Soyarabai

Soyarabai was the second wife of Shivaji. She was by all accounts dazzling in her beauty. She was also very political minded and it is said that she tried to influence her husband Shivaji in every possible way, but did not succeed much because Shivaji himself was an exceptional genius, and knew well how to handle the petty politics put forward by Soyrabai.

Soyrabai was jealous of her setp-son Sambhaji, who was the rightful king after the untimely demise of Shivaji Maharaj and tried all means to dethrone him after Shivaji's death. She wanted her own son Rajaram to have an upper hand in the political structure of the Maratha empire, who was neither as brave nor as prudent and wise as Sambhaji. She was also rumoured to have poisoned her husband Shivaji because she thought he may give all of his kingdom to Sambhaji since he was his favorite.Sambhaji however did not succumb to these attempts and executed all Soyrabai's followers. Finally, full of repentance, she killed herself by drinking poison. In spite of the cruel treatment meted out to him by Soyrabai, Sambhaji Maharaj performed her last rites with the greatest respect.

ee also

* Shivaji
* Rajaram
* Maratha Empire