Canberra, 28 June 2021 Shivaji’s reluctance to do the ‘sajida’ was looked upon by the Adil Shah as an act of a spirited youth and overtly condoned. The sultan was also aware that Shahji, who was extremely loyal to him, was embarrassed by his son’s behaviour and therefore was content to let the matter rest […]
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Tag Archives: Bijapur
The Marathas Part 6 Shivaji Bhonsle Section I: Tumultuous Early Years
June 21, 2021 
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Canberra, 21 June 2021 Shivaji was born in April–May 1627, with 6th/10th April being generally accepted as the actual date, at the fort of Shivner near Junnar. Some accounts give the date as Monday, 10 February 1630, which is the one accepted by Sir Jadunath Sarkar, a well-known historian and an acknowledged authority on medieval […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 4 Shahji Bhonsle Section II: Later Career
June 6, 2021 0 Comments
Canberra, 6 June 2021 [The later career of Shahji Bhonsle and the early development of his son Shivaji overlap in several areas and took place in parallel. This chapter only examines the aspects of Shivaji’s early activities that had a direct bearing on Shahji’s actions and the progress of his career. Shivaji’s actions will be […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 4 Shahji Bhonsle Section I: Entrenching Maratha Power
June 2, 2021 0 Comments
Canberra, 2 June 2021 Till the last few years of Malik Ambar’s defiance of Mughal invasion into the Deccan, the Muslim chronicles hardly mention the local Maratha chieftains and soldiers fighting against them. However, by about 1625, the loyalty of the Maratha chiefs was sufficiently important for the Nizam Shah to surreptitiously have Lakhoji Jadhav […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 3 – The Rise of the Bhonsle Clan
May 30, 2021 0 Comments
Canberra, 30 May 2021 Even after the break-up of the Bahmani Sultanate, the general circumstances of the Marathas remained unaltered. A majority of the hill forts were garrisoned by Maratha chiefs—some in the service of one or the other Shahi kingdom and a lesser number by semi-independent Deshmukhs. By this time Muslim ranks—mansabs, depending on […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 84 Aurangzeb Section VI: The Last Foray into the Deccan
February 23, 2021 0 Comments
Canberra, 23 February 2021 On 8th September 1681 Aurangzeb, 63 years old and having been on the throne for 23 years, made a hasty peace with Mewar and set out from Ajmer for the Deccan, reaching Burhanpur on 13th November 1681. This was the culmination of a sequence of events in Rajputana, most of which […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 84 Aurangzeb Section V: Shivaji Carves Out A Kingdom
February 13, 2021 0 Comments
Canberra, 13 February 2021 Aurangzeb spent the first half of his reign immersed in the affairs of Hindustan, North India, and dealing with the repeated Hindu rebellions, first of the Jats and then the even more serious Rajput uprising that led to veritable war. The Deccan was left to be administered by viceroys who were […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 84 Aurangzeb Section IV: Emergence of the Marathas
February 6, 2021 0 Comments
Canberra, 6 February 2021 Geography and nature had never intended the Deccan Plateau to be an integral part of the greater Indian sub-continent. The Vindhya and Satpura Mountain Ranges and the River Narmada form a triple barricade that divides the high tableland of Central India from the Gangetic Plains. These formidable geographical barriers should have […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 83 Shah Jahan Section IV The War of Succession 2. Civil War
January 1, 2021 0 Comments
Canberra, 1 January 2021 The four sons of Shah Jahan had started preparing for the inevitable succession struggle even before he actually fell ill. Each one attempted to win over as many nobles as possible to their individual camps; and the nobles responded in the only manner they would—attempting to side with the prince who […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 83 Shah Jahan Section III: The Deccan Campaign
November 30, 2020 0 Comments
Canberra, 30 November 2020 Prior to Shah Jahan’s accession, Mughal interest in the Deccan had waxed and waned in direct proportion to the stability and turmoil in North India. Akbar had started a concerted effort to bring the Deccan under the Mughal flag and in 1569 had conquered Khandesh. By 1600, parts of Berar had […]
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