Shivaji Raje Bhosle (Marathi: शिवाजीराजे भोसले, /ʃiʋaˑɟiˑraˑɟeˑ bʱoˑs(ə)leˑ/) (February 19, 1627 – April 3, 1680), popularly known as Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Marathi: छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज, /cʰət̪rəpət̪i ʃiʋaˑɟiˑ məɦaˑraˑɟ/) was a king of medieval India, who laid the foundations of the Maratha Empire.

Shivaji was the son of Shahaji Bhosle and Jijabai. Shahaji was a Maratha general who rendered military services to the Deccan Sultanates of Ahmadnagar and Bijapur. Shivaji espoused the ideology of Hindavi Swarajya (self-rule of the natives), and succeeded in establishing control of a well-defended segment of the present state of Maharastra in western India, during his lifetime. Shivaji's ideology of Hindavi Swarajya and subsequent expansion of the Maratha Empire, was partly responsible for re-establishment of Hindu rule and its re-emergent assertiveness throughout the mainland of present day India after being ruled and dominated by various Muslim dynasties for several centuries. The ideology of Hindavi Swarajya was in part the inspiration that propelled the succeeding generation of Marathas to establish independent kingdom in India prior to their eventual defeat by the British Empire. Shivaji established and set up a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of well regulated and disciplined military and well structured administrative organizations. The prevalent practices of treating women as war booty, destruction of religious monuments, slavery and forceful religious conversions were firmly opposed under his administration. Shivaji was a religious Hindu, but showed respect toward other religions. Shivaji innovated rules of military engagement of that era. He pioneered Ganimi Kava (in Marathi), or guerrilla tactics, which leveraged strategic factors like demographics, speed, surprise and focused attack to defeat his bigger and more powerful enemies.