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EPIC LETTER OF MARATHA NAVY SAR-I-KHEL KANHOJIRAJE ANGRE 🚩
Maratha Navy Grand Admiral Sar-I-Khel Kanhoji Angre Sakpal composed this response to President of British East India Company.
Offers exclusive look at Maratha Statecraft Philosophy on
Violence, Punishment, & More!
Maratha Navy Grand Admiral Sar-I-Khel Kanhoji Angre Sakpal composed this response to President of British East India Company.
Offers exclusive look at Maratha Statecraft Philosophy on
Violence, Punishment, & More!
FIRST Letter to the British 📜
24th May, 1724 CE. To East India Company President William Phipps.
By Sarkhel Kanhojiraje Angre, asking the British for a ceasefire, for sake of innocent locals' security.
Kanhoji nobly speaks of how poor local people suffered in these conflicts.
24th May, 1724 CE. To East India Company President William Phipps.
By Sarkhel Kanhojiraje Angre, asking the British for a ceasefire, for sake of innocent locals' security.
Kanhoji nobly speaks of how poor local people suffered in these conflicts.
British Response Letter SUMMARY —
• The British accused Angre of following policy of Anti-merchantile avaricious aggressions (against them).
• The British "believed" Sarkhel Kanhoji could become world renowned & his cities equal to Surat if:
1. Angres favoured commerce...
• The British accused Angre of following policy of Anti-merchantile avaricious aggressions (against them).
• The British "believed" Sarkhel Kanhoji could become world renowned & his cities equal to Surat if:
1. Angres favoured commerce...
...
2. Slowed down their Aggressions
3. Allowed "Fair Trade" (Freedom to British Colonialists)
• Britishers subtly implied that Angres were responsible for conflicts with European Invaders so far.
• EICo. President claimed he understood Maratha Philosophy of Conquest.
...
2. Slowed down their Aggressions
3. Allowed "Fair Trade" (Freedom to British Colonialists)
• Britishers subtly implied that Angres were responsible for conflicts with European Invaders so far.
• EICo. President claimed he understood Maratha Philosophy of Conquest.
...
...
• Coming to the main point of the letter, The East India Company President had promised that cordial relationship between Britishers & Marathas if Kanhojirao released British prisoners.
This letter by Sar-I-Khel Kanhojiraje Angre is in response to these statements of EICo.
• Coming to the main point of the letter, The East India Company President had promised that cordial relationship between Britishers & Marathas if Kanhojirao released British prisoners.
This letter by Sar-I-Khel Kanhojiraje Angre is in response to these statements of EICo.
RESPONSE 📜
Sar-I-Khel Kanhojiraje Angre responded to these points in his letter by stating that:
• The Angres had always encouraged commerce, provided Colonial merchants followed all legal laws of Hindupat Padshahi & on failing to do so Kanhojiraje rightfully punished them...
Sar-I-Khel Kanhojiraje Angre responded to these points in his letter by stating that:
• The Angres had always encouraged commerce, provided Colonial merchants followed all legal laws of Hindupat Padshahi & on failing to do so Kanhojiraje rightfully punished them...
• Kanhoji mocked the overemphasis on Free Trade as the only path to state-building, clearly poking at British Colonialist attempts to legitimise their crimes.
• Kanhoji openly calls out the British attempts to put all blame of the conflicts upon him and mocks them on the same.
• Kanhoji openly calls out the British attempts to put all blame of the conflicts upon him and mocks them on the same.
• Kanhojiraje Angre even goes on to target Colonialism directly!:
"For as (far as) touching the (topic of the) desire of possessing what is anothers, I do not even find Merchants exempt from this sort of ambition...!"
• Maratha philosophy of conquest is laid out as well...
"For as (far as) touching the (topic of the) desire of possessing what is anothers, I do not even find Merchants exempt from this sort of ambition...!"
• Maratha philosophy of conquest is laid out as well...
...
• Maratha philosophy of conquest as illustrated by Kanhoji Angre states that God does not really five anything shredded from his own infinite bounty but takes limited possessions from one person/community in order to gift another person/community.
• As far as violence...
• Maratha philosophy of conquest as illustrated by Kanhoji Angre states that God does not really five anything shredded from his own infinite bounty but takes limited possessions from one person/community in order to gift another person/community.
• As far as violence...
...
• Angre stated that Violence being foundation of Maratha Empire wass an obviously rational mode of nation-building, considering that Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaja (invoked after over 4 decades of his demise) battled 4 "Kings" (Ottoman Adilshahs, Mughals, Braganzas, Habeshas)
• Angre stated that Violence being foundation of Maratha Empire wass an obviously rational mode of nation-building, considering that Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaja (invoked after over 4 decades of his demise) battled 4 "Kings" (Ottoman Adilshahs, Mughals, Braganzas, Habeshas)
• To use aggressive enterprising policies for establishing a just, functional Dharmic Swarajya when threatened by 4 Invaders is the only rational pathway.
• Kanhoji Angre goes on to take digs at the Colonialist British House of Hanover as a mere plutocratic state...
• Kanhoji Angre goes on to take digs at the Colonialist British House of Hanover as a mere plutocratic state...
• Maratha Sarkhel Kanhojiraje Angre takes one of the earliest and most direct digs against the British Colonialists in history:
"It little behoves (mere) merchants, I am sure, to say our Government is supported by violence, insults, and piracies..."
"It little behoves (mere) merchants, I am sure, to say our Government is supported by violence, insults, and piracies..."
