Know About The Marathas: Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj

The OG Maratha King: Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj

Yo, what's good fam! Let's talk about one of the most iconic rulers in Indian history - Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj! Born in 1682, Shahu was the son of Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and his queen, Yesubai, makin' him the grandson of the legendary Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire!

Shahu's life was wild, tho. After his dad's execution by the Mughals, he and his mom were taken as prisoners and raised in Mughal captivity. Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor, tried to convert him to Islam, but his daughter, Zinatunnisa, was like, "Nah, fam, don't do it!" and he ended up namin' Shahu 'the good one' instead!

Fast forward to 1707, and Shahu's released from captivity by Prince Azam, Aurangzeb's son. Shahu's given the royal treatment, with Maratha guards, an entourage, and even sardeshmukhi rights over six Deccan subahs! He's like, "Yoooo, I'm back, and I'm ready to take the throne!"

But, of course, there's a twist! Tarabai, the dowager queen, rejects Shahu's claim, sayin', "Nah, he's not the rightful king!" And Sambhaji II, another contender, jumps into the mix. It's like a Maratha soap opera, fam!

Shahu's got some OG advisors, tho', like Balaji Vishwanath, who's like, "Don't worry, king, I've got this!" Balaji helps Shahu win the throne, and they take down Tarabai's crew, makin' her accept Shahu as the king and settlin' for a minor state at Kolhapur.

Under Shahu's rule, the Maratha Empire is like, "We're back, babyyyy!" They expand their territories, takin' over Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka! They're collectin' chauth, and the Mughal emperors are lookin' up to 'em, sayin', "Hey, Marathas, can you please save us?"

Shahu's a chill king, tho', fam. He's got four wives, two sons, and four daughters, and he's all about loyalty and benevolence. He adopts two sons, Fatehsinh I Bhonsle and Rajaram II, and when he passes in 1749, the Maratha Empire is like, "Rest in peace, king, we've got this!"

The Marathas' dominance is real, and Shahu's legacy lives on, bruh! He's one of the most iconic rulers in Indian history, and we're here for it!

TL;DR: Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj was the OG Maratha king who ruled from 1708 to 1749. He expanded the Maratha Empire, took down his enemies, and was loved by his people. He's a legend in Indian history, fam!