Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was one of the bravest, most progressive and sensible rulers of India. The founder of the Maratha Kingdom, Shivaji was born to be a natural leader and fighter on 19th February 1630 in the prestigious Shivneri Fort. He was the son of Shahaji Bhosle and Jija Bai. Shivaji was brought up at Poona under the supervision of his mother and Dadaji Konda-dev. Dadaji Konda-dev made Shivaji an expert soldier and an efficient administrator. Till date, the day is celebrated as Shiv Jayanti with great rigor and traditional style by Maharashtrians.

Shivaji established a royal name for himself in history with his administrative skills by upholding the Swarajya values and the Maratha heritage. He was known for his bravery and tactics with which he won numerous wars against the Mughals. Remembering the greatest Maratha ruler on his birthday, here are some interesting facts about Shivaji.

1. Known as the Father of Indian Navy, Shivaji was the first to realise the importance of having a naval force, and therefore he strategically established a navy and forts at the coastline to defend the Konkan side of Maharashtra.  The Jaigad, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg and other such forts still stand to testify his efforts and ideas.

2. Contrary to popular belief, Shivaji was not named after Lord Shiva. In fact, he was named after a regional Goddess Shivai. His mother prayed to the goddess for a son and was blessed with one. The god-like statue was given to him for his deeds, and not his name.

3. The secular ruler was very accommodating of all religions. He had numerous Muslim soldiers in his army. His only aim was to overthrow the Mughal rule and establish the Maratha empire. He was also very supportive of people who converted to Hinduism.

4. Shivaji was a dependable supporter of women and their honor. He opposed all kinds of violence, harassment, and dishonor against women. Anyone under his rule caught violating woman's rights was severely punished. In fact, women of captured territories were also released unharmed, and with integrity.

5. Chhatrapati Shivaji was called as the 'Mountain Rat' and was widely known for his guerrilla warfare tactics. He was called so because of his awareness in the geography of his land, and guerrilla tactics like raiding, ambushing and surprise attacks on his enemies. He knew the importance of a good army, and with his skills, expanded his father's 2000 soldier army to 10,000 soldiers.

Important events in Shivaji’s Life-

1. Conquest of Torana: It was the first fort captured by Shivaji as Chieftain of Marathas which led the foundation of his ruling attributes of valor and determination at the age of 16. This conquest drove him to capture other forts like Raigarh and Pratapgarh. Due to these conquests, the Sultan of Bijapur got panicked and he put Shahaji, Shivaji's father in prison. In AD 1659, Shivaji again tried to attack Bijapur then the Sultan of Bijapur sent his general, Afzal Khan, to capture Shivaji. But Shivaji managed to escape and killed him with a deadly weapon called Baghnakh or the tiger's claw. Finally, in 1662, the Sultan of Bijapur made a peace treaty with Shivaji and made him an independent ruler of his conquered territories.


2. Conquest of Kondana fort:  The fort was under the control of Nilkanth Rao. It was fought between Tanaji Malusare, a commander of Maratha ruler Shivaji and Udaybhan Rathod, fort keeper under Jai Singh I.

3. Coronation of Shivaji: In AD 1674, Shivaji declared himself as an independent ruler of Maratha Kingdom and crowned as Chhatrapati at Raigarh. His coronation symbolizes the rise of people who challenged the legacy of Mughal’s. After the coronation, he got the title of ‘Haindava Dharmoddharak’ (Protector of Hindu faith) of the newly formed state of Hindavi Swarajya. This coronation gave a legitimate right to collect land revenue and levy tax on the people.


4. Alliance with Qutub Shahi rulers Golconda: With the help of this alliance, he led the campaign into Bijapur Karanataka (AD 1676-79) and conquered Gingee (Jingi), Vellore and many forts in Karnataka.

Shivaji’s administration was largely influenced by Deccan administrative practices. He appointed eight ministers who were called ‘Astapradhan’ who assisted him in the administrative helm of affairs. He levied a tax on the land which was one-fourth of the land revenue i.e. Chauth or Chauthai. He was not only proved to be an able general, a skillful tactician, and a shrewd diplomat, he also laid the foundation of a strong state by curbing the power of the deshmukhi.