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Satara (city)

City in Maharashtra, India

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Historical Monument.
Dilip Bhojane · CC BY-SA 4.0

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It is the headquarters of Satara Tehsil, as well as the Satara District. The city gets its name from the seven forts (Sat-Tara) which are around the city. The city is known as a Soldier's city as well as Pensioner's city. The city had a population of 179,147 in 2011.

History

Raja bhoj II of Shilahara dynasty constructed a fort here between 1178 AD and 1193 AD around which the city was later founded,Shilaharas fell to Seuna (Yadava) dynasty of Devgiri in 1212 AD. Popular among locals, temple of Yavateshwar was built during yadava rule in Hemadpanti style. During rule of Bijapur Sultanate,Ali Adil Shah I's wife Chand Bibi was imprisoned by Kishvar Khan at Satara fort as she conspired against him to seize power after her husband's death. In May 1673, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj conquered Parali(now Sajjangad) and the Satara fort in September of the same year from Bijapur.After which Manaji Sable served as kiledar of Satara and defended the fort when it was attacked by second son of Aurangzeb Muhammad Mu'azzam.

After the death of Chhatrapati Sambhaji (Son of Chhatrpati Shivaji Maharaj) in 1689,Marathas under Rajaram I had to retreat to south India for survival. and hence Jinji in Tamilnadu became the Maratha capital but when Chhatrapati Rajaram returned to Maharashtra in 1698, he declared Satara as the Maratha capital.He then left Satara for campaign and left the fort to Prayagji Prabhu.On 8 December 1699 Aurangzeb advanced towards Satara and sieged the fort with Tarbiyat khan in south,Sarjekhan in east, Aurangzeb's son Azam Shah in Shahapur in the west and Aurangzeb himself in Karanje in the north. Parshuram pant Pratinidhi managed to sent food grain supplies through Parali fort by bribing Azam Shah. Marathas defended the fort for 6 months but news of chh.Rajaram's death demoralized the troops on Satara fort and in April Tarbiyat khan dug trenches under Bastion named Manglai, killing a few Marathas and injuring Prayagji Prabhu, this compelled them to handover the fort. It was later recaptured by Marathas in 1706.

Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj I Shahu, heir apparent to the Maratha Empire, was captured by Mughals when he was only seven years old at Raigad.He remained their prisoner until the death of Aurangzeb in 1707.

The dowager Maharani Tarabai proclaimed her son, Shahu's younger half-brother Shahu Sambhaji, as the Chhatrapati Maharaj under her regency. The Mughals released Shahu with intentions sparking a Maratha civil war in 1707. The Marathas would face an internal war for the throne. Shahu returned to the Maratha+ Kingdom and claimed his inheritance.

In 1707, Chattrapati Shahu, the son of Chhatrapati Sambhaji,won Battle of Khed and eventually reached Satara and was crowned Chhatrapati at the Satara fort,later Satara city being his capital. He then went on to rule the Maratha Empire for 42 years, expanding his empire in a large part of India. He was responsible for establishing 13 pethas of Satara city, he also established city of Shahunagar at eastern base of Satara fort,where the throne was later kept. The gaadi(throne)was first kept at Satara fort, he brought it down to the city as the war was over and safety was assured. During his rule Satara was at peak of its political influence and became quite prosperous. He did not have a son so he nominated Tarabai's grandson Rajaram II as heir to the maratha throne. In 1750 due to internal struggle Tarabai imprisoned Chh.Rajaram II, Balaji Bajirao then sieged Satara fort and eventually managed to get her to sign a peace treaty. Treaty of Sangola was signed by Rajaram II ceding powers to Peshwa. Many offices of Maratha administration were transferred from Satara to Pune, Satara lost its political importance and Maratha empire became a confederacy after that. Loosely ruled Rajaram II until December 1777. He was heirless too and hence adopted Chh.Shahu II from Bhosales of Wavi,he ruled till 1808 and was succeeded by Chh.Pratapsinha I.Maratha empire fell to British East India company and Satara became a rump state. Last Maratha emperor Chh.Pratapsinh was accused and charged with treason against the British and his brother was made the king, and he did not have a son. Satara was the first state to be annexed by British Governor-General Dalhousie's policy of ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ in 1848.


A shadow government was established in Satara. during the Quit India movement.

Modern history

Post independence Satara became part of Bombay presidency based on linguistic reorganization. Satara holds significant political power, significantly influencing Maharashtra's political sphere.The direct descendants of Chhatrapati Shivaji continue to live in Satara. Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhonsle is the 13th descendant of Shivaji.

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