In the part I of this chapter, we discussed how Shahaji was inducted as a Farjand in Adilshahi forces around 1625.
This induction however came with a price. He was moved out of Maharashtra and stationed in Bangalore.
One great thing about Shahaji was that when he was granted any territory, he made sure that it remains with him or his sons and deployed any fair means necessary to achieve this - By any fair means, I meant - he employed his diplomacy, he negotiated for keeping hold of these territories, he [and his sons] fought with various sultanates and moghuls to keep hold of these territories and to get them back if lost.
The effect this had on the population in these territories was remarkable. They were no longer seeing a different warlord and/or sultan as their governor/ruler after every raid, and got into habit of calling themselves subjects of a single governor/ruler - Shahaji [and later Shivaji]. This simple protocol of Shahaji of maintaining/gaining back the same territory [and expanding it with time] proved to be a great foundation for the future Maratha empire.
This first stint of Shahaji with Adilshahi Sultanate continued for a while. It was during these years that Shivaji was born to Shahaji and Jijabai.
Then, in the year 1633, the power equation in deccan took a dramatic turn. Malik Ambar had died in 1627 and thereafter his son Fath Khan had taken over as the Vajir of Nizamshahi Sultanate. In 1633, Fath khan joined hands with Moghuls and killed the Nizamshah by treachery. He also murdered the pregnant wives of Nizamshah, to ensure that there is no heir to the Nizamshah Sultanate.
Nizamshahi sultanate was on the brink of extinction and entire Deccan was watching. It was at this moment, Shahaji teamed up with the Nizamshahi commander Jahan Khan, convinced a distant relative of Nizamshah into making her infant son Murtaja as the new Sultan and became the regent of this sultan.
Suddenly, Shahaji was ruling the Nizamshahi Sultanate.
This move however did not go well with both the moghuls and the adilshah and they combined forces to defeat Shahaji. Shahaji continued to fight with these combined forces for more than 3 years.
And then, in 1636, while Shahaji was at Mahuli, Moghuls surrounded his camp. Aurangzeb, who was then the Moghul viceroy in Deccan, was wary of Shahaji's reputation in various battles and also remembered the Bhatwadi episode well. He did not wish to take any chances this time.
While Shahaji's camp was still surrounded, Moghul army kidnapped Murtaja. Aurangzeb sent in an envoy to Shahaji and asked him to surrender the Nizamshahi troops. In return, Moghuls promised him to let the boy [young Nizamshah] live and Adilshah promised to take him back at the same rank as before.
Knowing that there was no way out, Shahaji surrendered. This is the only battle in which Shahaji surrendered - without fighting the battle.
So, it was again that Shahaji was back in Adilshahi Sultanate. When the new Adilshah started his aggressive campaigns against hindu kingdoms of the south, Shahaji made up his mind to help the cause of these small states fighting for their existence and freedom. Together with Sambhaji, he continued to supply intel to the Nayakas fighting against Adilshahi forces. He gave them a heads-up of the attacks planned. In fact, when it was his army fighting the war and defeating the hindu states, he was letting off the kings and princes by doing peace treaties, so that they can live to fight back.
Adilshah was hearing news of the narrow escapes that hindu kings were making in various battles. Inspite of looting these kingdoms again and again, the kings, princes and nayakas were regrouping and launching offensives from different places. They were getting help and they were getting funding. It was necessary to stop either or both.
This Secret funding was mostly done by the Tirupati temple priests from the temple reserves and Adilshah could not find it or prevent it from happening.
But he did decide to stop the help which these kings were getting. My guess is that his commander Mustafa Khan was already on the case. If the nayakas and kings were getting any help, it had to be from some prominent officer in the adilshahi sultanate - more likely a prominent hindu officer - which was only Shahaji !! Besides, his sons were also causing a growing nuisance around Pune and Bangalore. It had to be Shahaji !!
So, in the year 1648, when Shahaji delayed an attack on Jinji, stating the reason that his men are feeling homesick and need some time to get in better state of mind, Mustafa Khan decided to trust his gut feeling. He labeled Shahaji as the insider helping the kings and sought permission from Adilshah to take care of him.
Adilshah knew that he had to play this one intelligently. He ordered Mustafa Khan to bring in Shahaji before him.
Mustafa Khan delegated the task to his most trusted man - Afzalkhan.
