RajD wrote:Even Mirza Raja Jaisingh had written to Aurangzeb that he would offer his daughter to Shivaji in matrimony and since he was from lower cast would gleefully accept the same. Further, when he would come to his camp he would be
arrested again and sent back to Agra( Shivaji - His Life and Times by Jadunath Sarkar).
Jai Singh went on a war against Shivaji, after Aurangzeb insisted on it. So yes, they were enemies on battlefield.
Jai Singh was a smart General, seasoned Statesman, strategist and an Indian, not a hot blooded ghazi.
It was obvious and wise for Shivaji to try avoid a confrontation with Jai Singh.
Jai Singh's aim was to bring Shivaji to negotiation table with Aurangzeb so things would settle with minimum destruction to either sides.
It was not to arrest him by deceit.
They decided to meet when Jai Singh had laid siege to Purandar fort.
Shivaji was given assurance by Jai Singh that he would not be harmed whether the talks bear fruit or not.
On 11th June both the men met at Jai Singh's court at the foot of Purandar Fort.
23 Forts were surrendered by Shivaji and 12 retained on the condition of loyalty towards the Imperial throne.
Shivaji asked to be excused from attending the Emperor's court and proposed to send his son instead - with a contingent of 5,000 horses (to be paid by means of a jagir) for regular attendance and service under the Emperor.
Next day on 12th June Shivaji vacated parts of Purandar fort that Marathas were still holding and also started surrendering other 22 Forts.
Jai Singh presented Shivaji with an Elephant and two horses and sent him away to Raigarh with his officer.
Jai Singh not only gained the war with Shivaji but also arranged peace between the Mughal throne up north and Marathas in south.
It was the hot headed bigot Aurangzeb who threw it all away and broke the amenable peace.
This happened in the Mughal court in absence of Jai Singh.
Aurangzeb insisted on Shivaji paying visit to the Mughal court.
Jai Singh tried to convince Shivaji by taking the solemn oath that Shivaji and his accomplices would not be harmed, that any harm would first have to through him and his men before it reached Shivaji.
He made his son Ram Singh the caretaker of Shivaji for his stay at the Mughal court.
At the court, not only was Shivaji clueless about protocols of a polished court but also Aurangzeb's court officials did a deliberate unjustifiable neglect of Shivaji.
What transpired at that court that day, revolutionized the court of Indian history as Mughals managed to make Shivaji their bitterest enemy.
Aurangzeb lived to repent this in his last days and admitted the same in his last will (not that he had any positive feelings even then, but perhaps the fleeing of Shivaji from captivity).
For Amber house, the officers of Ram Singh used to record daily Mughal court proceedings every evening. These records are compiled in 'Jaipur archives' and were accessed by Jadunath Sarkar while writing the 'History of Jaipur'. These records provide the most authentic account of what happened that day in Mughal court.
In the audience Hall itself the Mughal court Marshal placed Shivaji among the third grade nobles without consulting the Emperor or any other high official.
Aurangzeb too (on his Birthday), after the formal introduction with Shivaji and exchange of formal greetings, turned to his business as if Shivaji didn't exist.
Upon learning that he had been ranked a five hazari Mansabdar (a rank even his son and servant had) Shivaji erupted in anger and burst out of the court after creating a furious scene.
Shivaji could not be pacified even after Emperor sent 4 officers to reason with him.
This was used by the courtesans who were against Shivaji or Jai Singh (Amber house) in any way.
So did Mirza Raja Jaswant Singh of Marwar, who had fought against Aurangzeb in war of succession and was far uneasy in alliance with Mughals as compared to Amber.
He took an open jibe at Emperor challenging him to punish Shivaji.
So did Roshanara begum, asking for revenge for Shaista Khan (her grand uncle) and saying 'every petty chieftain would rise in rebellion if this was ignored'.
Aurangzeb decided to have Shivaji killed. A startled Ram Singh came forth and said that him and his father (Jai Singh) were oath bound to protect Shivaji. So they would die first before Shivaji was harmed.
Emperor agreed after making Ram Singh sign a bond taking Shivaji's full responsibility against any further unwanted incident.
Shivaji was kept in almost a house arrest in a tent close to Ram Singh's tent. He was guarded by a band of Ram Singh's men in the closest ring and then the Mughal soldiers keeping an eye.
Aurangzeb in correspondence with Jai Singh, asked him what exactly he had promised to Shivaji in peace treaty.
