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| Vyankoji Bhosale | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Raja ofThanjavur | |
| Reign | 1674–1684 |
| Predecessor | Shahaji |
| Successor | Shahuji I |
| Jagirdar ofBangalore inBijapur Sultanate | |
| Predecessor | Shahaji |
| Successor | Shivaji |
| Born | c. 1632 |
| Died | c. 1686(1686-00-00) (aged 53–54) |
| House | Bhonsle |
| Father | Shahaji |
| Mother | Tukabai |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Vyankojirajah Bhonsle (born 1632) orEkoji I Bhonsle was the younger half-brother ofChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and founder ofMaratha rule inThanjavur in modern dayTamil Nadu.[1] He was the progenitor of the junior branch (cadet branch) of theBhonsle family which ruled Thanjavur until the formal annexation of the kingdom by theBritish East India Company in 1855.
Venkoji was the younger son ofShahaji, a military commander in service of the Sultan ofBijapur through his younger wife Tukabai Mohite. He succeeded to the Karnataka portion ofShahaji'sjagir, that isBengaluru andThanjavur.
In 1673, theNayak of Madurai invaded the kingdom of Thanjavur under the rule of theThanjavur Nayaks and drove away the ruler. He then proceeded to place his younger brotherAlagiri Nayak on the throne of Thanjavur. This was resented by Rayasam Venkanna, a high-ranking official in the court of Thanjavur who supported the cause of Chengamala Dasu, the deposed son of Vijayaraghava, the late Nayak of Thanjavur. He proceeded to the court ofAli Adil Shah II ofBijapur along with the minor Chengamaladas and requested his help.
The Adil Shah sent Venkoji to invadeThanjavur and restore the throne to the old line ofnayaks. A Sanskrit manuscriptBosalavamsavali narrates how Venkoji conquered Arni and proceeded to Thanjavur to liberate it from the shackles of the Nayak of Tiruchirapalli. The manuscript further narrates that While camping at Tirumalapadi near Tiruvadi, God appeared to him in a dream and asked him not to leave for home. However, Wilkes assigns different reasons for the usurpation by the Maratha, Venkoji. He is of the view that Venkoji was not pleased with the conduct of Chengamaladas who refused to pay the war expenses.
Assisted by Rayasam Venkanna who had switched sides once more, Venkoji conquered Ayyampettai and defeated Alagiri who had now also fallen out with his brotherChokkanatha Nayak as well as Changamaldas and secured the throne for himself. On the death of the Sultan of Bijapur, he crowned himself as the independent king of Thanjavur.
TheMarathi inscriptions of theThanjavur temple dates the capture of Thanjavur to January 1676. The Madras Tamil manuscript assigns the dates 1675 and 1679 to the conquest and end of Ekoji I's reign respectively. Likewise, the Marathi inscriptions assigns Ekoji's death to 1684. However, Wilkes asserts that Ekoji was well alive in 1686-1687. The records of theBritish East India Company mention a king called Ekoji as late as 1699-1700.
However,Dharmakuta a commentary on theRamayana suggests that Ekoji might have abdicated in the year 1684 in favor of his sonShahuji. However, it is quite unclear as to how many years he lived after the event.
In 1676–1677,Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj made an expedition to the Carnatic to claim his portion of the jagir, also desiring to bring the whole of South India under Maratha rule. With this aim in mind, he made a treaty withGolconda, tookGingee and proceeded to Thanjavur after conquering all the lands north of theColeroon river. Shivaji camped on the north bank ofKollidam River 10 miles north ofThanjavur and invited Ekoji for discussions. Shivaji didn't try to cross this distributary of Kaveri, to give a clear signal to his brother that he wanted to settle the matters of inheritance amicably. Shivaji claimed a right to Shahji's inheritance. It was a Ekoji's ministerRaghunath Pant Hanumante who had brought this matter of inheritance to Shivaji's notice. Although Shivaji was initially quite unwilling to state a claim on his father's jagir, but eventually he accepted the idea to achieve higher goals forSwarajya. Before visiting, Shivaji sometime in January 1677 atSatara, Raghunath Pant Hanumante had visited Golconda and had drawn out a golden leaf of diplomacy. He met Qutub Shah's brahmin ministersAkanna andMadanna and all three had a consensus on the expansion ofSwarajya. Raghunath Pant's brother Janardan Pant Hanumante was in Shivaji's service. He pressed uponQutub Shah to have a friendship treaty with Shivaji. Qutub Shah was much willing as he was under pressure from bothBijapur and theMughals. Shivaji's approach toTanjore was thus preceded by a long circuitous march throughBijapur territory to Golconda and then directly southwards. The two brothers stayed together more than a week and had lengthy discussions. While Shivaji pressed for a division of jagir, Ekoji remained tight lipped and noncommittal. One night he secretly arranged for a barge and fled the camp. Pained Shivaji decided to turn back toRaigad avoiding an open conflict with his brother. Administration and control of the newly conquered territories was left with his SarnaubatHambir Rao Mohite and others likeHarji Raje Mahadik,Santaji Ghorpade,Vitthal Pildev Atre andRaghunath Pant Hanumate himself; withGingee as the centre of new territories. Ekoji I reacted by launching regular military campaigns into Santoji's territory with the intention of driving him away. However, Shivaji's army handed him a crushing defeat taking many prisoners. Ekoji himself fled. This confrontation took place nearValikandapuram on 16 November 1677. Shivaji got this news, when he was atGadag on his way back. He wrote a letter of retribution, but still expressing his will for a reconciliation on 1 March 1678. Meanwhile, he had a correspondence with Raghunath Pant. A very hesitant Ekoji succumbed to his weak military position and his wife Deepabai's strong persuasion. Ultimately, Ragunath Pant was invited fromGingee for discussions. Raghunath Pant enjoyed full confidence of Shivaji and knew his heart and mind and his future plans and intentions. Accordingly, a 19 point treaty was drafted and sent to Shivaji for his ratification. Shivaji signed the same. The core of this treaty was (1) All theBijapur territory claimed to be under Shahji's jagir and which was recently won by Shivaji was returned back to Deepabai (territories aroundBangalore with an annual revenue of 2 lac hons) and Ekoji (region of 7 lac hons around Tanjor). (2) Ekoji was weaned away from the Bijapur's Adilshahi and his Muslim advisers as he was forbidden fromHarbouring any anti Hindu element in his realm (Article 6). Article 17 stated that Raghunath Pant would have ancestral jagir of 1 lac hons; underlining Raghunath Pant's vital role inDakshin Digvijay. However, in 1680, Bijapur succumbed to the invasions of Shivaji Maharaj and handed over the administration of all lands to the north of theColeroon river to Shivaji Maharaj. Ekoji I was forced to become a vassal of Shivaji Maharaj and pay him tribute. On the death of Shivaji Maharaj, however, the tribute was stopped and Thanjavur retained its independent existence.[2][3]
The chiefs ofRamnad had been vassals of the Nayaks ofMadurai. However, the new ruler, Kilavan desired to become independent. With this aim in mind, he concluded an alliance with Ekoji and rebelled against his overlord. The battle ended in the victory of Shahuji I, the defeat of Madurai and the liberation of Ramnad.
Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu literature flourished during this period. Venkoji himself is said to have composed a Telugu version of the Ramayana.
Vyankoji Bhosale | ||
| Preceded by | Raja of Thanjavur 1675-1684 | Succeeded by |
