Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

The land of Maharashtra , in central-west India, was ruled by a local dynasty, the Satavahanas from 300 BC to 230 AD. After which, it constantly morphed into many different kingdoms.

In 1292, Ala-ud-din Khilji, an Islamic invader, defeated the Raja Ramdevray Yadava of Devagiri, but the Yadavas continued to rule till 1310 under his son Harpaldev. A branch of the Yadavas ruled parts of Konkan and Khandesh regions of Maharashtra for a century thereafter[citation needed]. Although the Maratha capitals fell to invaders, the regional lords held their power base and influence. In 1453, an invasion of Bahamani in the region of Vishalgarh resulted in a defeat of Yadavas. Over time, an understanding evolved between the sultanates, and the local regional lords and their erstwhile master Yadavas. The Yadavas became a vassal of Bahamani. In 1492, the Bahamani sultanate broke into five kingdoms each called a Shahi.

In 1565, the allied Deccan sultanates vanquished the Vijayanagara Empire at Talikota. By the time Shivaji began his military career, power in the region was shared by three Sultanates - Bijapur, Ahmednagar, and Golconda. Most of the Marathas continued as soldiers and noblemen of the Sultanates as the sultanates engaged in a continuous game of mutual alliances and aggressions. Like his ancestors, Shahaji (Shivaji's father) was a major player in the Deccan Wars. At that time, Shahaji was a regent for the young Nizam of Ahmednagar. Together with the prime minister of Nizamshah, Malik Amber, he put up a stiff resistance to the advancing forces of the Mughal emperor and thereafter defeated them. However, tired of the unsettled conditions, Shahaji Raje left Nizamshah's service and joined Adilshah of Bijapur, who gave him a higher title of 'Sar Lashkar'

The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan again attacked the Ahmednagar Kingdom of Nizamshah. At this critical hour, Shahaji Raje returned to the military service of Nizamshah to help stiffen-up the defences. Meanwhile, a prominent Maratha sardar Lakhuji Jadavrao was murdered on the order of the Nizamshah, and this was not acceptable to Shahaji, and it prompted him to raise the banner of independence and establish an independent kingdom.

It was during unsettled period that Shivaji was born. The actual date of Shivaji's birth was under controversy but now settled on date as 19 February 1630. Shivaji was born on Shivneri Fort, Junnar, 60 kilometres north of Pune and about 100 kilometres east of Mumbai. He was named Shiva, after the local Goddess Shivai, to whom his mother Jijabai had prayed for a son. Jijabai had four sons before Shivaji, 3 died and one Sambhaji survived, Shivaji was the youngest one. Sambhaji lived with father Shahaji at bangloor (present day Bengalaroo)

Shahaji, Shivaji's father, attempted to build on the ruins of the Nizamshahi kingdom of Ahmednagar, but was defeated by a much larger combined force of the Mughals and Adilshah in 1636. He was forced to leave the region around Pune. He was inducted by Adilshah of Bijapur and was offered a distant jagir - land holdings, at present-day Bangalore, but he was allowed to keep his old land tenures and holdings in Pune.

Shivaji started his rise to power in what is now the state of Maharashtra in the coastal Deccan or central western regions, close to the power centres of South-Central India.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivaji