Execution of Sambhaji

Last updated
Execution of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj
Part of Deccan wars
Sambhaji Maharaj Captured by Mughals at Sangameshwar.jpg
Mughal Forces capture Sambhaji
DateMarch 1–21, 1689 (1689-03-01 – 1689-03-21)
DurationThree weeks
VenueTulapur arch
Location Tulapur
Coordinates 18°40′10″N73°59′44″E / 18.6694°N 73.9955°E / 18.6694; 73.9955
Type Execution by beheading
Cause
Reporter Khafi Khan
Ishwar Das  [ hi ]
Organized by Mughal empire
OutcomeDeath of Sambhaji
Arrests Sambhaji, Kavi Kalash and twenty-five Maratha officers
Convicted

The Execution of Sambhaji was a significant event in 17th-century Deccan India, where the second Maratha King was put to death by order of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The conflicts between the Mughals and the Deccan Sultanates, which resulted in the downfall of the Sultanates, paved the way for tensions between the Marathas and the Mughals. Following the death of Shivaji, his son Sambhaji ascended to the throne and conducted several campaigns against the Mughals. Unlike his father, Sambhaji tolerated instances of rape and murder committed by his army during these conflicts. This led Aurangzeb to launch a campaign against the Marathas, resulting in the capture of the Maratha King by the Mughal general Muqarrab Khan. Sambhaji and his minister Kavi Kalash were then taken to Tulapur, where they were tortured to death.

Contents

Background

Portrait of Sambhaji Sambhaji painting late 17th century.png
Portrait of Sambhaji

Sambhaji, the son of the first Maratha King Shivaji, faced imprisonment during his father's reign due to his irresponsible behavior and indulgence in sensual pleasures. Shivaji took the step to arrest him. Sambhaji managed to escape from the Panhala fort, where he was held captive, and sought refuge with the Mughal forces under Diler Khan. However, he soon realized that Diler Khan intended to send him to Delhi as a prisoner, prompting Sambhaji to return. Upon his return, he was once again captured by the Marathas. [1] [2]

After Shivaji's death, Sambhaji escaped from the Panhala fort and proclaimed himself king, eliminating all of Shivaji's ministers who opposed his succession. [3] Once on the throne, Sambhaji waged numerous campaigns against the Mughals, following in his father's footsteps. However, unlike Shivaji, he condoned the atrocities committed by his army. During his raid of Burhanpur, the inhabitants of the fort endured rape, torture, and robbery. [4] To the Nobles of Burhanpur, Sambhaji's raid was more than just a disruption of public order; it was seen as an attack on the Muslim community by a non-believer. If the Mughal Empire failed to protect the lives and property of Muslims, it was believed that Aurangzeb's titles as ruler should not be acknowledged during the Friday congregational prayers. Under pressure from the Marathas and Aurangzeb's rebellious son, Akbar, Aurangzeb launched a campaign towards the Deccan region. [4]

During the Mughal siege of Golconda and Bijapur, Muslim Ulema from Bijapur questioned Aurangzeb about how he could justify waging war against fellow Muslims. Aurangzeb's response was that the Sultan had harbored and aided Sambhaji, who had been causing harm to Muslims across the region. Aurangzeb also condemned Abul Hasan for the additional offense of relinquishing control of his state to his two Brahmin ministers. [4] The fall of the Deccan Sultanates marked the beginning of a new chapter in Deccan history known as the "Deccan Wars.". [5]

Aurangzeb Aurangzeb-portrait.jpg
Aurangzeb

Capture of Sambhaji

While Aurangzeb was besieging Golconda and Bijapur, Sambhaji observed his movements from the fort of Panhala. Following the capture of Bijapur and Golconda, a significant amount of wealth and military resources fell into Mughal hands. After seizing these two key forts, Aurangzeb deployed Sarja Khan, a seasoned general from Bijapur familiar with the Deccan terrain. [6]

In December 1687, the Battle of Wai unfolded between the Maratha forces under the command of Hambirrao Mohite, dispatched by Sambhaji, and the Mughal forces led by Sarja Khan. Despite the Maratha forces emerging victorious, Mohite tragically lost his life to a cannonball during the conflict. [7] Sambhaji's military strength dwindled after the battle, prompting him to relocate with a smaller contingent of soldiers. His camp faced encirclement by Mughal agents within the confines of the Raigarh and Panhala hills. The Maratha faction led by Soyarabai and the Shirkes betrayed Sambhaji by divulging his movements to the Mughals, resulting in the revelation of Sambhaji's whereabouts. They provided daily updates on his movements to the Mughals, ultimately leading to Sambhaji's failure to safeguard himself, despite his efforts to protect the kingdom. [8]

