Soyarabai
| Soyarabai | |
|---|---|
| Maharani of the Maratha Empire | |
| Died | ca.1681 CE |
| Spouse | Shivaji |
| Issue |
|
Soyarabai (née Mohite) was the second wife of Shivaji I, the founder of Maratha Empire and mother to Shivaji's second son, Rajaram, the third Chhatrapati. She was the younger sister of Maratha army chief Hambirrao Mohite. She was executed in 1681, after she failed to dethrone Sambhaji, her stepson, and the elder son of Shivaji.
Early life
Born Soyarabai Mohite, she was married to Shivaji at a very young age in 1650.[1][better source needed] 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.[2] Soyrabai bore two children to Shivaji, a daughter Balibai and son Rajaram.[citation needed]
After Shivaji's death
Soyrabai was ambitious and wanted her son Rajaram to succeed Shivaji instead of the elder son Sambhaji. Sambhaji was not kept informed on the Shivaji's 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 on 21 April 1680.[3] 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 20 July 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.The enraged Sambhaji ordered execution of Soyarabai.Kale says she was executed by burying in a wall,[5][6] whereas Mehta claims that she was poisoned.[4]
In a letter dated 27 Oct 1681, written by British Bombay council to Surat,it is mentioned that "Ramrajah's Mother [Soyra Bai] is dead by report, poisoned by Shambhuji Rajah's contrivance "[7]
After Sambhaji's death at the hands of the Mughals, Rajaram became the next Chhatrapati. During his reign, the Marathas were engaged in continuous warfare with Mughals.
In Popular Culture
- Ayesha Kaduskar portrays a young Soyarabai while Ruchita Jadhav portrays the older Soyarabai in the 2011 series Veer Shivaji[citation needed]
- Elakshi Gupta plays Soyrabai in the 2019 Bollywood film Tanhaji[citation needed]
- Ruchi Savarn portrays Soyarabai in the 2019 Marathi film Fatteshikast[citation needed]
- Shruti Marathe plays Soyarabai in 2022 film, Sarsenapati Hambirrao
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ . Gordon, Stewart (1993). The Marathas 1600–1818 (1st publ. ed.). New York: Cambridge University. p. 91. ISBN 978-0-521-26883-7. Retrieved 5 June 2016
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ Kale, V. L. (1933). JINJIVAS OR THE STAY OF CHATIRAPATI RAJARAM MAHARAJ IN THE CELEBRATED FORT Of JINJI IN THE KARNATAK (PDF). Belgaum, india. p. 7. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10973/36732/GIPE-009600.pdf?sequence=3 [bare URL PDF]
- ^ Sarkar, Jadunath, Sir (1979) [1940]. The house of Shivaji: Studies and documents on Maratha history, Royal period. Orient Longman. pp. 197, 198. ISBN 0-86131-086-1. OCLC 153928919.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
