Shahaji Bhosale was the eldest son of Maloji Bhonsale of Verul in present day Maharashtra. Maloji Bhosale was a Jagirdar in the court of Adilshah of Bijapur. Maloji was childless for a long time. Two sons were born to him after seeking blessings from a famous Sufi pir named Shah Sharif. In honour of the pir, Maloji named his sons Shahaji and Sharifji.

Shahaji was married to Jijabai, the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhav of Sindkhed. The Jadhav family was a famous Maratha family, and there was some amount of friction between the Jadhavs and the Bhosales. Shahaji was an extremely ambitious and capable general. At various points of time he allied himself with the Adilshah of Bijapur, the Nizamshah of Ahmednagar and the Mughals. His ultimate ambition was to set up an independent kingdom. In this he was not successful. He finally became one of the top generals in the Adilshah's army, accepting a Jahagir in his court, being based in Bangalur (Present day Bangalore in Karnataka). Shahji died c. 1657 while on a hunt, after falling off his horse.

Shahji had 2 sons by Jijabai, Sambhaji and Shivaji. Sambhaji was killed while on a militray expedition in Karnataka. Shahaji had one son Vyankoji or Ekoji by his second wife, who came from the Mohite family. Vyankoji later ruled over the independent Maratha kingdom of Tanjore. Shahji also had 1 son by a dancing-girl. This son, Santaji, fought alongside Shivaji in some of his campaigns in South India.

Shahji's dream of an independent kingdom was made a reality by his second son, the great Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji Bhonsle, also known as Chhatrapati Shri Shivaji Maharaj (February 19, 1630 - April 3, 1680) was the founder of the Maratha empire in western India in 1674. ...