Sambhaji was caught off guard by the Mughal commander Muqarrab Khan, resulting in a skirmish at Samgamneshwar where the Marathas suffered casualties, leading to their defeat. Five Marathas were killed, and the remaining fled. Sambhaji's minister, Kavi Kalash, was captured, while Sambhaji himself managed to escape and seek refuge in a temple. However, the Mughals discovered his hiding place, and despite his attempts to flee, Sambhaji was apprehended on February 1, 1689. [9] Thus the Mughals captured Sambhaji, his minister Kavi Kalash, and twenty-five other officers. [8] [10] Muqarrab Khan transported them to Akluj, where Aurangzeb was. Upon receiving the news of their capture, Aurangzeb was pleased and renamed the place Asadnagar to commemorate the event. [9]

Execution

Tulapur stone arch, where Sambhaji was executed Tulapur arch.jpg
Tulapur stone arch, where Sambhaji was executed

The two prisoners, Kavi Kalash and Sambhaji, were taken to the Imperial encampment near the Bhima river. Despite Sambhaji's royal status, he was not accorded the same respect as the Mughals granted to the rulers of Bijapur and Golconda. Instead, he and his ministers were humiliated by being dressed as buffoons in long fool's caps with bells attached, mounted on a camel, and paraded through the Mughal camps amidst the beating of drums and the pealing of trumpets. They were then presented to Aurangzeb, who was offering a thanksgiving prayer. [11] [10] Aurangzeb offered to spare Sambhaji's life on the condition that he complied with his demands;

  1. Surrender all his forts
  2. Disclose all his hidden treasuries
  3. Expose the name of the Mughal officers working with Marathas [11]

Aurangzeb also offered him to become a Muslim. [12] During the interrogation with the Mughal officers, Sambhaji insulted both the emperor and the Islamic prophet Muhammad. As a result, a panel of Ulema sentenced him to death for the killing and capturing of Muslims. [10] At this point, Sambhaji told the Ulema to tell Aurangzeb that if he will give him the Emperor's daughter, he will become a Muslim. [12]

Upon hearing this, Aurangzeb ordered Sambhaji to be tortured to death. According to Khafi Khan and Ishwar Das  [ hi ], that very night, Sambhaji and Kavi Kalash were blinded with red-hot irons. [13] [11] [14] On March 21, 1689, at Koregaon on the River Bhima, where Aurangzeb was encamped, Sambhaji was beheaded. Aurangzeb's dream was thus fulfilled before he had been six years in the Deccan. The entire region from Narmada to Tungabhadra now lay under his dominion. The land where Shivaji had once fought was subdued, and no signs of resistance remained. [15]

Aftermath

Statue of Sambhaji Vadhu Tulapur - Statue of Sambhaji Maharaja.JPG
Statue of Sambhaji

During his reign, Sambhaji was unable to accomplish much for his people. However, his death elevated him to the status of a martyr. [11] Sambhaji's son, Shahu, was held captive by Aurangzeb and was only released when he reached maturity. [13] Following these events, the Mughals reached their peak in terms of territorial expansion, establishing the farthest extent of Indian Muslim dominion in the subcontinent. Despite this, conflicts between the Marathas persisted. Rajaram, the brother of Sambhaji, sought refuge in the Jinjee fort in the south, while Maratha officers continued their raids in the northern Deccan region. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shivaji</span> Indian king and founder of the Maratha Empire (r. 1674–80)

Shivaji I was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adilshahi Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the Maratha Empire. In 1674, he was formally crowned the Chhatrapati of his realm at Raigad Fort.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sambhaji</span> Indian king and Second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire

Sambhaji, also known as Shambhuraje was the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, ruling from 1681 to 1689. He was the eldest son of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. Sambhaji's rule was largely shaped by the ongoing wars between the Maratha Empire and the Mughal Empire, as well as other neighbouring powers such as the Abyssinians of Janjira, Wadiyars of Mysore and the Portuguese Empire in Goa. After Sambhaji's execution by Aurangzeb, his brother Rajaram I succeeded him as the next Chhatrapati and continued the Mughal–Maratha Wars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahaji</span> Father of Shivaji Bhonsle and eldest son of Maloji Raje Bhonsle (1602–1664)

Shahaji Bhosale was a 17th century Indian military leader who served the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, the Bijapur Sultanate, and the Mughal Empire at various points in his career. As a member of the Bhonsle dynasty, Shahaji inherited the Pune and Supe jagirs (fiefs) from his father Maloji, who previously served the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. During the Mughal invasion of the Deccan, Shahaji joined the Mughal forces and served under Emperor Shah Jahan for a short period. After being deprived of his jagirs, he defected to the Bijapur Sultanate in 1632 and regained control over Pune and Supe. In 1638, he received the jagir of Bangalore after Bijapur's invasion of Kempe Gowda III's territories. Afterwards, he became the chief general of Bijapur and oversaw its expansion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balaji Vishwanath</span> Peshwa of the Maratha Empire

