Shahaji Raje Bhosale was the father of the legendary leader of the Marathas, Chatrapati Shivaji. He was the eldest son of Maloji Raje Bhosale of Verul, and the chief person responsible for bringing the house of the Bhosales into prominence. A number of Hindus were appointed by the Islamic ruler Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur to various key positions. Shahaji was an extremely ambitious and capable general. He was well known for his military skills and it has been said that Maharaja Shahaji had not lost a single battle in his entire life which made him the prominent Maratha legend, who was treated even at par with Nizam and Adil Shah. When Maharaja Shahaji was serving in the Adil Shahi court, he was awarded the title of Farzand (someone placed much higher than a chief commanding an army of 10,000) which was equivalent to the designation of a Prince. Thus, Maharaja Shahaji was highly revered in the Adil Shahi court.

The ultimate aim of Shahaji was to set up an independent kingdom of the Marathas. For this he allied himself with the Adil Shahis of Bijapur, the Nizamshah of Ahmednagar and the Mughals at various points of time. He tried on two occasions, first one after the brutal murder of his father-in-law Lakhuji Rao Jadhav (father of Jijabai ) and second in 1636. The second attempt was a formidable challenge. Shahaji was a most successful commander and accomplished a lot in his military pursuits.

When Shivaji was young, he started on his conquests and went about capturing territories that were controlled by Adil Shah around Pune. Adil Shah, alarmed by the activities of Shivaji in particular, deceitfully captured Shahaji and imprisoned him as he suspected that Shahaji encouraged Shivaji. Two expeditions were sent simultaneously against Shivaji and his elder brother Sambhaji, who defeated the Adil Shahi forces. Shivaji meanwhile approached the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan asking for help against Adil Shah. Fearing another Mughal campaign against Bijapur, Adil shah released Shahaji from prison. However the elder son Sambhaji was killed during an expedition due to the treacherous role of Afzal Khan. Later Shivaji killed Afzal Khan. Similarly, Shaista Khan had defeated Shahaji in his second attempt. Shivaji in a daring attack severed three of Shaista`s fingers and forced him to retreat.

Thus these events proved that Shahaji had taken a sensible decision in keeping Shivaji in the original stronghold of Pune barring which, like Shahaji, Shivaji would have been imprisoned or killed like his elder brother. This period of crisis was overcome by sacrifice and personal bonds of this royal family. Shahaji actively supported Shivaji in his earlier enterprises, like the campaign against Afzal Khan. Sensing treachery by Afzal Khan, Shahaji was waiting near Bijapur with his army of seventeen thousand. He had warned Badi Begum of Adilshah that, if Afzal Khan and his Adilshahi forces killed Shivaji by deceit, then there wouldn`t remain even a brick of the Adil Shahi kingdom.

Shahaji died in 1665 while on a hunt, after falling off his horse.