Shivaji and His Times

In this book that Shivaji And His Times is a comprehensive account of the life and times of one of Maharashtra's greatest heroes. After a brief introduction to the geography of Maharashtra, and a description of the people of that land, the book traces the rise of Shahji Bhonsle, Shivaji's father in the service of the Adil Shah of Bijapur, Shivaji's boyhood, his early victories and his wars with the Mughals and the Adil Shah are recounted in detail. A major portion of the book is devoted to Shivaji's relations with the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb and his constant struggles to capture Maratha territory. Shivaji's coronation, his subsequent forays into southern India, his efforts to build a strong navy, his relations with foreign powers, all are discussed in the book. The author also makes a critical assessment of Shivaji's contributions and achievements, and his place in history. Using a wide range of sources and historical documents in a variety of languages, the author draws a definitive portrait of the great Maratha ruler and nation.

Sir Jadunath Sarkar CIE FRAS (1870-1958) was a prominent Indian historian and a specialist on the Mughal dynasty. He graduated in English from Presidency College, Calcutta. In 1892, he topped the Master of Arts examination, in English at Calcutta University and in 1897, he received the Premchand-Roychand Scholarship. Sarkar's works faded out of public memory, with the increasing advent of Marxist and postcolonial schools of historiography. Academically, Jos J. L. Gommans compares Sarkar's work with those of the Aligarh historians, noting that while the historians from the Aligarh worked mainly on the mansabdari system and gunpowder technology in the Mughal Empire, Judunath Sarkar was best remembered for his historical works, including: A History of Jaipur, Military History of India, A History of Aurangzib (in 5 volumes), Studies in Mughal India, and Mughal Administration.

In this edition more than half the narrative has been entirely rewritten and expanded, and elsewhere, too, so many old statements and views have been modified as the result of a fresh study of the subject that in its present form the book has practically become a new one A larger format and type have been used Briefly speaking, the main points in which it differs from the two earlier editions are the following:

(a) The total rejection of 19th century fabrications, like - the Chitnis bakhar, Shiva-digoyaya, the Vrha- dishwar inscription, etc

(b) A cautious and selective use of the middle 18th century sources, such as the 91-qalmı bakhar in its different recensions

(c) The full use of contemporary French and Portuguese sources for the first time, and of the Marathi chronologies (Shalavalis)

(d) The addition of all the four portraits of Shivaji definitely known to be contemporary, and of a full chronology in which the dates make a closer approximation to exact precision An index has been now supplied for the first time.

Besides adding the above features, I have made a fresh and detailed study of the old materials in the light of the newly acquired sources In the course of the eight years that have passed since the second edition was published, much new material has been collected, and a study of them as well as further reflection has naturally resulted in several minute corrections and changes in the details of the narrative and my opinion about certain persons and events.

So far as the extant materials go, the present edition is definitive, but several dark corners still remain for future dis- covery of authentic records t illuminate This is especially the case with the boyhood and youth of Shivaji.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages