Dhanaji Jadhav
Background
Dhanaji was a member of the
Jadhav clan of
Sindhkhed.
He was the descendant of
Lakhuji Jadhav. Dhanaji was raised by Shivaji's mother,
Jijabai, following the assassination of Dhanaji's great-grandfather, Achloji, who was Jijabai's brother. Achloji's son, Santaji, perished in the Battle of
Kanakgiri. Santaji's son and Dhanaji's father, Shambhu Singh, was also nurtured by Jijabai. Shambhu Singh met his demise at the Battle of Pavan Khind.
Early military career
At a young age, Dhanaji joined the
Maratha Army under the leadership of Shivaji's commander-in-chief,
Prataprao Gujar. During the battles at Umbrani and
Nesari, Dhanaji's exceptional performance drew the attention of Shivaji for the first time. He was subsequently appointed by Shivaji, even on his deathbed, as one of the six pillars of the
Maratha Empire who would safeguard the kingdom during challenging times. Their unwavering struggle and continued resistance against the
Mughal Army played a crucial role in ensuring the survival and success of the Marathas in the 27-Year war between the forces of
Aurangzeb and the Marathas.
Mughal-Maratha wars
Dhanaji and his fellow general ,
Santaji Ghorpade, are acknowledged for their pivotal role in combating the Mughal forces during the reign of
Rajaram I. Their dedicated service to the Maratha cause effectively thwarted the advances of Aurangzeb's
Mughal army for a quarter of a century. With the demise of
Aurangzeb, Mughal influence in
Maharashtra ultimately waned, never to regain prominence.
During the conflict, the Marathas utilized both infantry and cavalry to effectively engage and disrupt the Mughal forces. Following the fall of Bijapur and Golkonda, a significant number of horsemen found themselves unemployed. As a result, they sought employment with the Maratha forces under the leadership of Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav. In the absence of central authority, these two commanders acted on their own initiative and swiftly developed expertise in coordinating cavalry movements over extended distances.[Shejwalkar, T. S. (1939). THE GEOGRAPHIC FACTOR IN THE HISTORY OF MAHĀRĀṢṬRA. Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute, 1(1), 112–123. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42929235]
Queen Tarabai praised Dhanaji and his colleague Santaji, for their daring attack on Aurangzeb's camp. A marathi drama 'Bhangale Swapn Maharashtra' written by Bashir Momin Kavathekar depicts the thrill and adventures raid on Aurangzeb's camp at Tulapur and also brings out how stringently the guidelines laid down by Shivaji Maharaj were being followed by Maratha soldiers (which spared Aurangzeb's life because he was offering religious prayers).[Khanduraj Gaykwad, लेखणीतून ग्रामीण लोककला संपन्न करणारे- बशीर मोमीन कवठेकर!, “Navakal, 20-Jan-2011”][Prof. Suhas Joshi, भंगले, “विशाल सह्याद्री, पुणे, 27-Feb-1977”]
In November 1703, Aurangzeb initiated negotiations with Dhanaji through his son, Kambaksh, with the intention of transferring Shahu I to him. However, these talks proved unsuccessful due to what were perceived as exorbitant demands made by Dhanaji on behalf of the Maratha king.
Gujarat campaign
In 1705, a
Maratha Army, consisting of approximately 40,000 soldiers led by Dhanaji, launched a successful assault on
Surat, defeating the Mughal forces across the entire region of
Gujarat, extending up to
Bharuch, and subsequently imposing the
Chauth tribute on them. Dhanaji also achieved victory over the
Mughal army commanded by Nazar Ali, the Nawab of Baroda.
Later years and death
In 1708, through the mediation of his assistant Balaji Vishwanath, who would later assume the position of
Peshwa in 1713, Dhanaji disassociated himself from
Tarabai and aligned with
Shahu I at Battle of Khed. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, he died due to a leg injury at Vadgaon,
Kolhapur. Subsequently, his post was assumed by his son, Chandrasen Jadhavrao.
Movies
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He was portrayed by Shubhankar Ekbote in the 2025 Hindi film Chhaava.
