Shirke
The Shirke is a Maratha clan, found largely in Maharashtra and bordering states of India.
History
The Shirke clan held Deshmukhi rights in the areas of coastal Konkan in present day state of Maharashtra and some inland areas of Western Maharashtra during 15th century under the Bahamani Sultanate and in 16th and 17th century under the successor Deccan sultanates of Adilshahi and Nizamshahi[1] During the Bahamani era, the seat of Shirke fief was at Khelna (Vishalgad) & Raigad.[2] The Shirkes intermarried with the Surves and kept command over their regions. In the mid 17th century, Shivaji, the founder of Maratha empire got the Surve and Shirke to join him by force or by forming marital alliances.[citation needed]
The Shirkes were relatives of many Bhosale rulers including Shahaji, Shivaji, Sambhaji, Rajaram and Shahu I. Shahu married Sakwarbai Shirke when he became Chhatrapati.Sakwarbai, historians claim, was forced to commit Sati upon the death of her husband in 1748 because of political machinations by the dowger queen Tarabai and Peshwa Balaji Bajirao. Sakwarbai's own brother, Kanhoji Shirke was asked to present Satiche van (all the requirements for sati rites) to her which she could not refuse. [3]
The Shirke were relations and confidantes of the Raja Pratapsinha of the short lived Satara state. He also sent a member of the Shirke family to London to plead his case of restoring him to power in 1839.[4]
See also
- Maratha
- Maratha Empire
- Maratha clan system
- List of Maratha dynasties and states
- Bhonsle
- Gaekwad
- Scindia
- Puars
- Holkar
- Peshwa
References
- ^ Kulkarni, G.T. (1992). "Deccan (Maharashtra) Under the Muslim Rulers From Khaljis to Shivaji: A Study in Interaction, Profesor S.M. Katre Felicitation". Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute. 51/52: 501–510. JSTOR 42930434.
- ^ Shanti Sadiq Ali (1996). The African Dispersal in the Deccan: From Medieval to Modern Times. Orient Blackswan. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-81-250-0485-1.
- ^ Feldhaus, Anne (21 March 1996). Images of Women in Maharashtrian Literature and Religion. SUNY Press. pp. 183–184. ISBN 978-0-7914-2838-2. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018.
- ^ Sumitra Kulkarni (1995). The Satara Raj, 1818-1848: A Study in History, Administration, and Culture. Mittal Publications. pp. 25, 33. ISBN 978-81-7099-581-4.
Further reading
- S.R. Bakshi (1 January 2003). Advanced history of medieval India. Anmol Publications PVT. LTD. pp. 391–. ISBN 978-81-7488-028-4. Retrieved 20 May 2011.