Afzalkhan had only hatred for Shahaji. He would have so much wished to kill Shahaji instead of bringing him in - Just like he did it for Kasturi Ranga and for Murar Jagdev. But then, Adilshah's order was straight forward. Shahaji was to be brought in alive. And despite all the hatred for Shahaji, Afzalkhan was loyal to his sultan.
But, then this was probably his only chance to get back to Shahaji - a chance which he was waiting for a long time - to revenge it all from Bhatwadi to the Nizam's regency. He took help of Baji Ghorpade to grab Shahaji in his sleep and then hand-cuffed Shahaji. Farjand Shahaji was brought in from Jinji to Bijapur in hand-cuffs. Now, that the damage was already done, adilshah also decided to support Shahaji's arrest. This was very humiliating for Shahaji and rather enthralling for Afzalkhan. Although on a relatively small scale, but he had his way to get back to Shahaji after all.
This happiness did not last long for Afzalkhan though. Shahaji's sons - Sambhaji and Shivaji started talking with Moghuls - They were ready to surrender all their territories and serve Moghul empire, if the moghuls helped in freeing Shahaji.
To deter these talks and gain control of regions held by the two of Shahaji's sons, adilshah sent troops to Pune and Bangalore. Sambhaji and Shivaji both fought valiantly and defeated the attacking armies of Farhad Khan in Bangalore and Fateh Khan in Pune. Meanwhile, Moghul viceroy in Deccan - Murad Baksh favored the proposal of Sambhaji and Shivaji.
This was about time when Afzalkhan entered Bijapur. Adilshah had his troops engaged in southern India and wanted no troubles from the Moghuls. Instead of imprisoning Shahaji, he sent Ahmad Khan to do negotiations with Shahaji. It was also around the time of these talks that a son was born to Adilshah. Shahaji apologized for the mis-appropriations of his sons and handed over Bangalore and Kondana Forts - to Adilshah as a gift for the new born son. Adilshah in return restored Shahaji's stature in the court and honoured him with a royal robe.
So, Shahaji was arrested, but he was freed again in no time. He was then posted further south to Vellore, to prevent any troubles in Pune and Bangalore.
Guess what, his sons took back the surrendered territories almost immediately after Shahaji was freed.
Shahaji was in a deep crisis and he came out as winner again.
What turn this rivalry took next, let's see that in part III of this chapter :-)
This induction however came with a price. He was moved out of Maharashtra and stationed in Bangalore.
One great thing about Shahaji was that when he was granted any territory, he made sure that it remains with him or his sons and deployed any fair means necessary to achieve this - By any fair means, I meant - he employed his diplomacy, he negotiated for keeping hold of these territories, he [and his sons] fought with various sultanates and moghuls to keep hold of these territories and to get them back if lost.
The effect this had on the population in these territories was remarkable. They were no longer seeing a different warlord and/or sultan as their governor/ruler after every raid, and got into habit of calling themselves subjects of a single governor/ruler - Shahaji [and later Shivaji]. This simple protocol of Shahaji of maintaining/gaining back the same territory [and expanding it with time] proved to be a great foundation for the future Maratha empire.
This first stint of Shahaji with Adilshahi Sultanate continued for a while. It was during these years that Shivaji was born to Shahaji and Jijabai.
Then, in the year 1633, the power equation in deccan took a dramatic turn. Malik Ambar had died in 1627 and thereafter his son Fath Khan had taken over as the Vajir of Nizamshahi Sultanate. In 1633, Fath khan joined hands with Moghuls and killed the Nizamshah by treachery. He also murdered the pregnant wives of Nizamshah, to ensure that there is no heir to the Nizamshah Sultanate.
Nizamshahi sultanate was on the brink of extinction and entire Deccan was watching. It was at this moment, Shahaji teamed up with the Nizamshahi commander Jahan Khan, convinced a distant relative of Nizamshah into making her infant son Murtaja as the new Sultan and became the regent of this sultan.
Suddenly, Shahaji was ruling the Nizamshahi Sultanate.
This move however did not go well with both the moghuls and the adilshah and they combined forces to defeat Shahaji. Shahaji continued to fight with these combined forces for more than 3 years.
And then, in 1636, while Shahaji was at Mahuli, Moghuls surrounded his camp. Aurangzeb, who was then the Moghul viceroy in Deccan, was wary of Shahaji's reputation in various battles and also remembered the Bhatwadi episode well. He did not wish to take any chances this time.
