Shivaji's Campaign of Javali

Shivaji's Campaign of Javali
Date April/May 1656 Location Satara Result Shivaji's victory [1] [2] [3]
Belligerents
Marathas	Jaoli State Jaoli State
Commanders and leaders
Shivaji Kanhoji Jedhe Raghunath Ballal	Chandra Rao Moré   Krishna ji Moré  Hanumantrao Moré  †
Strength
10,000	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Many were killed

Shivaji's conquest of Jawali was a military engagement fought between the Maratha rebels, led by Shivaji and the Mores under the command of Chandra Rao More, in the year 1656. ^[3] This battle took place near the town of Jawali, located in present-day Maharashtra, India. ^{[4] [5] [1]}

Following the conflict, Shivaji conquered the Jawali from Mores and executed their patriarch.

Background

Shivaji recruited the neighbouring Maratha court officials and Deshmukhs to his side to undermine the Bijapur kingdom, he also took sides in the succession dispute of the More family which held "nested" rights from the Bijapur kingdom , this intervention led to an all out war between him and the Mores. ^[6]

Siege of Jawali

Shivaji laid the siege to the fortress of Jawali. The conflict was bloody and brutal tactics were utilised, Shivaji also utilized treachery to get Chandrarao captured. ^[6]

Aftermath

According to the Jedhe Chronology Chandrarao capitulated to Javali in the month of Vaishakha of Shaka 1578 [between 15 April and 14 May 1656]. Shivaji incarcerated Chandrarao and his sons, Krishnaji and Baji. Though Chandrarao endeavoured to break free from prison, Shivaji had him and his son Krishnaji executed but Baji managed to escape. ^{[3] [2]} Shivaji captured Raigarh, Supa, Rohida, Tikona, Lohgarh, Rajmachi, and more. ^[7]

Shivaji raised up a fort in Jawali which he named Pratapgad. Ganoji Govind was made commander of the Pratapgad fort. The capture of Jawali opened doors for Shivaji’s entry into the Konkan, the coastal regions of the Maratha country. Later Shivaji came into armed conflict with the Siddis of Danda Rajpuri. ^[3]

Legacy

Modern historian Dipesh Chakrabarty writes about the controversial circumstances in which Javali was obtained by Shivaji, the founder of Maratha empire in 1656. Javli was very important to Shivaji Maharaj for the founding of his Kingdom. Upon review of the documents, prominent historian Sarkar concluded that "the acquisition of Javli was the result of deliberate murder and organized treachery on part of Shivaji". However, Chakrabarty says that this conclusion did not sit well with the nationalist historians from Maharashtra of Sarkar's time. This was despite the fact that all the old Hindu biographers agreed that it was an act of premeditated murder. ^{[8] [9]} The remaining son of Chandra rao continued his fight against Shivaji by seeking refuge with the Adil shah. Other members of the clan joined the Mughals and helped the Mughal general, Jai Singh in his campaign against Shivaji. ^[10] Historian Gordon agrees with Sarkar and concludes based on historical documents that Shivaji had no legal rights to Javali hence this was an act of "conscious treachery" on his part. ^[6] and Indian historian Satish Chandra also comes to the same conclusion. ^[11]

References

1. New Cambridge History of India. The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4). p. 62.
2. Sardesai, H. S. (2002). Shivaji, the Great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. pp. 462–463. ISBN   978-81-7755-286-7.
3. Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale (2011). Shivaji His Life and Times. pp. 312–314.
4. Laine, James W. (2003). Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India. Oxford University Press. p. 21. ISBN   978-0-19-566771-4.
5. SETHUMADHAVRAO S. PAGADI. SHIVAJI - ENG - SETHUMADHAVRAO S. PAGADI. pp. 16–20.
6. Stewart Gordon (1 February 2007). The Marathas 1600-1818. Cambridge University Press. pp. 62–. ISBN   978-0-521-03316-9.
7. Mohamed Nasr. History Of Bijapur Subah. p. 117.
8. Farooqui, Salma Ahmed (2011), A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century, Pearson Education India, p. 317, ISBN   978-81-317-3202-1
9. Chakrabarty, Dipesh (2015). The Calling of History: Sir Jadunath Sarkar and His Empire of Truth. University of Chicago Press. p. 147. ISBN   978-0-226-24024-4.
10. Pagdi, Setu Madhav Rao (1983). Shivaji. New Delhi: National Book Trust. pp. 14–16. ISBN   81-237-0647-2.
11. Satish Chandra (2005). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II. Har-Anand Publications. pp. 318–. ISBN   9788124110669.