An Early Supporter of Shivaji

Summary

This brief article introduces an early document revealing political manoeuvring during the rise of Shivaji. The piece revolves around a Persian parwānah (royal order) issued by the Bijapur Sultanate, dated to the 7th Jamadi-us-sāni, year 1054 A.H. The order addresses Mirza Shri Caudhuri Capamta Rāji (probably Kanhōji Jedhe), instructing him to join forces with noble commanders Khandoji and Baji Khopde. Their mission is to punish Dādāji Kond‑dev, the supreme agent of Konda, and to subdue rebellious elements in the region. The language implies that Dādāji Kond‑dev and his associates were disrupting the sultan’s authority and that prompt action was required. The document concludes with the usual Islamic invocation and is signed by Jadunath Sarkar, who translates the Persian original. The author points out that this parwānah demonstrates that a Maratha chieftain, likely Kanhōji Jedhe, held an official post under the Bijapur government before joining Shivaji. Kanhōji Jedhe later became one of Shivaji’s early supporters and played a key role in his resistance against Bijapur and the Mughals. Thus, the document sheds light on the shifting allegiances of Maratha leaders and the gradual consolidation of Shivaji’s power. It also illustrates the administrative procedures of the Bijapur court and its use of Persian as the language of governance. The article emphasises the historical value of such primary sources in reconstructing the early phases of Shivaji’s career.