Chhattrapati Shahu - Imprisonment

Imprisonment

During Mughal-Maratha war of 27 years Shahuji was imprisoned by the Mughals at the age of 7 years after the fall of Raigad fort, the Maratha capital in Feb. 1689 when his parents were also captured.

During his captivity, Mughals had raised him as a prince and never compromised his honor or that of his mother. He spent his entire childhood and youth, from age 7 to age 25 in the custody of the Mughals. He had passed through hardships and all uncertainties of life. Born as a prince, he became a prisoner at the age of 7, became a Chattrapati at the age of 26 and saw the empire spreading all over the continent. These events strengthened him.

When Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb died in 1707 a war of succession ensued between his surviving sons. Shahu at the insistence of Mughal general Zulfiqar Khan and Nusrat Jang was freed from imprisonment by Prince Muhammad Azam Shah. After the Battle of Jajua, the victor and next Emperor Bahadur Shah also took the side of Shahuji against Tarabai at the insistence of his general Zulfiqar Khan but under conditions which rendered him a vassal of the Mughal Empire. His mother was still held captive to ensure good behavior by him and her release could be obtained only in 1719 when Marathas became strong enough.

After his release Shahuji had to contend with a competing claim by his aunt, Tarabai and her son, Raja Shivaji II (son of Rajaram). She set up a competing Kingdom of Kolhapur. With the assistance of Dhanaji Jadhav, Balaji Vishwanath who was later appointed the Peshwa or Prime Minister and Sardar Khanderao Dabhade who was later appointed the Senapati (Marathi for Commander-in-Chief), Shahuji prevailed over Tarabai in 1709 and consolidated his power in Satara. Tarabai ruled from the rival kingdom of Kolhapur.