Balaji Vishwanath Bhat was the first of a series of hereditary Peshwas hailing from the Bhat family who gained effective control of the Maratha Empire and the Mughal vassals of the Marathas during the early 18th century. Balaji Vishwanath assisted a young Maratha king Shahu to consolidate his grip on a kingdom that had been racked by civil war and persistently intruded on by the Mughals under Aurangzeb. He was called the Second Founder of the Maratha State. He secured a grant from the Mughal court that confirmed Shahu as the legitimate Mughal vassal, at the expense of his rival Sambhaji. Later, his son Bajirao I became the Peshwa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajaram I</span> Third Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire

Rajaram Bhonsle I was the third Chhatrapati of Maratha Empire, who ruled from 1689 to his death in 1700. He was the second son of the Shivaji, the founder of the empire and younger half-brother of Sambhaji, who he succeeded. His eleven-year reign was marked with a constant struggle against the Mughals. He was succeeded by his infant son Shivaji II under the regentship of his dowager Maharani Tarabai.

Hambirrao Mohite also known as Hansaji, was a prominent Maratha general who held the esteemed position of the 5th Senapati of the Maratha Army during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji. He was recognized for his exceptional military prowess and successfully led various campaigns on behalf of Shivaji, subsequently continuing his service under Chhatrapati Sambhaji.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deccan wars</span> 1680–1707 wars between the Mughal and Maratha empires

The Deccan wars were a series of military conflicts between the Mughal Empire and the descendants of the Maratha ruler Shivaji from the time of Shivaji's death in 1680 until the death of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. Shivaji was a central figure in what has been called "the Maratha insurgency" against the Mughal state. Both he and his son, Sambhaji, or Shambuji, typically, alternated between rebellion against the Mughal state and service to the Mughal sovereign in an official capacity. It was common practice in late 17th-century India for members of a ruling family of a small principality to both collaborate with the Mughals and rebel.

Murud is a town and a municipal council in Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated at a distance of 150 km (93 mi) from Mumbai, Murud is a tourist destination. The Palace of Nawab is located in Murud. The palace was built in 1885 for administration purposes. The palace is still owned by the descendants of the Nawab and is a private property.

Qasim Yakut Khan also known as Yakut Shaikhji, Yakub Khan and Sidi Yaqub was a naval Admiral and administrator of Janjira Fort who first served under Bijapur Sultanate and later under the Mughal Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panhala Fort</span> Medieval fort in Maharashtra, India

Panhala fort, is located in Panhala, 20 kilometres northwest of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, India. It is strategically located looking over a pass in the Sahyadri mountain range which was a major trade route from Bijapur in the interior of Maharashtra to the coastal areas. Due to its strategic location, it was the centre of several skirmishes in the Deccan involving the Marathas, the Mughals and the British the grand son's of chhatrapati shivaji maharaj East India Company, the most notable being the Battle of Pavan Khind. Here, the queen regent of Kolhapur, Tarabai Ranisaheb, spent her formative years. Several parts of the fort and the structures within are still intact. It is also called as the 'Fort of Snakes' as it is zigzagged in shape.

Tulapur is a village in Pune district, Maharashtra, India, associated with the last execution of Sambhaji, second Chatrapati of Hindavi Swarajya and son of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Bijapur</span> 17th century siege in India

The siege of Bijapur began in March 1685 and ended in September 1686 with a Mughal victory. The siege began when Aurangzeb dispatched his son, Muhammad Azam Shah, with a force of nearly 50,000 men to capture Bijapur Fort and defeat Sikandar Adil Shah, the then ruler of Bijapur, who refused to be a vassal of the Mughal Empire. The siege of Bijapur was among the longest military engagements of the Mughals, lasting more than 15 months until Aurangzeb personally arrived to organize a victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muqarrab Khan</span> Khan Zaman Fath Jang Dakhini

Muqarrab Khan of Golconda, also known as Khan Zaman Fath Jang Dakhini, was an Indian Deccani Muslim, who was the most experienced commander of Qutb Shahi Dynasty, during the reign of Abul Hasan Qutb Shah. He is known for betraying Abul Hasan Qutb Shah during Siege of Golconda. He arrested Maratha Emperor Sambhaji at Sangameshwar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Purandar</span> 17th century battle in India

The Battle of Purandar was fought between the Mughal Empire and the Marathas in 1665.

