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Yesaji Angre was a military commander and the youngest son of Kanhoji Angre, the famed Maratha Navy admiral from his wife Gahinabai Bhonsle. He spent his naval career under the service of his elder half-brother Sambhaji Angre. The Gwalior branch of the Angre family was descended from him.

Career

After the death of Sekhoji Angre, the sarkhel (supreme commander or admiral) of the Maratha Navy, his younger brother Sambhaji Angre succeeded him as sarkhel. Upon Sambhaji Angre's succession as sarkhel, Yesaji Angre was given charge of administrative and civil duties of the Kolaba Fort. Shortly after, Manaji Angre quarreled with his brothers (including Yesaji), and unable to hold his ground against his brothers' superior force, took shelter with the Portuguese at Lower Chaul or Revdanda. From Revdanda Manaji gathered a few troops, launched a surprise attack on the Kolaba Fort and successfully captured it. With the Peshwa's aid, he also defeated and captured Yesaji. According to the Maritime History Society, Yesaji was subsequently executed, while the Kolaba district gazetteer does not mention it.

Personal life

Yesaji Angre was the last and youngest child born to Kanhoji Angre, a famed and powerful admiral in the Maratha Navy, by his third wife Gahinabai of the Bhonsle family. Dhondji was his elder sibling, Sekhoji and Sambhaji, were the sons of Kanhoji from Rajubai and two sons- Manaji and Tulaji, were his half brothers from Lakshmibai.

Yesaji fathered three children, two of them sons- Mawji by his wife Krishnabai and Baburao by his wife Kashibai. The third was a daughter named Maina Bai, who married Anandrao Scindia, nephew of Mahadji Shinde and became the mother of Daulat Rao Scindia, the ruler of Gwalior Kingdom. His children settled at the court of the Scindia kings of Gwalior, and achieved remarkable success, serving as hereditary prime ministers or in other influential positions for over two centuries.

Descendants

At times the powerful Angre family of Gwalior tried to claim the throne of Kolaba for themselves, but failed. Chandrojirao Angre, Yesaji's descendant, distinguished himself as the champion of Hinduism and was popularly called "Dharmvir". Chandrojirao Angre's son Sambhaji Angre was an influential politician and strong supporter of Vijaya Raje Scindia, and was involved in a legal fight against Madhavrao Scindia over property issues and the will of the late Vijaya Raje Scindia.

References

1. The Angreys Of Kolaba In British Records.
2. Sharma, Yogesh (2010). Coastal Histories: Society and Ecology in Pre-modern India. Primus Books. ISBN 978-93-80607-00-9.
3. ^ Downfall of Angre's Navy, Or, A Contemporary Narrative of the Siege of Gheria (Vijayadurga). Mumbai Marathi Granthsangrahalaya. 1967.
4. Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Nagpur district. Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State. 1964.
5. Saletore, Rajaram Narayan (1978). Indian Pirates. Concept Publishing Company.
6. Downfall of Angre's Navy, Or, A Contemporary Narrative of the Siege of Gheria (Vijayadurga) Page 18
7. ^ "The Gazetteers Department- KOLABA".
8. "The Legacy of the Angre's on the Western Coast of India – Maritime History Society".
9. State), Bombay (India (1883). Gazetteer. Government Central Press.
10. "Sambhaji Rao Angre | The Indian Portrait".
11. Dhabu, Damodar Gopal. Kulabkar Angre (in Marathi). Shivsamarth Prakashan. p. 254. ISBN 978-8194085928.
12. Sardesai, Govind Sakharam (1946). New History of the Marathas. Phoenix Publications.
13. Shrivastavya, Vidayanand Swami (1952). Are Rajput-Maratha Marriages Morganatic?. D.K. Shrivastavya.
14. Malgonkar, Manohar (1 January 1987). Last Maharani of Gwalior, The: An Autobiography. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-1-4384-1924-4.
15. "Angre, master of palace intrigue". www.telegraphindia.com.

• People from the Maratha Confederacy
• People from Alibag