Maharashtra Board Class 7 History Chapter 9 The Maratha War of Independence PDF Download

9. The Maratha War Of Independence

After the death of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Marathas fought with great valour with the Mughals under the leadership of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj and Maharani Tarabai to protect the Swaraj. This long war that lasted for twenty seven years is called the 'Maratha War of Independence'. In 1682 CE Emperor Aurangzeb himself led the invasion of South. Even then, despite enormous difficulties, the Marathas emerged victorious in this struggle. This war is an exciting and glorious period in the history of India. In this chapter, we shall learn about this war of independence.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj

Sambhaji Maharaj was the eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He was born on 14 May 1657 on the Purandar Fort. After Shivaji Maharaj, he became the Chhatrapati. At this time, the Marathas were battling against the Mughals. During the same period, Emperor Aurangzeb's son Shahajada Akbar rebelled against his father. The Emperor crushed his rebellion. Then Akbar came to the Deccan to take shelter with Sambhaji Maharaj. Then the Emperor himself descended on the South in 1682 CE to vanquish Akbar. He had with him a huge army and a powerful artillery. He asked the Siddi of Janjira to undertake an expedition against the Marathas. He also won over the Portuguese to his side. Consequently, Sambhaji Maharaj had to face many adversaries at one and the same time.

The reign of Sambhaji Maharaj marks the first chapter of the Maratha War of Independence after Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji Maharaj had given him excellent education in civil administration and military campaigns. Sambhaji Maharaj had begun to take interest in the administration of the State and the command of the army from the age of fourteen years. While he was still a prince, he had led attacks on many territories of the Mughals and the Adilshah. Then French traveller Abbe Carrey says about his battle skills, "Even though the prince is young, he is courageous and brave like his father was famous for...."

When Sambhaji Maharaj became Chhatrapati, the war with the Mughals became fiercer. Aurangzeb wanted to occupy regions from Kabul to Kannyakumari and create a grand unified Mughal empire. His dream was to destroy the Maratha State completely using his military and financial prowess. But Sambhaji Maharaj shattered his dreams with his bravery and military skills. Troops of the Maratha army attacked many of the Mughal territories. Though the Emperor's generals tried very hard for a long time, they couldn't win the Maratha fort of Ramsej near Nashik. Thus, Sambhaji Maharaj's valour brought Aurangzeb to his knees. Once he removed his turban in frustration and threw it on the floor. He made a vow that until he had vanquished Sambhaji, he would not wear his turban. Sambhaji Maharaj had rendered Aurangzeb helpless to this extent.

Teacher's Note

Sambhaji Maharaj was very brave and fought the Mughals with courage. In India, many leaders like him fought for our freedom from foreign rule.

Exam Trick

Remember: Sambhaji was the son of Shivaji. He was born in 1657. He fought the Mughals and made Aurangzeb angry. Write these dates and names in your exam.

Points to Remember

Sambhaji Maharaj was Shivaji's son.
He became Chhatrapati at age 23.
He was a brave military leader.
He fought against Aurangzeb for many years.
He died in 1689 CE.

Campaign Against The Siddi

The Siddi of Janjira used to harass the people in the Maratha territory. He used to raid, burn, and loot the Maratha territory and commit atrocities. Sabhasada has described him as a rat in the house. Sambhaji Maharaj started a campaign against him in 1682 CE. His army laid a siege to Siddi's Dandarajpuri fort, and battered the fort of Janjira with the artillery. But at the same time, the Mughal army invaded Swaraj. Sambhaji Maharaj had to abandon the Janjira campaign and turn back.

Campaign Against The Portuguese

The Portuguese of Goa joined hands with the Emperor against Sambhaji Maharaj. So, Sambhaji Maharaj decided to teach a lesson to the Portuguese. He attacked the Revdanda fort of the Portuguese in 1683 CE. To counter this, the Portuguese laid a siege to the Fonda fort of the Marathas on the Goa border. The Marathas broke through the siege and attacked Goa. In this battle, Yesaji Kank showed great valour. The Portuguese Governor got wounded and retreated. Sambhaji Maharaj followed him. The Portuguese were in deep trouble. At this time, Sambhaji Maharaj got the news that the Mughals had attacked South Konkan. Therefore, he had to abandon the winning campaign of Goa and return to fight with the Mughals.

Teacher's Note

Sambhaji fought against many enemies at the same time. Today, India has strong leaders who protect our country from all threats.

Exam Trick

Remember: Sambhaji fought the Siddi, Portuguese, and Mughals. When one enemy attacked, he had to stop fighting another. This is important for your exam.

Points to Remember

Siddi of Janjira was a bad person.
Sambhaji attacked Janjira fort in 1682 CE.
Portuguese of Goa helped the Mughals.
Yesaji Kank was a brave Maratha leader.
Sambhaji had to fight on many sides.

The End Of Adilshahi And Qutubshahi

Aurangzeb did not succeed in his campaign against the Marathas. Therefore, he suspended that campaign. Then he turned towards the kingdoms of Adilshah and Qutubshah and conquered them.

The wealth and army of both the kingdoms was now acquired by the Mughals and it made Aurangzeb even stronger. Then he concentrated all his might on defeating the Marathas. He attacked their territory from all sides. The Maratha army General Hambirrao Mohite got killed during an encounter with the Mughal army. Due to this blow the military strength of Sambhaji Maharaj was weakened.

Administration Of Sambhaji Maharaj

Even though Sambhaji Maharaj was busy fighting on various battle fronts, he did not ignore his administrative responsibilities. He continued the prompt justice and revenue system, which was a characteristic of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's era. He severely punished the landlords who harassed common people and who rebelled against the Swaraj. He gave administrative powers to Maharani Yesubai. He gave her, her own stamp. He continued the legacy of Shivaji Maharaj's welfare policies.

Sambhaji Maharaj knew Sanskrit and many other languages well. He studied many ancient books on polity and wrote their gist in a book called 'Budhbhushanam'.

Teacher's Note

Even during war, a good leader should care for the people. Sambhaji was smart because he did both - fought enemies and helped people at home.

Exam Trick

Remember: Sambhaji wrote a book called 'Budhbhushanam'. This shows he was not just a fighter but also a scholar. Write this in your exam answers.

Points to Remember

Sambhaji was educated and knew many languages.
He wrote a book on politics and government.
He was kind to common people.
He punished bad landlords.
He gave power to Maharani Yesubai.

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