Shrimant Rajaram Shivaji Raje Bhonsle Chhatrapati Maharaj (1670-1700 AD) was the younger son of the first Chattrapati Shivaji, step-brother of the second Chattrapati Sambhaji, and took over the Maratha Empire as the third Chattrapati after his brother was tortured and killed by Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb in 1689. He had a very short reign during which he was furiously pursued by the Mughals.

Rajaram suffered from a weak constitution so when Aurangzeb pursued him during 1689 to the Raigadh fort – the Maratha capital, he fled. A renegade Maratha called Suryaji Pisal is supposed to have assisted in Aurangzeb's conquest of the fort.

As Mughals started lying siege to the region around Raigad, the brave widow of Sambhaji, Rani Yesubai sent the young Rajaram to the stronghold of Pratapgad through Kavlya ghat. The Maratha army fought fiercely with Mughals and led the new Maratha King, Rajaram to escape through Kavlya ghat to the town of Jinji (sometimes anglicised to Ginjee) in

Aurangzeb deputed Gajiuddin Firoj Jung against Marathas in the Deccan, but specially sent Zulfikar Khan to capture Jinji which was captured in 1698. Rajaram tried to counter with a siege of the town of Berar, but was checked by Prince Bedarbakht and Zulfikar Khan and had to return.

However, his generals like Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav continued to harass the Mughal army through guerrilla tactics.

Rajaram died of an unspecified illness in 1700 at the Sinhagad fort in present day Maharashtra. Thereafter the Maratha empire suffered a power vacumn until the release of his nephew, Shahuji in 1707. In the interim, Rajaram's wife, Tarabai ruled the empire as regent for her young son. Eventually, Shahuji succedded Rajaram as the fourth Chattrapati.

References

• , v. 2, p. 440.