The Shirke clan held Deshmukhi rights in the areas of coastal Konkan in present day state of Maharashtra and some inland areas of Western Maharashtra during 15th century under the Bahamani Sultanate and in 16th and 17th century under the successor Deccan sultanates of Adilshahi and Nizamshahi.
In the mid 17th century, Shivaji, the founder of Maratha empire got the Surve and Shirke to join him by force or by forming marital alliances.
[6] The Shirkes were relatives of Bhosale rulers such as Shahaji, Shivaji, Sambhaji, Rajaram and Shahu.
Sambhaji and 25 of his advisors were captured by the Mughal forces of Muqarrab Khan in a skirmish at Sangameshwar in February 1689.
[8] The Shirke were relations and confidantes of the Raja Pratapsinha of the short lived Satara state.