Bajirao I was the 7th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy. He after Shivaji is considered to be the most charismatic and dynamic leader in Maratha history. He was just twenty years old and already had a reputation for rapid decisions and a passion for military adventure. He is considered one of the greatest Military generals of his time.
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.
The Maratha Confederacy, also referred to as the Maratha Empire, was an early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent Maratha states often subordinate to the former. It was established in 1674 with the coronation of Shivaji as the Maratha Chhatrapati and recognised by Emperor Bahadur Shah I as a tributary state in 1707 following a prolonged rebellion. Following this, the Marathas continued to recognise the Mughal emperor as their nominal suzerain, similar to other contemporary Indian entities, though in practice, imperial politics at Delhi were largely influenced by the Marathas between 1737 and 1803.
Moropant Trimbak Pingale, was the first peshwa of the Maratha Empire, serving on Shivaji Maharaj's Ashta Pradhan.
Shahu I was the fifth Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire founded by his grandfather, Shivaji I. He was born into the Bhonsle family and was the son of Sambhaji I and Yesubai. At a young age, he was taken into custody at the Siege of Raigad by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and held captive. He was released from captivity after the death of Aurangzeb in the hope of engineering an internecine struggle among the Maratha factions of Tarabai and Shahu. Shahu emerged victorious in the bloody Battle of Khed and was crowned as Chhatrapati.
Rajaram I was the third Chhatrapati of the Maratha Kingdom, who ruled from 1689 to his death in 1700. He was the second son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the empire and younger brother of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj whom 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 Rajmata Maharani Tarabai.
Maharani Tarabai Bhosale (née Mohite) was the regent of the Maratha Empire from 1700 until 1708. She was the queen of Rajaram I, and daughter-in-law of the kingdom's founder Shivaji I. She is acclaimed for her role in keeping alive the resistance against Mughal rule in Konkan, and acting as the regent of the Maratha Empire during the minority of her son, Shivaji II. She defeated Mughal forces of Aurangzeb in several battles and expanded the Maratha Empire.
Hansaji Mohite (1630–1687), popularly known as Hambir Rao Mohite, was a prominent Maratha general who held the esteemed position of the 5th Senapati of the Maratha Army during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He was recognized for his exceptional military prowess and successfully led various campaigns on behalf of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, subsequently continuing his service under Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
The Deccan wars, also known as Maratha war of independence, 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.
Battle of Surat, also known as the Sack of Surat, was a land battle that took place on 5 January 1664, near the city of Surat, in present-day Gujarat, India, between Shivaji, leader of the fledgling Maratha State and Inayat Khan, a Mughal commander. The Marathas defeated the Mughal military unit posted at Surat.
Santaji Ghorpade (1660–1696) was a Maratha general and held the esteemed position of the 7th Senapati within the Maratha Empire during the reign of Chattrapati Rajaram I. He is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts in Guerrilla warfare. Santaji Ghorpade, in collaboration with Dhanaji Jadhav, conducted a series of successful campaigns against the Mughals from 1689 to 1696. His strategic acumen was demonstrated through the adept utilization of tactics such as guerrilla warfare, ambushes, and swift mobility, ultimately resulting in effective defeats of the Mughal Army. In recognition of his valor, Rajaram bestowed upon him the title of Mamlakat-Madar in 1690.
Soyarabai Bhosale was the second wife of Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha empire in western India. She was the mother of Shivaji Maharaj's second son, Rajaram. She was the younger sister of the Maratha army chief, Hambirrao Mohite.
The House of Mohite or Mohite clan is a prominent Maratha clan, that held significant positions as Senapati and Sardar within the Maratha Empire. The House of Mohite was established by Sambhaji Mohite, who served as the Subedar of Saswad and was the brother of Shahaji's wife, Tukabai. He was also the father of Soyarabai, who later became the wife of Chhatrapati Shivaji. His son Hambirrao Mohite became the Senapati of the Maratha Empire. The Mohite clan played significant role during the Mughal-Maratha wars.
Nesari is a village in Gadhinglaj Taluka of Kolhapur district in Maharashtra, India. As of 2011, it had a population of 21,000. It is about 20 kilometres from Gadhinglaj, and 30 kilometres from National Highway 48 (NH48).
The Battle of Kalyan occurred between the Mughal Empire and the Maratha Kingdom between 1683 and 1684. Bahadur Khan of the Mughal Empire defeated the Maratha army under Tukoji and took over Kalyan. The Marathas attempted a counter-offensive but failed, and they were repulsed by Mughal forces. Sambhaji then came to fight Bahadur Khan and defeated him. Another attempt was made by Bahadur khan but was repulsed by Hambirrao Mohite.
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 and 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.
The Maratha–Portuguese War of 1683–1684 or Sambhaji's Invasion refers to the Maratha invasion of the Portuguese-controlled portions of Goa and Bombay areas of Konkan. The conflict between the Mahratta Confederacy and the Portuguese in Goa and Bombay, continued on various fronts in between 1683–1684.
Mughal invasion of Konkan (1684) was a part of the Deccan wars. It was a campaign launched by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to capture the Konkan region from the Maratha ruler Sambhaji. The Mughal forces were led by Mu'azzam and Shahbuddin Khan. The harsh climate and the Maratha guerrilla strategy forced the numerically strong Mughal army into a slow retreat. The Maratha army suffered small losses in this unsuccessful campaign of the Mughal Empire.
Bahadur Khan Kokaltash was a foster-brother to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and the Subahdar of Lahore, Burhanpur and the Deccan. Aurangzeb had two foster-brothers, the other being Fidai Khan Koka, of which Bahadur Khan was Aurangzeb's favourite. Bahadur was the Senior General of the Mughal Empire and a closer companion to the emperor Aurangzeb. He was one of the military commanders of the Mughals who assisted in the defeat of the Maratha Confederacy in three major battles, and lost one in his involvement in the Mughal–Maratha Wars. He was buried in his tomb, located in present-day Pakistan. His father Mir Abu’l-Ma'ali was given the title of Sayyid-e Khafi" by Aurangzeb. Through his son Shah Quli Khan, he had a grandson Alivardi Khan, the Nawab of Bengal.
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 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.
Maratha Empire 
Mughal Empire