While Shahaji's camp was still surrounded, Moghul army kidnapped Murtaja. Aurangzeb sent in an envoy to Shahaji and asked him to surrender the Nizamshahi troops. In return, Moghuls promised him to let the boy [young Nizamshah] live and Adilshah promised to take him back at the same rank as before.
Knowing that there was no way out, Shahaji surrendered. This is the only battle in which Shahaji surrendered - without fighting the battle.
So, it was again that Shahaji was back in Adilshahi Sultanate. When the new Adilshah started his aggressive campaigns against hindu kingdoms of the south, Shahaji made up his mind to help the cause of these small states fighting for their existence and freedom. Together with Sambhaji, he continued to supply intel to the Nayakas fighting against Adilshahi forces. He gave them a heads-up of the attacks planned. In fact, when it was his army fighting the war and defeating the hindu states, he was letting off the kings and princes by doing peace treaties, so that they can live to fight back.
Adilshah was hearing news of the narrow escapes that hindu kings were making in various battles. Inspite of looting these kingdoms again and again, the kings, princes and nayakas were regrouping and launching offensives from different places. They were getting help and they were getting funding. It was necessary to stop either or both.
This Secret funding was mostly done by the Tirupati temple priests from the temple reserves and Adilshah could not find it or prevent it from happening.
But he did decide to stop the help which these kings were getting. My guess is that his commander Mustafa Khan was already on the case. If the nayakas and kings were getting any help, it had to be from some prominent officer in the adilshahi sultanate - more likely a prominent hindu officer - which was only Shahaji !! Besides, his sons were also causing a growing nuisance around Pune and Bangalore. It had to be Shahaji !!
So, in the year 1648, when Shahaji delayed an attack on Jinji, stating the reason that his men are feeling homesick and need some time to get in better state of mind, Mustafa Khan decided to trust his gut feeling. He labeled Shahaji as the insider helping the kings and sought permission from Adilshah to take care of him.
Adilshah knew that he had to play this one intelligently. He ordered Mustafa Khan to bring in Shahaji before him.
Mustafa Khan delegated the task to his most trusted man - Afzalkhan.
Afzalkhan had only hatred for Shahaji. He would have so much wished to kill Shahaji instead of bringing him in - Just like he did it for Kasturi Ranga and for Murar Jagdev. But then, Adilshah's order was straight forward. Shahaji was to be brought in alive. And despite all the hatred for Shahaji, Afzalkhan was loyal to his sultan.
But, then this was probably his only chance to get back to Shahaji - a chance which he was waiting for a long time - to revenge it all from Bhatwadi to the Nizam's regency. He took help of Baji Ghorpade to grab Shahaji in his sleep and then hand-cuffed Shahaji. Farjand Shahaji was brought in from Jinji to Bijapur in hand-cuffs. Now, that the damage was already done, adilshah also decided to support Shahaji's arrest. This was very humiliating for Shahaji and rather enthralling for Afzalkhan. Although on a relatively small scale, but he had his way to get back to Shahaji after all.
This happiness did not last long for Afzalkhan though. Shahaji's sons - Sambhaji and Shivaji started talking with Moghuls - They were ready to surrender all their territories and serve Moghul empire, if the moghuls helped in freeing Shahaji.
To deter these talks and gain control of regions held by the two of Shahaji's sons, adilshah sent troops to Pune and Bangalore. Sambhaji and Shivaji both fought valiantly and defeated the attacking armies of Farhad Khan in Bangalore and Fateh Khan in Pune. Meanwhile, Moghul viceroy in Deccan - Murad Baksh favored the proposal of Sambhaji and Shivaji.
This was about time when Afzalkhan entered Bijapur. Adilshah had his troops engaged in southern India and wanted no troubles from the Moghuls. Instead of imprisoning Shahaji, he sent Ahmad Khan to do negotiations with Shahaji. It was also around the time of these talks that a son was born to Adilshah. Shahaji apologized for the mis-appropriations of his sons and handed over Bangalore and Kondana Forts - to Adilshah as a gift for the new born son. Adilshah in return restored Shahaji's stature in the court and honoured him with a royal robe.
So, Shahaji was arrested, but he was freed again in no time. He was then posted further south to Vellore, to prevent any troubles in Pune and Bangalore.
Guess what, his sons took back the surrendered territories almost immediately after Shahaji was freed.
Shahaji was in a deep crisis and he came out as winner again.
What turn this rivalry took next, let's see that in part III of this chapter :-)
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