Jai Singh didn’t defect. There was no reasonable side left to fight for. It was game over. Dara & Jaswant Singh ji were defeated. Murad and Shahjahan were jailed. Agra & Delhi were in Aurangzeb’s hands. All the commanders were 1 by 1 joining Aurangzeb.
https://twitter.com/Dharmichistory2/status/1399398806504972290
But no, for some reason it is the urging need of the hour to pick and vilify one Jai Singh.
Shivaji had repeatedly boasted to Mughals of his strong hills, forts, guerrilla warriors.
But when the Imperial Army went into his country he wasn’t to be found.
But when the Imperial Army went into his country he wasn’t to be found.
https://twitter.com/Dharmichistory2/status/1399398910569811969
Jai Singh Ji was tasked to kill Shivaji, but wanted to force the Maratha chief to instead come to the table of terms.
With Shivaji nowhere to be found. Plundering was the only way left per medieval norms to force the Maratha chief to step out and sit on the negotiation table.
With Shivaji nowhere to be found. Plundering was the only way left per medieval norms to force the Maratha chief to step out and sit on the negotiation table.
Jai Singh on the contrary removed the extra zealot muslim soldiers who were harassing the civilians without cause. 
So far as Daud Khan and Diler Khan are concerned. They had some special love for Shivaji to which I’ll come later. For now, here’s what Diler Khan wrote to Shivaji when his blood thirst wasn’t quenched due to Shivaji’s appeal for peace.
It was a medieval war. You’re out to get a fort and its garrison refuses to yield. What do you expect, they’ll be garlanded?
Obviously both sides will try to knock each other out. 🤦
Obviously both sides will try to knock each other out. 🤦
https://twitter.com/Dharmichistory2/status/1399398947710390275
The dire condition in which Shivaji was at Purandar. Even those 12 forts weren’t to stay with him. When he was approaching to meet, he was asked on his way itself - agree to surrender all his forts & then only put a step further.
Jai Singh wasn’t even supposed to talk to Shivaji. Aurangzeb’s clear orders were to kill Shivaji
Giving 12 forts to Shivaji who had surrendered, was obviously challenged by Aurangzeb. It took a lot of convincing from Mirza Raja. Don’t know why that has been conveniently forgotten
Giving 12 forts to Shivaji who had surrendered, was obviously challenged by Aurangzeb. It took a lot of convincing from Mirza Raja. Don’t know why that has been conveniently forgotten
Maharaja knew that Aurangzeb was ever-suspecting all-suspecting, almost to the psychotic zone.
Hence immediately after Purandar treaty was fixed. Jai Singh sent Shivaji away to meet muslim officers like Diler Khan & Daud Khan to allay Aurangzeb’s doubts.
Hence immediately after Purandar treaty was fixed. Jai Singh sent Shivaji away to meet muslim officers like Diler Khan & Daud Khan to allay Aurangzeb’s doubts.
https://twitter.com/Dharmichistory2/status/1399398961715154946
Aurangzeb was so suspicious that after giving order to Ram Singh to collect his army and go to Kabul. He himself later asks Ram Singh - why are your armies coming.
Ram Singh had to explain – You only asked me to collect my Army. Now that the order is cancelled, I have asked them to leave. No fresh forces are arriving.
Sambhaji was made a 5 hazari mansabdar. By contemporary norms that’s about as high as it can go for a small kid. Plenty of Rajput princes were less than 5 hazari.
https://twitter.com/Dharmichistory2/status/1399399023988011011
To give perspective, nobody outside the royal family was ever allowed to go beyond 7 hazari rank. Jai Singh was one of the very few in that era to hold that rank.
About what Jai Singh ji said to Aurangzeb regarding Shivaji here. A lot has been said/written by Shivaji toward Aurangzeb which aren’t the brightest words to fill plain hindu hearts with pride.
https://twitter.com/Dharmichistory2/status/1399399023988011011
But it is now in hindsight explained by saying:
“Oh Shivaji didn’t mean it.”
“He was saying just for the sake of it, just to work around as he was in a weaker position”
“Politics bro. He was being street smart”
Sadly, none of that retrospective leeway is allowed for Jai Singh.
“Oh Shivaji didn’t mean it.”
“He was saying just for the sake of it, just to work around as he was in a weaker position”
“Politics bro. He was being street smart”
Sadly, none of that retrospective leeway is allowed for Jai Singh.
We also forget that later the same Jai Singh in the same source Haft Anjuman praises to Aurangzeb about Shivaji’s conduct and loyalty in the Bijapur campaign. But we must only remember the “you should punish him” part.🙄
Background of past years is that enough to annoyance of the Emperor, Shivaji had been toggling on and off between Mughal servant and rebel ever since 1659 AD when he directly dealt with prince Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb didn’t need a Jai Singh to tell whether & how to punish Shivaji.
Anyway, let us not give leeway to Jai Singh. Because actions speak louder than words. We’ll come to that soon.
Now, to the letter where Jai Singh ji is said to have planned to kill Shivaji by deceit.
Firstly, I couldn’t find this letter in the Haft Anjuman. A letter like this should have been covered by the historians who first brought the source to light.
Firstly, I couldn’t find this letter in the Haft Anjuman. A letter like this should have been covered by the historians who first brought the source to light.
https://twitter.com/Dharmichistory2/status/1399403017498103811
Secondly, nevertheless, even if we that assume such a letter exists. It is clear case of forgery. Here’s why:
A) Haft Anjuman was written by Udairaj Munshi. He was deputed under Rustam Khan and Mirza Raja Jai Singh.
A) Haft Anjuman was written by Udairaj Munshi. He was deputed under Rustam Khan and Mirza Raja Jai Singh.