Jai Singh replied with explaining the treaty's terms, that nothing more was promised and also urged the Emperor in his reply that nothing would be gained, but much harm be done if Shivaji was killed or captivated.
He at the same time kept repeating to Ram Singh in his letters that Shivaji and their oath must be protected at any cost.
Above all, the delicate peace subtly woven between Mughals and Marathas by Raja Jai Singh was at stake now.
Shivaji tried to secure his release by bribing court officials to influence Aurangzeb. Shivaji promised to cede his remaining forts if allowed to return home in safety. Aurangzeb replied 'there is no reason he cannot do that by writing from here to his officers in Deccan'.
Then in despair Shivaji asked permission to turn sanyasi and spend remaining days in Prayag/Allahabad.
Aurangzeb grimly replied 'Yes let him live in my fort of Allahabad where my governor will take good care of him."
In those days there was once also an order to send Shivaji to Afghanistan on military campaign.
Then Shivaji decided to make personal preparations for his release.
At first, out of noble consideration he made Ram Singh take back his bail-bond he had signed to Aurangzeb while taking Shivaji's full responsibility. By this he hoped to rid Ram Singh from future responsibility/blame for whatever was to happen.
Shivaji feigned illness and began sending out baskets of sweets as charity. Over time, the mughal soldiers went lax in checking those baskets. On August 17, 1666 Shivaji's half brother Hirji Farzand who looked like him, lay on his cot as a decoy. Shivaji and his son hid themselves in that day's outgoing baskets and escaped from Agra.
Upon detection a huge hue and cry rose in entire Mughal administration.
Since Shivaji had escaped from the proximity of Ram Singh's camp and soldiers, Aurangzeb's suspicion naturally fell on Ram Singh for the feat, he ordered Ram Singh's rank reduction and forbade him from the Court. It is also said that when tortured by Mughal troops, some maratha brahmins said that Ram Singh had helped Shivaji's escape. But I'm unable to verify the same in any record.
RajD wrote:This shows a glimpse of Shivaji through rajput eyes at that time.
I disagree. This is generalization.
Quoting from Airavat's blog :
A contemporary record from the Jaipur archives has notes of conversation between two Rajput officers.
It reports on Shivaji's visit to Agra and confidently asserts:
"Shivaji is very clever; he speaks the right word, after which nobody need say anything on the subject. He is a good genuine Rajput....and says appropriate things marked by the spirit of a Rajput."
In this instance Shivaji is accepted as a Rajput from his bearing and conduct.....but was it also a consequence of Shivaji's private meeting with Raja Jai Singh
The eyewitness account, the Sabhasad Bakhar, written by Krishnaji Anant Sabhasad who was in Shivaji's service, claims that Jai Singh accepted Shivaji's Rajput ancestry and hence promised to protect him as a kindred Rajput from the hostility of the bigoted Aurangzeb.
The bakhar also makes Shivaji describe himself as a Rajput, during the earlier invasion of Aurangzeb's general Shaista Khan:
As soon as the army started from Delhi, the Raje learnt of it. He was at Rajgad. He assembled all the Sarkarkuns, important persons, and the Sarnobat, and questioned them. In the opinion of (them) all- "Peace should be concluded. An interview should be sought. It is not possible to hold out by fighting. What is our force and what is the Delhi army ?" Such were (their) reasons.
The Raje was of opinion (that), "If peace is decided on, there is no influential Rajput, (with the Khan) as would, (considering the fact that) we are Rajputs and he too is a Rajput, protect the Hindu religion and guard our interests. Saista Khan is a Mohammedan, a relation of the Badshah; bribe and corruption cannot be practised on him. Nor will the Khan protect us. If I meet him in peace, he will bring about (our) destruction. It is injurious to us."
Shivaji's father Shahaji also claimed Rajput ancestry. Years before Shivaji's coronation the poet Jayaram, described his patron Shahaji as descended from Dalip and born in the family of the Rana [of Mewar] who was the foremost among all kings of the earth (Hinduan Suraj). And going back even further into the history of the Mudhol principality in Karnataka, whose rulers previously held the significant title of Rana; they still have original documents tracing their descent from the Rajput rulers of Mewar.
RajD wrote:I simply feel is it really required of Shivaji to be a rajput in order to be recognized as a Khsatriya?
No it is not. Frankly, it doesn't matter to me, shouldn't matter so much to anyone. His deeds matter more.
The only reason to take interest in his ancestry is to know the truth .. know the history correctly and completely.
Thats it.
Regards,
Virendra