Sakal Rajkarya Dhurandhar Vishwasnidhi Rajmanya Rajeshri Kanhoji Angre Sarkhel | |
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 18th century Maratha Navy chief | |
| Born | 1669 Suvarnadurg, Maratha Empire (modern day Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India) |
| Died | 4 July 1729 (aged 59–60) Alibag, Maratha Empire (modern day Maharashtra, India) |
| Allegiance | Maratha Empire |
| Service | Maratha Navy |
| Years of service | 1689–1729 |
| Rank | Sar-Subhedar |
| Memorials |
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| Spouse(s) |
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Kanhoji Angre ( [kanʱod͡ʒiː aːŋɡɾe]), also known as Conajee Angria or Sarkhel Angré (August 1669 – 4 July 1729) was a chief of the Maratha Navy in present-day India. Kanhoji became known for attacking and capturing European merchant ships and collecting jakat (known to locals as taxes), seen by Europeans traders and colonists as ransoming of their crews. British, Dutch and Portuguese ships often fell victims to these raids. Despite attempts by the Portuguese and British to put an end to his privateering activities, Angre continued to capture and collect jakat from European merchant ships until his death in 1729. Kanhoji's naval prowess in capturing dozens of European trading ships and avoiding capture has led to many historians to appraise Kanhoji as the most skilled Indian navy chief in the maritime history of India.
Angre was born on the fort Suvarnadurg, near Ratnagari in the year 1667 to mother, Ambabai and father, Tukoji. His father served at Suvarnadurg under Shivaji with a command of 200 posts.[1] Kanhoji's family background attracted much wild speculation amongst European Merchants, travelers and writers in the 18th century, and later. In 2009, modern Dutch Historian, Rene Barendse, specializing in South Asian history as well as history related to the Indian Ocean, summarises that Kanhoji Angre's origin is highly controversial. He writes:
To the British he was of Siddi (east african) descent[a][b] , to the nationalist Maratha literature an impeccable Maratha. According to the Portuguese Angre was of "vile and poor" origins, and he "exercised the office of servant and peon for another Hindu" – most likely he was a Koli. But he adroitly used his vaunted Ethiopian descent to gain ascendancy over the other bands of seafarers and their leaders along the Konkan Coast, a group that the Dutch with some justification called "Shivaji's roving and robbing armadas".[5]
Other sources, mainly Indian, on his family background go into details of each opinion. As per Rajaram Narayan Saletore[who?], his surname "Angre" is derived from Angarwadi; the family's original name was Sankpal, and the family members before Kanhoji were known as Sankpals.[6] Historian Sen believes that Angre's origin is "obscure and he certainly did not belong to the nobility of the land". Citation of the Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino (historical archives of the Portuguese empire) is given to show that Kanhoji started his life as a humble servant of some Hindus in the island of Versova. According to his family history, he was a "Kshatriya" Maratha.[7][8] Historian V. G. Dighe, in 1951, cites G. S. Sardesai's Selections from the Peshwa Daftar, and calls them "blue-blood Marathas" who "would spurn to marry in families lower than those of Deshmukhs, Jadhavs, Jagtaps and Shitoles."[9] However, S.R.Sharma seems to agree with the Portuguese opinions and believes him to have been a "Maratha Koli captain".[10] Little is known about his early life except that he was involved in daring exploits at sea with his father. He spent much of his childhood in the Suvarnadurg Fort. Kanhoji grew up among Koli sailors,[11] and learned seamanship from them.[1]
Angre's career as a Naval commander began in 1685 when the Killedar (fort commander) of Suvranadurg tried to defect to the Siddis of Janjira, an 18 year old Angre took control of the fort and captured the Killedar. When this news reached the Maratha ruler Sambhaji, he was pleased with Kanhoji's loyalty. As a result, Sambhaji made Kanhoji the Killedar (commander) of Suvarnadurg. After the death of Admiral Sidhoji Gujar around 1698, the Maratha Navy survived because of the extensive efforts of Kanhoji Angre. He was originally appointed as Sarkhel or Darya-Saranga (Admiral) by the chief of Satara in c. 1698.[12][better source needed] Under that authority, he was master of the Western coast of India from Mumbai to Vingoria (now Vengurla) in present-day state of Maharashtra, except for the property of the Muslim Siddis of Murud-Janjira who were affiliated with the Mughal Empire.[13][better source needed] Under his leadership, the British naval power was checked along the western coast of India. Kanhoji later swore allegiance to supreme Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shahu and his prime minister Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath. He gained their support to develop naval facilities on the western coast of India, or Konkan. Angre was also placed as chief of 26 forts and fortified places of Maharashtra.[13]
