Early life of Shivaji
Shivaji was born at the hill fort of Shivneri on 1 March 1630, which corresponds to 19 February 1630 of the Julian calendar used by the contemporary English traders in India.
After Dadoji's death in 1647, Shivaji assumed full control of his father's jagir in the Pune region, and eliminated local challenges to his authority.
The poem also claims that during her pregnancy, Jijabai had cravings indicative of a child with royal and martial characteristics, such as to sit on a golden throne and to lead men to battle victories.
[6]Shivaji's father Shahji belonged to the Bhonsle clan, which claimed patrilineal descent from the Sisodia Rajput royal family of Mewar.
[8] During his coronation in 1674, Shivaji's royal priest Gaga Bhatta presented him as a member of the Kshatriya solar dynasty, counting the Sisodia Rajputs among his ancestors.
[6] Some modern historians, such as John Keay and Jadunath Sarkar, believe the genealogy tracing Shivaji's ancestry to the Sisodia Rajputs to be a bogus one, fabricated to claim a Kshatriya social status.
[14] An English letter by the East India Company factor Henry Revington, dated 10 December 1659, also calls Shivaji a "Great Rajput".
[16][17] Historians such as Surendra Nath Sen and V. K. Rajwade reject the Sisodia origin by citing the temple inscription of Math, dated to 1397 A.D and holds the view that the genealogy was forged by Shivaji's men.
By the time of Shivaji's birth, Jijabai's family had deserted Ahmednagar, transferring its allegiance to the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, thus becoming an opponent of Shahaji.
A few years later, Shahaji also deserted Ahmednagar;[23] he briefly served the Mughal Empire, but later rebelled against them, supported by the Bijapur Sultanate.
[25] Shahaji joined the Bijapur service: he was allowed to retain his jagir in the Pune region but was barred from living in that area as part of the treaty.
He was deputed in southern India, and his jagir in the Pune region was placed under the nominal administration of his minor son Shivaji, with his subordinate Dadoji Kondadeo as its manager.
[35] According to the Sabhasad Bakhar, Dadoji took possession of lands controlled by twelve Deshmukhs of the Mawal region, and had those who resisted killed.
[32] According to Chitnis Bakhar, Shivaji captured and killed Krishnaji Nayak Bandal, a Deshmukh of Hirdas Maval area whom Dadoji had failed to subjugate.
[36] Shivaji's early training probably included what was expected of the son of a jagirdar: some reading and writing, horse-riding, martial arts, and religious practice.
Therefore, Sarkar concludes that Shivaji was illiterate like many other historical rulers of India, such as Akbar, Hyder Ali, and Ranjit Singh.
[38] Whatever the accuracy of this account, it is known from other texts that Shahji's wealth and affection were directed to Vyankoji alias Ekoji, his son from his younger wife Tukabai.
By this time, he commanded over a thousand soldiers, In a letter to a Hindu official, dated 17 April 1645, he wrote that God wished them to be independent under a self-ruled state.
[29] Even before Dadoji's death, during 1645-1647, Shivaji controlled several hill forts around Pune, including Rajgad, Kondana (later Sinhagad) and Torna.
[42] In 1646, he sent an infantry led by Baji Pasalkar, Yesaji Kank, and Tanaji Malusare to take control of the Torna Fort.
[40][39] Shivaji seized the local government treasury worth 200,000 hon (gold coins), and renamed the fort Prachandagarh, although this name did not stick for long.
[41] His officers included: After Dadoji's death, Shivaji started consolidating his control over Shahaji's jagir around the Pune region.
Dadoji had assigned the administration of the Supe mahal (subdivision) to Shambhuji (or Sambhaji) Mohite, the brother of Shahaji's second wife Tukabai.
[45] Shortly after the annexation of Supe, Shivaji raided Junnar, where he captured 300 horses, goods worth 300 hons (gold coins), clothes, and jewels.
His younger brothers Pilaji and Shankaraji resented being excluded from their hereditary rights to the fort, and requested Shivaji to arbitrate.
The cavalry plundered much wealth and merchandise from the non-fortified towns of Kalyan and Bhiwandi, and captured the Mahuli fort which was once under the control of Shahaji.
[48] Over the next year (1648), Shivaji consolidated his control in northern Konkan, establishing authority over local chiefs and capturing territories from the Siddis of Janjira.
According to the Chitnis Bakhar, a displeased Shivaji removed Ranjhekar from his post, and appointed Moropant Trimbak Pingle as the new Peshwa.
[52] However, Chitnis Bakhar, a Maratha chronicle written over 150 years after the event, states that Shahaji was arrested because the Bijapur court suspected him to be involved in the rebellious activities of his son Shivaji.