The Battle of Wai was fought in the fall of 1687 as a part of the Mughal–Maratha Wars.Maratha emperor Sambhaji sent his forces to counteract Shirja Khan, sent by Aurangzeb for the purpose of conquering Raigad.

Annaji Datto Sachiv was the Sachiv in the Ashta Pradhan mandal of the Maratha Empire during the rule of Shivaji.

<i>Swarajyarakshak Sambhaji</i> Indian historical biographical drama

Swarajyarakshak Sambhaji is an Indian historical drama based on the life of warrior king Sambhaji. The series is directed by Vivek Deshpande and Kartik Rajaram Kendhe and is written by Pratap Gangavane. It is produced abd starred by Amol Kolhe in lead role of Sambhaji, Vilas Sawant and Sonali Ghanashyam Rao under the banner of Jagadamb Creations. It premiered from 24 September 2017 by replacing Kahe Diya Pardes and aired on Zee Marathi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bahadur Khan (Moghul General)</span> Mughal Nobleman and General

Bahadur Khan, Khan Bahadur or, Bahadur Khan Kokaltash was a foster-brother to the Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb, he was the Subahdar of Lahore, Burhanpur and Deccan, Aurangzeb had two foster-brothers, Fida and Bahadur Khan, which was Aurangzeb's favourite. Bahadur was the Senior General of the Mughal Empire and closer companion to the Emperor Aurangzeb, he was the one of Military Commander of Mughal who defeat Marathas in three major battles but lose one only, as also he involve in Mughal-Maratha wars (1681–1707). he was buried in his tomb located in present Pakistan Tomb of Bahadur Khan, his father Mir Abu’l-Ma'ali was given title of Sayyid-e Khafi" by Padishah Aurangzeb Alamgir, through his son Shah Quli Khan, he have grandson Alivardi Khan the Nawab of Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shivaji's Southern Campaign</span> Major battle between Bijapuri and Maratha Forces

Shivaji's Southern campaigns are also defined as Maratha invasion of Karnataka and Dakshina Digvijaya campaigns. Following his coronation as sovereign ruler, Shivaji faced a tumultuous period marked by the loss of his trusted advisor and mother, Jijabai, and escalating conflicts with neighboring powers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Janjira</span> Military campaign of the Marathas against the Siddis of Janjira

The Siege of Janjira was a military campaign undertaken by the Maratha Empire, commanded by Sambhaji, the second Maratha ruler, against the Siddis of Janjira in January 1682. The Maratha forces, led by Sambhaji, withdrew from Janjira to the Konkan region in response to Mughal attacks, leaving a contingent behind under the command of Dadaji Raghunath Deshpande. Despite their efforts, the Marathas were unable to capture the fort, and the Siddis pursued the retreating forces, plundering Maratha territories.

References

  1. ↑ Mehta, Jaswant Lal (2005-01-01). Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 47. ISBN   978-1-932705-54-6.
  2. ↑ Bhave, Y. G. (2000). From the Death of Shivaji to the Death of Aurangzeb: The Critical Years. Northern Book Centre. p. 35. ISBN   978-81-7211-100-7.
  3. ↑ Sharma, Sunita (2004). Veil, Sceptre, and Quill: Profiles of Eminent Women, 16th- 18th Centuries. Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library. p. 139.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Richards, John F. (1993). The Mughal Empire. Cambridge University Press. pp. 217–223. ISBN   978-0-521-56603-2.
  5. ↑ Richards 1993, p. 225.
  6. ↑ Karandikar, Shivaram Laxman (1969). The Rise and Fall of the Maratha Power. Sitabai Shivram Karandikar. pp. 307–310.
  7. ↑ Joshi, Pandit Shankar (1980). Chhatrapati Sambhaji, 1657-1689 A.D. S. Chand. p. 241.
  8. 1 2 Mehta 2005, pp. 49–50.
  9. 1 2 Kulkarni, G. T. (1983). The Mughal-Maratha Relations: Twenty Five Fateful Years, 1682-1707. Department of History, Deccan College Post-Graduate Research Institute. p. 74.
  10. 1 2 3 Richards 1993, p. 223.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Mehta 2005, p. 50.
  12. 1 2 Eraly, Abraham (2007-09-17). Emperors Of The Peacock Throne: The Saga of the Great Moghuls. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN   978-93-5118-093-7.
  13. 1 2 Johnston, Harry (1986). The Great Pioneer in India, Ceylon, Bhutan & Tibet. Mittal Publications. p. 252.
  14. ↑ Pāṭīla, Śālinī (1987). Maharani Tarabai of Kolhapur, C. 1675-1761 A.D. S. Chand & Company. pp. 46–48. ISBN   978-81-219-0269-4.
  15. ↑ Mehta 2005, p. 51.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.