B) He was suspected of killing Jai Singh Ji by poison. Rajputs were baying for his blood. He immediately fled to Mughals and accepted Islam.
C) Thereafter he was in Aurangzeb's umbrella. Latter gave him the name Talayar Khan. Bad blood between Kachwahas and Talayar Khan is well established.
D) The journal was compiled by Talayar Khan's son many years later.
All of the above mentioned is enough to suspect and not take at face value everything that the Aurangzeb sponsored Talayar Khan throws at us.
All of the above mentioned is enough to suspect and not take at face value everything that the Aurangzeb sponsored Talayar Khan throws at us.
Now to analyze the forgery further.
If Jai Singh had concocted such a plan. Why was it not executed?
After what Shivaji had been through (grilling Agra episode). He wasn't a fool to believe any such marriage proposal just months after his escape from Agra.
If Jai Singh had concocted such a plan. Why was it not executed?
After what Shivaji had been through (grilling Agra episode). He wasn't a fool to believe any such marriage proposal just months after his escape from Agra.
Moreover, Shivaji knew very well that now the full might of Mughal Empire would be pressuring Jai Singh to recover Shivaji for them
Was Shivaji naive to not see through such a proposal months after his return (if it was made) & was Jai Singh silly enough to propose at that time?
Was Shivaji naive to not see through such a proposal months after his return (if it was made) & was Jai Singh silly enough to propose at that time?
Had the letter been of when the dust had settled & the political tension had dissipated properly. Can surmise that it could possibly deceive Shivaji.
But that's not the case. Letter's timing few months after Shivaji's return from Agra becoming public, doesn't support the surmise
But that's not the case. Letter's timing few months after Shivaji's return from Agra becoming public, doesn't support the surmise
Shivaji knew that the moment he went even near Jai Singh. The latter who had his back against the wall with Agra events and failing Bijapur campaign, would be forced to arrest him.
Hence, he never went to the Raja and there's no way a so-called marriage proposal would be seen in good light in such precarious atmosphere.
Shivaji also knew that the Raja being pinned down in so many ways, wasn't in a position to offer him anything substantially beneficial anyway. He had his own and his son's prospects to save in the Mughal hierarchy first. Niceties of marriages come later.
All these things would be obvious not only to Shivaji but Jai Singh as well.
A seasoned and senior statesman like Jai Singh would give anybody a marriage proposal from within family only when he is dead sure of acceptance (matter of prestige) from the other side.
A seasoned and senior statesman like Jai Singh would give anybody a marriage proposal from within family only when he is dead sure of acceptance (matter of prestige) from the other side.
Given the facts mentioned above. There's no way a highly apprehensive and alert Shivaji would take the supposed bait.
Such a proposal at that juncture doesn't make sense whichever way we look at it.
Such a proposal at that juncture doesn't make sense whichever way we look at it.
The letter’s forgery becomes even clearer the moment it says that Shivaji was of low birth.
Nothing can be farther from the truth and truth was well prevalent then among all.
Look at what the Rajputs officers who saw and met Shivaji at Agra spoke about him.
Nothing can be farther from the truth and truth was well prevalent then among all.
Look at what the Rajputs officers who saw and met Shivaji at Agra spoke about him.
Now, check how the state astrologer of Jodhpur, a contemporary of Shivaji has filed Shivaji’s horoscope in his collection under the section meant for the “Ranas of Mewar”.
This whole façade of Jai Singh being a Shivaji hater and trying to kill Shivaji falls on its face, when you notice that not once or twice, but Shivaji’s life was saved by Rajputs at least 4 times:
Save #1. Eyewitness Manucci: Diler Khan’s special love for Shivaji when the Bijapur campaign went in doldrums. Diler Khan repeatedly asked the Maharaja to let him kill Shivaji, saying – “I will take full responsibility of what happens next”. Turned down by Jai Singh every time.
But Jai Singh knew that sooner or later some “accident” will happen with Shivaji at the behest of these zealots. So, he readily accepts Shivaji’s proposal and sends him away from the main Imperial body, to siege Panhala.
Save #2. Ram Singh stops the first attempt in Agra.
https://twitter.com/virendrarathore/status/1221011173228728320
His words are – “Kill me, send for my son and kill him as well. Then only proceed to kill Shivaji”.
I want the readers to pause here and reflect on the gravity of Ram Singh’s statement.
I want the readers to pause here and reflect on the gravity of Ram Singh’s statement.
Ram Singh’s father Jai Singh was in the final years of his life. Now, if something were to happen to Ram Singh and his eldest son at once. It puts the whole Kachwaha dynasty in peril and as existential threat.
No need to explain how particular the medieval royal houses were for the continuation of lineage.
That Ram Singh would say so was an open challenge to the Emperor in his own backyard. Given the tense atmosphere, it wasn’t a light conversation. You don’t do small talk with Aurangzeb and later say “Oh I didn’t mean it. Hehe, I was joking”
You not only need guts to do it, you need a deep conviction.
Later…
Save #3. Ram Singh stonewalls the second attempt in Agra.
Later…
Save #3. Ram Singh stonewalls the second attempt in Agra.
https://twitter.com/virendrarathore/status/1221019996148486144
Save #4. Bikaner Maharaja Anup Singh’s officer Kesar Singh saves Shivaji at Khelna
https://twitter.com/virendrarathore/status/1221029910354882560
If we really believe that Shivaji didn’t know Jai Singh’s character after interacting with him and his kin so much. Then we’re insulting the intelligence of the Maratha hero. This is how he expresses himself to Jai Singh upon his return from Agra.
https://twitter.com/virendrarathore/status/1221028002546343936
Sources – Rajasthani Letters, Insha-i-Haft-Anjuman, Seva Di Var, Manucci, Shivaji and his Times, The House of Shivaji.
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