Rajaram Chhatrapati
| Rajaram I | |
|---|---|
 |
|
 3rd Maratha Chhatrapati
|
|
| Reign | 11 March 1689– 3 March 1700 |
| Coronation | 20 February 1689 |
| Predecessor | Sambhaji |
| Successor | Shivaji II |
| Born | 24 February 1670 Rajgad fort |
| Died | 3 March 1700 Sinhagad fort, Maharashtra |
| Spouse |
Jankibai (Gujar) Tarabai (Mohite) Rajasbai (Ghatge) |
| House | Bhosale dynasty |
| Father | Shivaji Bhosale |
| Mother | Soyrabai |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Rajaram Raje Bhosale (24 February 1670 – 3 March 1700 Sinhagad) was the younger son of the first Maratha Chhatrapati Shivaji, half-brother of the second Chhatrapati Sambhaji, and took over the Maratha Empire as its third Chhatrapati after his brother's death at the hands of the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb in 1689. He had a very short reign, during which he was engaged in a struggle with the Mughals.
After the death of Sambhaji, Rajaram was crowned at Raigad on 12 March 1689. As the Mughals started laying siege to the region around Raigad on 25 March 1689, the widow of Sambhaji, Maharani Yesubai and her minister Ramchandra Pant Amatya sent young Rajaram to the stronghold of Pratapgad through Kavlya ghat. The Maratha army fought with the Mughals and led the new Maratha king, Rajaram to escape through Kavlya ghat to the fort of Jinji in present-day state of Tamil Nadu via Pratapgad and Vishalgad forts, Rajaram reached Keladi in disguise and sought refuge from Keladi Chennamma - The brave queen fought the Mughals and ensured safe passage and escape of Rajaram to Jinji, Keladi Chennamma fought the jungle warfare which frustrated the Mughals and the Mughals proposed peace accord for the first time with an Indian ruler, Keladi Chennamma ensured safe travel of Rajaram to jingi by fighting the mughals where he reached after a month and a half long journey on 1 November 1689. Details of this escape are known from the incomplete poetical biography of Rajaram, the Rajaramacharita written by his Rajpurohit, Keshav Pandit, in Sanskrit.
Aurangzeb deputed Ghazi-ud-din Firoze Jung against the Marathas in the Deccan, and specially sent Zulfiqar Khan Nusrat Jung to capture the Jingi Fort. He laid siege to it in September, 1690. After three failed attempts, it was finally captured after seven years on 8 January 1698. Rajaram, however, escaped and fled first to Vellore and later to Vishalgarh.
...
Wikipedia