My Favourite Hero in History, Complete English Essay, Paragraph, Speech for Class 9, 10, 11, 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.

My Favourite Hero in History

My favorite hero in history is Shivaji. He was a nation-builder. He fought against the tyranny of Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. He was a protector of the weak and the poor.

He was born in 1627. His father, Shahji Bhonsle, had a jagir from the Sultan of Bijapur. His mother, Jijabai, was a devout lady. She had a great contribution in the formation of his character.

He was not sent to school. His tutor, Dadaji Kondev, taught him not only the three but also the art of fighting. His mother told him stories of the heroes of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Besides, she inculcated in him love of religion. The influence of Marathi poets, Ramdas and Tukaram was also great in this respect.

From his childhood he had the making of a great hero. While he was still a boy, he began his activities as a daring chief. He gathered round him a band of royal warriors. With their help, he conquered fort after fort. When he had conquered Konkan, the Sultan of Bijapur sent against him a large army under Afzal Khan, Afzal Khan was, however, killed and his army routed.

Shivaji then, began to conquer the land of the Mughals. Aurangzeb was annoyed at Shivaji’s activities. He, therefore, sent his uncle, Shaista Khan, to fight against him. Shivaji succeeded in putting Shaista Khan to fight. Aurangzeb then sent Raja Jai Singh against him. The Raja gained some success. Peace was made between Shivaji and the Mughal Emperor. The Raja persuaded Shivaji to visit the Mughal court. He went to Delhi where he was imprisoned. He managed to escape in a basket of sweets. He returned to his land disguised as a Sadhu.

Raja Jaswant Singh was sent again against Shivaji. The Raja wanted to have friendly relations with Shivaji and requested Aurangzeb to grant him the title of Raja in 1667. But in 1670, war again broke out. Now Shivaji was powerful enough to demand Chauth from those who enjoyed the protection of Aurangzeb. In 1676 Shivaji declared himself as independent king. The great hero died at Raigarh four years later.

Shivaji was a man of high character. He was truthful, wise of men and a lover of humanity. and valiant. He was generous to his enemies. He was a born leader

He is regarded as a national hero. He founded a Hindu Kingdom in the Deccan. He defended Hinduism against the attack of the Muslims. He united the Marathas into a strong and powerful nation and infused a new spirit into them. He was a brave fighter and an able administrator. He was a great diplomat, an astute stateman and an intelligent tactician.

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