Sambhaji

Biography

Sambhaji Bhonsle (14 May 1657 – 11 March 1689) was the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, ruling from 1681 until he died in 1689. Born at Purandar Fort as the eldest son of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire, Sambhaji's life was full of conflict, political intrigue, and, in the end, tragedy. His reign was during a critical time when the Maratha Empire faced serious threats from the strong Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb, as well as challenges from regional powers like the Siddi of Janjira, the Wadiyars of Mysore, and the Portuguese Empire in Goa.

Sambhaji's early years were shaped by the turbulent politics of 17th-century India. At nine, he became a political hostage of the Mughal Empire as part of the Treaty of Purandar, which ensured his father's compliance with Mughal demands. This experience exposed him to Mughal court culture and military tactics. He later went with Shivaji to Agra, where both father and son were placed under house arrest by Emperor Aurangzeb. Their dramatic escape became legendary in Maratha folklore. However, Sambhaji's relationship with his father later soured, leading to his confinement at Panhala Fort and eventually his temporary move to the Mughal Empire, where he served under Diler Khan against his father's forces.

After Shivaji's death in 1680, Sambhaji took the throne and inherited an empire under siege. His military strategy focused on guerrilla warfare, disrupting Mughal supply lines, and conducting raids deep into enemy territory. While these tactics were effective in troubling the Mughals, his forces struggled to capture and hold major fortifications. In 1683, facing internal threats, Sambhaji executed 24 members of influential families, including top government ministers, after uncovering a conspiracy to poison him—a move that showed both his paranoia and determination to maintain power.

In the later years of his reign, Sambhaji faced growing pressures from multiple fronts. The Mughals gradually pushed back Maratha forces by systematically capturing their strongholds. Sambhaji's controversial decision to burn villages to deny supplies to the Portuguese alienated important Maratha deshmukhs (landowners), weakening his support. Desertions became more common as the military situation worsened. In 1689, Sambhaji was captured by Mughal forces and executed at Tulapur on 11 March. His death marked the end of a tumultuous reign, and he was succeeded by his brother Rajaram I, who continued the struggle against Mughal domination. Despite his military setbacks, Sambhaji was also known as a writer and thinker, contributing to Marathi literature during his short but eventful reign.