, following his accession, Sambhaji began his military campaigns against neighbouring states.

Sambhaji then withdrew into Baglana, evading the forces of Mughal commander Khan Jahan Bahadur.

Sambhaji's ministers including Annaji Datto, and other ministers took this opportunity and conspired again to enthrone Rajaram again.

For five years, Akbar stayed with Sambhaji, hoping that the latter would lend him men and money to strike and seize the Mughal throne for himself.

Unfortunately for Sambhaji, giving asylum to Akbar did not bear fruit.

Sambhaji intended to use the Mughal numerical superiority to his advantage.

Sambhaji had prepared well for the invasions and the Maratha forces promptly engaged the numerically strong Mughal army in several small battles using guerilla warfare tactics.

Sambhaji had devised a strategy of minimising the losses on his side.

Sambhaji made a pincer attempt to surround the Maratha Capital that led to Mughal invasions of Konkan.

Sambhaji continued the Maratha campaign against them, while at that time the Siddis formed an alliance with the Mughals.

At the start of 1682, a Maratha army later joined by Sambhaji personally, attacked the island for thirty days, doing heavy damage but failing to breach its defenses.

Sambhaji then attempted a ruse, sending a party of his people to the Siddis, claiming to be defectors.

Sambhaji returned to counter them and his remaining troops were unable to overcome the Janjira garrison and the Siddi fleet protecting it.

Meanwhile, in 1684 Sambhaji signed a defensive treaty with the English at Bombay, realising his need for English arms and gunpowder, particularly as their lack of artillery and explosives impeded the Maratha's ability to lay siege to fortifications.

Much like his father Shivaji's Karnataka campaign, Sambhaji attempted in 1681 to invade Mysore, then a southern principality ruled by Wodeyar Chikkadevaraja.

The Deshmukh families that joined the Mughal service during Sambhaji's reign were the Mane, Shirke, Jagdale, and Yadav.

In 1683, Sambhaji learned from Prince Akbar that the faction opposing him was plotting to offer his kingdom to Akbar in exchange for his support against Sambhaji.

Sambhaji's positions were spied upon by the Maratha officials close to him, who conveyed this information to Muqarrab Khan.

Accounts vary as to the reasons for what came next: Mughal accounts state that Sambhaji was asked to surrender his forts, treasures and names of Mughal collaborators with the Marathas and that he sealed his fate by insulting both the emperor and the Islamic prophet Muhammad during interrogation and was executed for having killed Muslims.

Some accounts state that Sambhaji's body was cut into pieces and thrown into the river or that the body or portions were recaptured and cremated at the confluence of the rivers at Tulapur.

Sambhaji was released in 1719 when the Marathas became strong under Shahu and Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath.

Joshi, Sambhaji was a good administrator who gave impartial justice to his subjects.

Sambhaji had to take several administrative measures to tackle the situation.

Sambhaji provided grain seeds, exemptions in taxes, oxen for agricultural work and agricultural tools to the farmers in the drought situation.

The government of Sambhaji gave promises of safety to the Marathas who gained independence from the Mughals and asked them to carry out their previous work of cultivation in their territories.

Sambhaji made efforts to cultivate more wasted or barren lands.

Sambhaji asked Hari Shivdev to distribute fifty khandis of grain which were being sent to him from Sagargad among the cultivators.

Sambhaji was sophisticated, educated and well-versed in Sanskrit and Hindustani in addition to Marathi.

Sambhaji composed several books during his lifetime, notably Budhbhushanam in Sanskrit and Nayikabhed, Saatsatak and Nakhshikha in Hindustani.

In Budhbhushanam, Sambhaji wrote poetry on politics, including dos and don'ts for a king and military tactics.

Sambhaji is viewed positively by the modern Indian Hindu movement, as he is seen as emblematic of Hindavi Swarajya.

Savarkar found Sambhaji to be "unfit to rule over the Maratha empire".

Sardesai assesses that Sambhaji's aborted attack against the Portuguese at Goa marked a turning point for Sambhaji's fortunes, after which the Marathas were increasingly on the defensive.