Know About The Marathas: Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj

Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj is a unique figure in Maratha history. Born in 1682 to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Queen Yesubai, Shahu was the grandson of the great founder of the Maratha Empire, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He lived a very tough, resilient life, which also saw him practice statesmanship, which in turn played a large role in the shaping of the Maratha power during critical times.

Early Life in Mughal Captivity

Shahu's early years were a time of great instability. Upon the execution of Sambhaji at the hands of the Mughals, the young prince, along with his mother, became prisoners at the fall of Raigat Fort. In Mughal custody, growing up did not isolate him from other worlds, but still, he was very much a part of Maratha culture.

Aurangzeb did put out that he was going to convert Shahu to Islam, which at some point he did away with upon his daughter Zinatunnisa’s plea. Also, it is said that the Mughal emperor named the young prince “Sahu,” which is “the good one,” which over time changed into “Shahu.

Freedom and the issue of the Throne

Shahu's release in 1707, right after Aurangzeb’s death, put a different path for Maratha history. Prince Azam, Aurangzeb’s son, released him to spark succession issues within the Maratha. Shahu left the Mughal territory with an entourage and also the promise of revenue rights over many regions.

However, his return did not go smoothly at all. Tarabai, who was the wife of Rajaram Maharaj, put forth her own claim to the throne and put forward her son Shivaji II as the proper ruler. This, in turn, caused a very bitter power struggle within the Maratha Empire. While many at first went over to Shahu’s side, in the end, it was the more influential Sardars who switched their support to him, which in turn gave him the edge.

With the help of skilled diplomats and warriors like Balaji Vishwanath, Shahu achieved victory. In 1708, he set up his capital at Satara and took on the title of Chhatrapati.

A time of diplomacy and growth

Shahu became a wise and balanced ruler. He put great faith in able administrators which including, for instance, Balaji Vishwanath, whom he later made Peshwa. Through diplomacy, which at times was very skillful, he did not rely on force. Shahu was able to reconcile with key enemies, which at that time included the great naval power of Kanhoji Angre.

Throughout his reign, Shahu proved to be very perceptive in identifying talent. It was under his watch that the likes of the Holkars, Shindes, Gaekwads, and Bhonsales came into the fore, which in turn put the Maratha influence on large parts of the Indian subcontinent. As a leader, he took the Maratha Empire from Gujarat to Bengal and from Madhya Pradesh to Tamil Nadu, and also implemented chauth and sardeshmukhi in many areas.

Even though Shahu kept up formal ties with the Mughal emperor, which in practice were of little import, it was often to the Maratha power that Delhi turned for stability.

Legacy and Final Years

Shahu’s private life also had its share of events. He had many wives, two biological sons, and a large family of daughters. Although he did not have a living son to pass the throne to, he took in two sons as heirs, the second of whom, Rajaram II, in 1745, became the next Chhatrapati.

Shahu Maharaj died in 1749 which leaving him a stronger though very political empire. After him, which we see in the later Chatrapatis’ time, was a shift to symbolic personages, while the Peshwas took over the administration, a change which in fact began during Shahu’s own time.

Chhatrapati Shahu’s legacy is that of a very compassionate ruler, a shrewd strategist, and a unifier who took the Maratha Empire to its height. His story is a remarkable chapter in India’s history.