Shivaji's Campaign of Javali

Shivaji's Campaign of Javali
	Part of Bijapur–Maratha War
	; Shivaji and Chandrarao Moré
Date	April/May 1656
Location	Satara
Result	Maratha victory
Belligerents
Marathas	Bijapur Sultanate 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

Last updated November 12, 2024

Shivaji's Campaign of Jawali was a military engagement fought between the Maratha rebels, led by Shivaji and the Bijapur Sultanate, 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]

Background

During the seventeenth century, Shivaji emerged as a warrior and leader, establishing the Maratha Kingdom in the region. The Bijapur Sultanate, one of the dominant powers in the Deccan, sought to curb Shivaji's growing influence and expansionist ambitions. In pursuit of this goal, Chandra Rao More, a general of Bijapur, was tasked with confronting Shivaji's forces.^[5]^[1]^[2]

Jawali Campaign

The exact details of the battle are somewhat obscured by historical accounts, but it is believed to have been a strategically important engagement in Shivaji's early military campaigns. The battle was likely characterized by skirmishes, cavalry charges, and infantry maneuvers typical of warfare during that period.^[4] The Battle of Jawali resulted in a decisive victory for Shivaji and his forces. The defeat of Chandra Rao More's army significantly weakened the Bijapur Sultanate's hold on the region and enhanced Shivaji's reputation as a military leader. This victory contributed to the expansion of the Maratha Kingdom and further solidified Shivaji's position as a player in the Deccan.^[5]^[1]^[2]

"Then the Jawali campaign was undertaken. Kanhoji Naik and all other Deshmukh were summoned with their respective forces. The Jedhes had already chased away the Mores inhabiting Jambhli. Hanmantrao More was in Jor. Shivaji sent Raghunath Ballal Sabnis with a cavalry force from Pune against him. He [Raghunath Ballal] killed Hanmantrao and captured Jor. Jawali, however, still remained [to be taken]."
— Jedhe Chronicle

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.^[6]

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

Battle of Jawali is remembered as a crucial moment in the history of the Maratha Kingdom, showcasing Shivaji's military prowess and strategic acumen. The outcome of this battle played an important role in shaping the political landscape of the Deccan region during the seventeenth century.^[5]^[2]^[3]

Related Research Articles

Shivaji I was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the Maratha Confederacy.

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.

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.

Tanaji Kaloji Malusare or Subedar Tanaji Malusare was a military commander of the Maratha kingdom and a companion of Shivaji. A local poet Tulsidas, wrote a powada describing Subhedar Tanhaji's heroics and sacrifice of life in the Battle of Sinhagad, which has since made him a popular figure in Indian folklore.

Baji Prabhu Deshpande was a general of the Maratha Army. He is known for his role in the Battle of Pavan Khind at Ghod Khind, where he sacrificed his life defending Shivaji Maharaj from incoming Adil Shahi forces of Siddi Johar. He also was a landlord or Vatandar in the Maval region.

The Peshwa was the second highest office in the Maratha Confederacy, next in rank and prestige only to that of the Chhatrapati. Initially serving as the appointed prime minister in the Maratha Kingdom, the office became hereditary after the death of Shahu in 1749. During the reign of Shahu, the office of Peshwa grew in power and the Peshwas came to be the de facto rulers of the Maratha Confederacy. However following the defeat of the Marathas in 1761, the office of the Peshwa became titular as well and from that point onwards served as the ceremonial head of the Confederacy underneath the Chhatrapati.

The Sultanate of Bijapur was an early modern kingdom in the western Deccan and South India, ruled by the Adil Shahi or Adilshahi dynasty. Bijapur had been a taraf (province) of the Bahmani Kingdom prior to its independence in 1490 and before the former's political decline in the last quarter of the 15th century. It was one of the Deccan sultanates, the collective name of the five successor states of the Bahmani Kingdom. At its peak, the Sultanate of Bijapur was one of the most powerful states in South Asia, second to the Mughal Empire, which conquered it in 1686 under Aurangzeb.

