Shivaji was Great a King and Brave King, Little Kingdom Lion King

At the age of 20, he attacked some forts belonging to the sultan of Bijapur and successfully captured them. The sultan took revenge by arresting Shivaji's father. The however, did not shake the determination of Shivaji. Afzal khan's death gave an easy victory to the Marathas upon the army of Bijapur. Shivaji captured Bijapur and established the Maratha Empire in large tracks of land in the Deccan.

Shivaji had qualities of head and heart. He had a genius for warfare but was at the same time fair to his people although a disciplinarian, he looked after the interests of the people and gave them and gave them protection and good food. He was in favor of breaking the power of richer sections of the society and distributing the booty among poor peasants and workers. The property and the land which got after death of rich land lords was distributed by him equally among the fillers.

He was born in a hill forests in the Western Ghats in Maharastra. Shivaji father an officer in the army of the sultan of Bijapur. Shivaji was brought up by his mother Jijibai, as his father mostly stayed away on army duty. Jijibai was a very of the brave Pandavas and the noble Rama and narrated to him the wonderful things that the ancient heroes of India had done.

At an early age, he took to riding as a hobby and as martial art. He also learnt that art of shooting at an early age, when he was still a young boy; he gathered around him a large number of young boys and became their leader.

He was called by the title of Chatrapati.

Shivaji captured more forts of sultan Bijapur. Sultan sent his general Afzal khan with a large of army to outs Shivaji from the fort and to capture him. As Afzal khan's army approached Shivaji's fort, Shivaji went in to the hills with his men and waited for Afzal khan at Partapgarh Instead of attacking. Afzal khan suggested a meeting for settling the dispute with out fighting. Afzal khan came with a dagger hidden in his sleeve but Shivaji had worn a steel helmet under his turban and a coat of iron beneath his dress. First, the two seemed to be embracing but people soon realized that they were fighting. In this fight Afzal khan was killed.

Shivaji now decided to test his strength against the Mughal and started raiding their territory. Aurangzeb's armies fought Shivaji for nearly twenty years with out any success. Shivaji used guerilla tactics to attack Mughal armies. Aurangzeb's got so fed up with Shivaji's tactics that he decided to lay trap for him.

He invited him Agra, the Mughal capital, along with many other chieftains. Shivaji daringly walked in to the Mughal court but Aurangzeb's ordered his arrest. Shivaji was, however, too clever for the Mughal guards and escaped from the fort hidden in large basket of sweets. On reaching home, he took over again the rule of the Mughal Empire.