The Shirke is a clan (Gotra) found in several castes such as Koli,[1] Maratha,[2] Agri,[3] found largely in Maharashtra and bordering states of India.

Shirke
शिरके
Clan (Gotra) of Koli, Maratha, Agri castes
Ethnicity
Location
Parent tribeMarathi people
Language
ReligionHindu
Surnames

History edit

The Shirke clan held Deshmukhi rights in the areas of coastal Konkan in present day state of Maharashtra and some inland areas of Western Maharashtra during 15th century under the Bahamani Sultanate and in 16th and 17th century under the successor Deccan sultanates of Adilshahi and Nizamshahi[4] During the Bahamani era, the seat of Shirke fief was at Khelna (Vishalgad).[5] The Shirkes intermarried with the Surves and kept command over their regions. In the mid 17th century, Shivaji, the founder of Maratha empire got the Surve and Shirke to join him by force or by forming marital alliances.[citation needed]

The Shirkes were relatives of 17th Bhosale rulers, Shahaji, Shivaji, Sambhaji, and Rajaram.Although Sambhaji's wife came from the Shirke family, his positions were spied upon. Sambhaji and 25 of his advisors were captured by the Mughal forces of Muqarrab Khan in a skirmish at Sangameshwar in February 1689.[6]

The Shirke were relations and confidantes of the Raja Pratapsinha of the short lived Satara state. He also sent a member of the Shirke family to London to plead his case of restoring him to power in 1839.[7]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Hassan, Syed Siraj ul (1989). The Castes and Tribes of H.E.H. the Nizam's Dominions. New Delhi, India: Asian Educational Services. pp. 335: Koli clans of Maharashtra: Bhagiwant, Budiwant, Bhonsle, Kadam, Aghasee, Chavan, Dagai, Dalvi, Gaekwad, Gowli, Jagtap, Kedar, Kharad, Khirsagar, Namdev, Pawar, Polevas, Shiv, Sirkhi (Shirke), Suryavanshi, Utercha, Sagar, Shaikhacha, Shesh, Vanalpal. ISBN 978-81-206-0488-9.
  2. ^ Karve, Irawati Karmarkar (1953). Kinship Organisation in India. Deccana College Post-graduate and Research Institute. p. 157.
  3. ^ Shrivastavya, Vidayanand Swami (1952). Are Rajput-Maratha Marriages Morganatic?. New Delhi, India, Asia: D.K. Shrivastavya. p. 127.
  4. ^ Kulkarni, G.T. (1992). "Deccan (Maharashtra) Under the Muslim Rulers From Khaljis to Shivaji: A Study in Interaction, Profesor S.M. Katre Felicitation". Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute. 51/52: 501–510. JSTOR 42930434.
  5. ^ Shanti Sadiq Ali (1996). The African Dispersal in the Deccan: From Medieval to Modern Times. Orient Blackswan. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-81-250-0485-1.
  6. ^ Mehta, Jaswant Lal (1 January 2005). Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 9781932705546.
  7. ^ Sumitra Kulkarni (1995). The Satara Raj, 1818-1848: A Study in History, Administration, and Culture. Mittal Publications. pp. 25, 33. ISBN 978-81-7099-581-4.

Further reading edit