Anandrao

Little is known about the early life of Anandrao. According to Sabhasad Bakhar, he initially served Shahaji, the father of Shivaji. Later, along with Venkoji Datto, Anandrao entered the service of Shivaji himself. Sabhasad describes Anandrao and Venkoji as distinguished and renowned military generals who joined Shivaji. Shivaji appointed Anandrao as panch hazari, placing him in command of five thousand cavalry. This was the second most important officer position within the Maratha army after the Senapati during Shivaji’s reign. The bakhar also refers to Anandrao as the fostered son of Shahaji. In a 1674 letter, he is mentioned in an assembly as "Anandrau bin Lakhmoji Naik" (meaning Anandrao, son of Lakhmoji Naik), suggesting that Lakhmoji Naik was his father.{{cite book |last=Joshi |first=Shankar Narayan |title=Marāṭhekālīna samājadarzana |year=1960 |publisher=Itihāsa samśodhaka Saṅkarar-ava Jośī satkāra samiti |page=95 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pk2aORjJhHgC&q=%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%8A%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8%20%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%88%E0%A4%95}} Lakhmoji Naik, who held the title of Dinkarrao, was initially in Shahaji’s service and later served Jijabai.{{cite book |last=Rajwade |first=V. K. |title=Marāṭhyāñcyā Itihāsācī Sādhane, Volume II, Letter no. 414 |volume=XV |url=https://samagrarajwade.com/marathyanchya-itihasachi-sadhane-khand-1/marathyanchya-itihasachi-sadhane-khand-15/item/3706-khand15-12}} He is sometimes referred to as Lakhmoji Raje.{{cite book |last=Rajwade |first=V. K. |title=Marāṭhyāñcyā Itihāsācī Sādhane, Volume II, Letter no. 373 |volume=XV |url=https://samagrarajwade.com/marathyanchya-itihasachi-sadhane-khand-1/marathyanchya-itihasachi-sadhane-khand-15/item/3529-khand15-12}} It is also believed that Raghoji Mitra, mentioned in the Sabhasad Bakhar, was none other than Lakhmoji Naik himself, who accompanied Shivaji to Agra. The titles Dinkarrao and Mitra both symbolize the Hindu sun god, Surya.

In 1666, after signing the Treaty of Purandar, Shivaji traveled to Agra to meet the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. However, he was arrested following an incident at the Mughal court. Taking advantage of Shivaji's detention, Adilshahi generals Pirmiya and Tajkhan launched attacks on Maratha territory. In November 1666, they captured the town of Devrukh near Vishalgad, establishing it as a military base for further operations. Their next objective was the fort of Vishalgad. To counter this threat, Maratha forces under the command of Anandrao and Venkoji Datto were dispatched on 12 November 1666.{{cite book |last=Deshmukh |first=Vijaya |title=Śakakarte Śivarāya |year=1980 |publisher=Chatrapatī Sevā Pratishṭhāna, Prakāśana |page=705 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/%C5%9Aakakarte_%C5%9Aivar%C4%81ya/IgpuAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE+%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B5&dq=%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE+%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B5&printsec=frontcover}} By the end of the month, a battle took place near Devrukh between the Marathas and the Adilshahi forces. In this engagement, both Pirmiya and Tajkhan were killed, and the Adilshahi army was defeated.{{cite book |last=Purandare |first=Balavanta Moreśvara |title=Rāja Śivachatrapati |year=1965 |publisher=Rājahas̃a Prakāśana |page=248 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/R%C4%81ja_%C5%9Aivachatrapati/qw1uAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE+%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8&dq=%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE+%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8&printsec=frontcover}} The Marathas captured one elephant and several horses as spoils of war.

In August 1668, following his escape from Agra, Shivaji concluded a temporary peace with the Aurangzeb. As part of the agreement, he dispatched Sambhaji, Prataprao Gujar, and Anandrao with cavalry forces to serve under the Mughal prince Muhammad Mu'azzam, who was stationed in Aurangabad. However, the treaty proved short-lived, and in December 1669, both commanders returned to Rajgad on Shivaji's orders, without informing the Subahdar of Aurangabad.

After the treaty with the Mughals was broken, Shivaji launched a large-scale military campaign against the Mughal Empire in 1670, which he had been preparing for some time. Anandrao accompanied Shivaji in this campaign. The Marathas first attacked Junnar in August 1670 and then advanced north through Nashik towards Baglan. The Maratha forces under Anandrao, successfully raided Mughal camps and outposts in the Baglan and Khandesh regions.

{{Main|Battle of Salher}}

{{Main|Battle of Umrani}}

After the sudden death of Prataprao Gujar, the Senapati of the Marathas, at the Battle of Nesari in February 1674, the position of Senapati remained vacant. Shivaji began searching for a suitable general to appoint as the new Senapati of the Maratha army. During this time, Anandrao wrote a letter to Shivaji, stating that he should not be disheartened by Prataprao's death and that Anandrao was continuing in his place. Consequently, Shivaji appointed Anandrao as the new Senapati and instructed him to lead the army against Bahlol Khan. This appointment and related events are documented in a letter dated 4 April 1674, written by Narayan Shenvi, a representative of the East India Company stationed at Raigad, and sent to the Deputy Governor of Bombay.

{{Blockquote|The Rajah Sevajee intended to proceed for Currall to give new orders to his army and to create a new Generall of his horse in the roome of Pertab Roy (Prataprao) who fell in the encounter of Sevajees army with Bulloll Ckaun (Bahlol Khan) in a narrow passage betwixt two hills who with six horsemen more were slaine, being not succored by the rest of the army, so that Bulloll Ckaun remain victorious, but Annand Roy (Anandrao) Lieutenant sent Sevajee word that he should not resent his Generalls death, he remayning in his stead, on which Sevajee ordered Amand Roy to succeed him (Prataprao) in quality and pay, and not to returne alive without being victorious against his enemys. And Anond Roy being a valiant person, on his masters order mooved with the whole body of his horse farr into the enemys country in search of Bulloll Ckaun.}}

{{Main|Shivaji's Southern Campaign}}

Several branches of the Maratha Thorat clan trace their lineage to Anandrao or assert their affiliation with his ancestral line.{{cite book |last=Thorat |first=M. B. |title=Aitihāsika sanadā va patre |year=1973 |publisher=Itihāsa Sas̃́odhana Maṇḍaḷa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ti1fbNkLoLUC}}

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Category:People from the Maratha Empire

Category:17th-century Indian people

Category:Maratha generals