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After the death of Shivaji, there was a fight for succession between
Explanation
Following the death of Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1680, a succession struggle ensued between his two sons, Sambhaji and Rajaram [1]. Shivaji's widow, Soyarabai, attempted to place her ten-year-old son Rajaram on the throne with the support of certain courtiers. However, Sambhaji, the eldest son, successfully asserted his claim with the assistance of the army commander Hambirrao Mohite. Sambhaji removed Rajaram from the throne and was coronated as the Chhatrapati in early 1681. This internal conflict was marked by family disputes and attempts by Soyarabai to dethrone Sambhaji, which eventually led to her execution. After Sambhaji's execution by Aurangzeb in 1689, Rajaram officially succeeded him and continued the Maratha resistance against the Mughals from the fortress of Jinji [2].
Sources
- [1] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: The Rise of the Marathas > The Marathas after Shivaji > p. 69
- [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The Marathas > Marathas after Shivaji 15.3 > p. 229