SAMBHAJI (1680-1689)

SAMBHAJI (1680-1689)

Shivaji's successor was his son Sambhaji who found in Kanauji a faithful adviser and conferred upon him the title of Kavi-Kalash. Both Sambhaji and Kavi-Kalash were captured and put to death in 1689 by Aurangzeb. Sambhaji was succeeded by Rajaram as his son Sahu was still young. Rajaram with his two able generals, Santaji Ghorpade and Dharaji Jadav began to harass the Mughal army and destroyed many of their outposts. Rajaram died in 1700 and was succeeded by his minor son Shivaji III under the regency of Tara Bai, his mother. Tara Bai directed the conduct of both civil and military affairs with equal success. The final failure of Aurangzeb against the Marathas was largely due to Tara Bai's energy and administrative genius.
The Mughals, however, succeeded in dividing the Marathas into two rival camps-one under Tara Bai and the other under Sambhaji's son, Sahu. Sahu, till now in the Mughal court, was released. He succeeded in deposing Tara Bai with the help of a Chitpavan brahman named Balaji Vishwanath.