Soyarabai

Soyarabai Bhosale (née Mohite[lower-alpha 1]) (died 1681) was one of the eight wives of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of Maratha empire in western India. She was mother of Shivaji's second son, Rajaram Chhatrapati. She was the younger sister of Maratha army chief Hambirrao Mohite. She was executed in 1681, after she failed to dethrone Sambhaji, the elder son of Shivaji.

For 14th century Varkari saint, see Sant Soyarabai.

Soyarabai
Died	1681 CE
Spouse	Shivaji

Early life

Born Soyarabai Shirke, she was married to Shivaji at a very young age in 1660.[2]The marriage took place when Shivaji visited his father Shahaji at Bangalore with his mother Jijabai. Tukabai(Née Mohite), the stepmother of Shivaji and paternal aunt of Soyarabai insisted on the marriage.

After the death of Jijabai in (1674), Soyarabai gained prominence in Shivaji's family and by extension, in the Maratha court politics.[3] Soyrabai bore two children to Shivaji, a daughter Balibai and son Rajaram.

After Shivaji's death

Many historians blame her for Shivaji's death. She was ambitious and she wanted her son Rajaram to succeed Shivaji instead of the elder son Sambhaji. Sambhaji was not kept informed on the Shivaji death and he was absent when Shivaji was cremated. After Shivaji's death in 1680, with the help of some of the courtiers, Soyarabai got her ten-year-old son, Rajaram, on the vacant throne. Her stepson and heir presumptive Sambhaji, was able to remove him from power with the help of Soyrabai's own brother and army chief Hambirrao Mohite. He imprisoned courtiers and formally assumed power as the Chhatrapati on July 20, 1680.

After Sambhaji seized power from Soyrabai, she tried every means to dethrone him.[4] Soyarabai's henchmen tried to poison Sambhaji in August 1681, but he survived and ordered the execution of Soyarabai. Many plotters including Soyarabai's and Yesubai's relatives from the Shirke family were also executed.[4]

Notes

1. Per GS Sardesai, she was the daughter of Waghoji Shirke and therefore not from the Mohite family[1]

References

1. Sardesai 1946, G.S. (1946). New history of the Marathas. Vol. I: Shivaji and his line (1600-1701). Bombay: Phoenix Publications. p. 139.
2. Jaswant Lal Mehta (1 January 2005). Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. pp. 48–. ISBN 978-1-932705-54-6.
3. Sushila Vaidya (1 January 2000). Role of women in Maratha politics, 1620-1752 A.D. Sharada Pub. House. ISBN 978-81-85616-67-4. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
4. Jaswant Lal Mehta (1 January 2005). Advanced study in the history of modern India 1707-1813. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-932705-54-6. Retrieved 6 March 2012.

See also

• Shivaji
• Chhatrapati Rajaram
• Maratha Empire