Shahaji Bhonsale 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.

Moropant Trimbak Pingale, was the first peshwa of the Maratha Empire, serving on Shivaji Maharaj's Ashta Pradhan.

Afzal Khan was a general who served the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur Sultanate in India. He played an important role in the southern expansion of the Bijapur Sultanate by subjugating the Nayaka chiefs who had taken control of the former Vijayanagara territory.

Pratapgad is a mountain fort located in Satara district, in the Western Indian state of Maharashtra. The fort is situated 24 kilometres from the Mahabaleshwar hill station. The fort is now a popular tourist destination.

The Battle of Pratapgad took place on 10 November 1659, at Pratapgarh Fort in Satara. The battle was fought between the Maratha forces led by Shivaji and the Bijapur troops under General Afzal Khan. The Marathas emerged victorious, marking their first significant military triumph against a major regional power. In the aftermath of this victory Shivaji captured 65 elephants, 4000 horses, 1200 camels and 10 Lakh rupees of cash and jewellery.

Mirza Raja Jai Singh I was the senior most general and a high ranking mansabdar at the imperial court of Mughal Empire as well as the Kachwaha Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Amber. His predecessor was his grand uncle, Mirza Raja Bhau Singh, the younger son of Mirza Raja Man Singh I.

Jaoli principality was a Jagir of Maratha Morè (clan) which is located in the western part of the present day Maharashtra state. Jaoli was seen as a strategically important by Shivaji Maharaj as it is surrounded by dense forest with 13 forts.

Morè is the name of a Maratha clan as well as a Mahar clan from the state of Maharashtra. Members of the More Maratha clan as well as the Mahar clan use the clan name as their surname. The totem associated with the clan is a peacock. Members of the Mahar clan worshipping the same Totem cannot intermarry. 'More' is also an exogamous clan in the Bhils of Maharashtra.

Jedhe Karina or Jedhe Statement is a record of family events of Jedhe Deshmukh of village Kari located near Bhor in modern Pune district. It covers a period of about 65 years starting from 1626 and ending to 1689. While main objective of the Karina is to state how the family of Jedhes went on prospering day by day, it also throws light on the formative period of Maratha Empire.

Shivaji was the founder of the Maratha Empire in the Indian subcontinent. This article describes Shivaji's life from his birth until the age of 19 years (1630–1649).

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

The Battle of Bhatvadi was fought in 1624, near modern Bhatodi Pargaon village in Maharashtra, India. The Ahmadnagar army led by Malik Ambar defeated a combined Mughal-Bijapur force led by the Bijapuri general Mullah Muhammad Lari.

The battle of Umrani was a 1673 battle between the Bijapur Sultanate and the Marathas west of Bijapur.

References

1 2 3 4 New Cambridge History of India. The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4). p. 62.
1 2 3 4 5 Sardesai, H. S. (2002). Shivaji, the Great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. pp. 462–463. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7.
1 2 3 4 5 Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale (2011). Shivaji His Life and Times. pp. 312–314.
1 2 Laine, James W. (2003). Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India. Oxford University Press. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-19-566771-4.
1 2 3 4 SETHUMADHAVRAO S. PAGADI. SHIVAJI - ENG - SETHUMADHAVRAO S. PAGADI. pp. 16–20.
↑ Mohamed Nasr. History Of Bijapur Subah. p. 117.

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.

[:2-1] 1 2 3 4 New Cambridge History of India. The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4). p. 62.

[:3-2] 1 2 3 4 5 Sardesai, H. S. (2002). Shivaji, the Great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. pp. 462–463. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7.

[:4-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale (2011). Shivaji His Life and Times. pp. 312–314.

[:0-4] 1 2 Laine, James W. (2003). Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India. Oxford University Press. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-19-566771-4.

[:1-5] 1 2 3 4 SETHUMADHAVRAO S. PAGADI. SHIVAJI - ENG - SETHUMADHAVRAO S. PAGADI. pp. 16–20.

[6] Mohamed Nasr. History Of Bijapur Subah. p. 117.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]