Shivaji Bhosle (19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), with the royal title Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a Maratha king from the Bhosle dynasty who founds the Maratha empire.
Shivaji leads a resistance to free the Marathas from the Sultanate of Bijapur, and establish the rule of the natives ("Hindavi Swarajya").
He creates an independent Maratha kingdom with Raigad as its capital, and fights with the Mughals to defend his kingdom successfully.
He is crowned as Chhatrapati of the Maratha Kingdom in 1674.
He achieveds the reestablishment of Maratha rule on their homeland after being ruled and dominated by various Muslim dynasties for few hundred years.
He establishes a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of well regulated and disciplined military and well structured administrative organizations.
The prevalent practices of treating women as war booty, destruction of religious monuments, slavery and forceful religious conversions are firmly opposed under his administration.
Shivaji is a religious Hindu, and shows respect toward other religions.
He also innovateds rules of military engagement of this era.
He pioneers "Shiva sutra" or Ganimi Kava (guerrilla tactics), which leverage strategic factors like demographics, speed, surprise and focused attack to defeat his bigger and more powerful enemies.