• Kanhojiraje Angre also makes what appears to be a reference to the 27 Years War of Hindu Liberation (1680 to 1707 CE), in which the Hindu Marathas defeated and broke the mighty Islamic Mughal Empire, which had ended just 17 years before this particular letter penned down.
• Sarkhel Kanhojiraje Angre then makes his stance on his aggressively punitive policy very clear, that while he will always encourage commerce and trade, anyone who has transgressed the laws of Hindupat Padshahi would be duly punished.
Also as far as the matter of Economic...
Also as far as the matter of Economic...
...
• Exaltation that favouring Colonialist agendas in Indian coastlines would bring to Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre was concerned, Kanhojiraje Angre believed in leaving matters of his own selfish exaltation to Divine Will (God), and only concerning himself with his own duties.
• Exaltation that favouring Colonialist agendas in Indian coastlines would bring to Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre was concerned, Kanhojiraje Angre believed in leaving matters of his own selfish exaltation to Divine Will (God), and only concerning himself with his own duties.
• Kanhojiraje Angre then goes on to remind William Phipps about his malicious predecessor Charles Boone who was responsible for ruining Maratha-European relations in the first place.
We shall now digress, and take a look at Charles Boone's antics against the Angres.
We shall now digress, and take a look at Charles Boone's antics against the Angres.
CHARLES BOONE v. The Maratha Empire 🚩
Charles Boone began the British Colonialist aggressions against the Maratha Empire on following grounds:
1) "That Kanhoji Angre captured English ships, when in reality he impounded illegal vessels that trespassed Maratha waters without...
Charles Boone began the British Colonialist aggressions against the Maratha Empire on following grounds:
1) "That Kanhoji Angre captured English ships, when in reality he impounded illegal vessels that trespassed Maratha waters without...
...
paying due taxes to the Maratha Empire."
2) "That Kanhoji Angre's ships refuse to pay Harbour Tax to British Bombay Estate, for parking in their OWN country's coasts!"
Such was British audacity, to claim taxes from Indians for parking ships in their own nation's coasts!
paying due taxes to the Maratha Empire."
2) "That Kanhoji Angre's ships refuse to pay Harbour Tax to British Bombay Estate, for parking in their OWN country's coasts!"
Such was British audacity, to claim taxes from Indians for parking ships in their own nation's coasts!
3) "That Kanhoji Angre's sailors forcibly removed timber from British Ships"
In truth, this timber was harvested by the British Colonisers from Indian territories itself without any sanction. Marathas simply seized back Indian raw products back for their OWN country rightfully.
In truth, this timber was harvested by the British Colonisers from Indian territories itself without any sanction. Marathas simply seized back Indian raw products back for their OWN country rightfully.
We can see how likes of Charles Boone forcibly tried to misrepresent Kanhojiraje Angre as a pirate while British East India Company as a legitimate body in eyes of the British public back home in Britain.
This was how the EICo. could grow unopposed by British citizens.
This was how the EICo. could grow unopposed by British citizens.
We now return back to the Letter of Kanhojiraje Angre to William Phipps 📜
• Kanhoji Angre finally comes to main topic of prisoner exchange in order to restore peace in Indian coastlines & agrees to the proposal provided the British released Indian captives in equal numbers.
• Kanhoji Angre finally comes to main topic of prisoner exchange in order to restore peace in Indian coastlines & agrees to the proposal provided the British released Indian captives in equal numbers.
With this the letter ends.
We can see Maratha Navy Sar-I-Khel Kanhojiraje Angre was a noble man of justice, integrity, maturity and clear-sightedness.
His governance and bloodline alone had more legitimacy what the entire European Continent could furnish in those days.
We can see Maratha Navy Sar-I-Khel Kanhojiraje Angre was a noble man of justice, integrity, maturity and clear-sightedness.
His governance and bloodline alone had more legitimacy what the entire European Continent could furnish in those days.
Maratha Navy Grand Admiral Sar-I-Khel Kanhojiraje Angre was a highborn Kulin Kshatriya Mahratta of the Shankhapala Rashtrakuta clan serving under Hindupat Padshahi Empire of the Mahratta Chattrapati Bhonsale dynasty.
His governance was disciplined and duty-bound as proven here.
His governance was disciplined and duty-bound as proven here.
We pay our Salutations to the Daryāsarang Samudrātlā Shivāji, Shivaji of the Seas, Kanhoji.
His very name caused tremors in courts of Britain, Portugal, Dutchlands, France, Janjira.
Statement by Angre Maratha family clarifying they are Kulin Kshatriya Marathas of Sankpal Clan.
His very name caused tremors in courts of Britain, Portugal, Dutchlands, France, Janjira.
Statement by Angre Maratha family clarifying they are Kulin Kshatriya Marathas of Sankpal Clan.
SOURCES:
• The Angreys of Colaba in British Records, by B.K.Shrivastavya, p. 9 to 12.
• Private Anti-Piracy Navies: How Warships for Hire are Changing Maritime Security, by John J. Pitney, Jr., John-Clark Levin, p. 11
• Philip Macdougall's Naval Resistence, p. 98-99
• The Angreys of Colaba in British Records, by B.K.Shrivastavya, p. 9 to 12.
• Private Anti-Piracy Navies: How Warships for Hire are Changing Maritime Security, by John J. Pitney, Jr., John-Clark Levin, p. 11
• Philip Macdougall's Naval Resistence, p. 98-99
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