Shivaji (1627-80)-ugc

Shivaji (1627-80)-ugc

1-Born at Shivneri to Shahji Bhonsle and Jija Bai. he inherited the Jagir o( Poona from his lather ill 1637.

 2-After the death of his guardian, Dadaji Kondadev, in 1647, he assumed full charge of his jagir.

3- Before that, at the age of 18,he conquered Torna,built forts at Raigarh & Pratapgarh (1645-47).

4-Afzal Khan was deputed by the Adil Shah ruler to punish Shivaji, but the later murdered Afzal in 1659.

5-Later Shaista Khan, governor of Deccan, was deputed by Aurangazeb to put down the rising power of Shivaji

in 1660.

6-Shivaji lost Poona and suffered several defeats till he made a bold attack on Shaista’s military camp and

plundered Surat (1664) and later Ahmadnagar.

7-Raja Jai Singh of Amber was then appointed by Aurangazeb to put down Shivaji (1665) and Jai Singh succeeded in besieging Shivaji in the fort of Purandhar. 8-Consequently the treaty of Purandhar (1665) was signed according to which Shivaji ceded some forts to the Mughals and pay a visit to the Mughal court at Agra

9-In 1674 he was coronated at Raigarh and assumed the title of ‘Haindava Dharmodharak’ (Protector of Hinduism).

10-Shivaji died in 1680.

Shivaji’s Administration

1-Shivaji divided his territory under his rule (swaraj) into three provinces. each under a viceroy . Provinces were divided into prams which were subdivided into parganas or tarafs .The lowest unit was village headed by Headman or Patel.

2-Shivaji was helped by the ashtapradhan (eight ministers) which was un-like a council of ministers, for

there was no collective responsibility; each minister was directly responsible to Shivaji.

3-Most of the administrative reforms of Shivaji were based on Malik Ambar’s (Ahmadnagar) reforms.

4-A  eight member council of ministers called Ashtapradhan  was assisted him in the administration.

Shivaji’s Revenue Administration

1-Assessment of land revenue was based on

measurement.

2-The kathi of Ambar was adopted as the unit of’

measurement. Share of the state was fixed at two-fifths of the gross produce

3-Chauth was one-fourth of the land revenue paid to the Marathas so as not be subjected to Maratha raids.

4-Sardeshmukhi was an additional levy of 10 per cent on those lands of Maharashtra over which the Marathas

claimed hereditary rights, but which formed part of the Mughal Empire.