History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c59.s4: § 4. Shahji Bhonslé: his career.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c59.s4
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§ 4. Shahji Bhonslé: his career.
v4.c59.s4.1
One such family, bearing the name of Bhonslés, originally lived in the Patas sub-division of the Puna district, as the headmen (patil) of two villages. Towards the end of the 16th century they migrated to the village of Virul or Elur, within sight of the hill-fort of Daulatabad and the caves of Ellora. They followed agriculture and gained much local credit by their sober honest character and religious benefactions. Some buried treasure that they discovered in their fields enabled them to buy arms and horses and develop into captains of mercenaries. The decline of the Nizam-Shahi dynasty and the Mughal invasion of the Deccan at the close of the 16th century gave them the chance of rapid rise. Some of the Bhonslés were won over by the Mughals with high mansabs and salary, others changed masters frequently in quest of better pay, during the first quarter of the 17th century.
v4.c59.s4.2
Such was Shahji Bhonslé, the eldest son of Maloji. Born in 1594, he was married when a child to Jija Bai, the daughter of the high-born Lakhji Yadav Rao, baron of Sindhkhed and one of the greatest Hindu nobles of Ahmadnagar. Shahji first saw service probably as the commander of the small contingent of his family during the rule of Malik Ambar, the regent of Nizam Shah. On the death of Malik Ambar in May 1626, the State fell into rapid decay; there were frequent assassinations at Court, among the victims being Lakhji Yadav (1630) and the Sultan himself (1632). During these troubled times, Shahji first followed the Nizam-Shahi Government, then "fought for his own hand," joined the Mughals, deserted them, fought against the Bijapuris, went over to their side afterwards, and finally blossomed into a king-maker. After the loss of Daulatabad, the last capital of the dynasty, he set up a puppet Nizam Shah (1633) in one of the hill-forts of the Sahyadri range. He seized all the Nizam-Shahi dominion from Puna and Chakan to Balaghat and the neighbourhood of Junnar, Ahmadnagar, Sangamner, Trimbak and Nasik, and for three years (1633-36) carried on the government in the Sultan's name, occupying districts and forts and levying troops. During all this time the Bijapur Government backed him, as a very useful obstacle to Mughal progress. Treacherously seizing the fort of Junnar, he made it his capital and lived in great wealth and power, looting Mughal territory on his east and conquering Konkan on his west. But in 1636 a grand campaign was opened by the imperialists against Shahji and his patron of Bijapur, which we have described in detail in Chapter 3. In the end (Oct. 1636) Shahji had to own complete defeat and give up to the Mughals the shadowy Nizam Shah and eight of his forts (including Mahuli and Junnar). Even the name of the Nizam-Shahi State was now abolished, Adil Shah acknowledged the overlordship of the Emperor, and Shahji entered the service of Bijapur. By this Government he was recognized in possession of the jagirs in the Puna district.