Kanhoji started his career by attacking merchant ships of the East India Company and slowly gained respect from all the European powers. In 1702, he abducted a merchant vessel from Calicut with six English sailors and took it to his harbor.[13] In 1707, he attacked the East Indiaman Bombay which blew up during the fight.[13] In time, the Europeans thought that he could capture any merchant ship except large, heavily armed ships.[13] When Maratha Chhatrapati Shahu ascended the leadership of the Maratha Empire, he appointed Balaji Viswanath Bhat as his Senakarta (Commander) and negotiated an agreement with Angre around 1707. This was partly to appease Angre who supported the other ruler, Tarabai, who claimed the Maratha throne. As per agreement, Angre became head of the Maratha Navy.[13]
Under the leadership of Kanhoji, the Maratha developed a naval base at Vijayadurg featuring dockyard facilities for building vessels, mounting guns, and making the ships sea-worthy. Their naval fleet consisted of ten gurabs/grabs (warship) and fifty gallivats (warboat). A gallivat had a displacement lower than 120 tons, while a grab could go as high as 400 tons.[14] Another ship type used was the Pal (Maratha Man-of-war), which was a cannon-armed, three-masted vessel. The grabs had broadsides of 6 and 9-pounder guns, and carried two 9 or 12-pounders on their main decks. These guns pointed forward through port-holes cut in the bulkheads. The gallivats were mostly armed with light swivel guns, but some also mounted six or eight cannons, either 2 or 4-pounders. These boats were propelled by forty to fifty oars.[15] Even during the reign of Kanhoji Angre, the Maratha Government signed a treaty of friendship with the Portuguese in 1703. As per the treaty, the Portuguese agreed to supply cannon and gunpowder to the Maratha, supplies which they needed as they had only a few cannon foundries producing their own armaments. The Marathas signed a treaty with the Siddi as well, thus concentrating all their forces against the English East India Company. By the beginning of the 18th century, Kanhoji Angre controlled the entire coastline from Sawantwadi to Mumbai, which is the entire coastline of present-day Maharashtra. He built coastal fortifications on almost all creeks, cove, and harbours, such as a fortress or citadel with navigational facilities. The main naval bases were at Bankot, Anjanvel, Jaygad, Vijaydurg and Sindhudurg. Any ship sailing through Maratha territorial waters was to pay a levy called Chouth, which expressed Angre's dominance.[14] To develop a strong navy Angre encouraged shipbuilding. Most of the vessels were built with teak grown near Bombay. Angre also encouraged cultivation of Teak on the western coast to ensure a supply of timber for the boats. to the Angre forces. He built ship building factories at Kolaba fort, Sakharkhadi, Suvarnadurg, and Vijaydurgh. The design of these ships and their durability had been of high quality. Kanhoji also utilized shipbuilding on modern European or more specifically English designs.
Between 1717 and 1720, the East India Company made at least two attempts to defeat the Maratha Navy, but were unsuccessful. In response to a British ship being captured by Kanhoji's seamen, the British attempted to capture Vijayadurg and Khanderi, but these attempts were unsuccessful. In 1720, Angre captured the vessel Charlotte along its owner, a merchant named Curgenven who had been bound to China from Surat.[16] Curgenven would be imprisoned for 10 years.[16]
Crew on Maratha belonged to diverse communities. They included seafaring indigenous communities such as Koli, Bhandari and Kharva.[17]
He also had Muslim staff. Since most of these people were illiterate, Angre employed Europeans, generally Dutch, to command his best vessels.[13] He also employed a Jamaican pirate named James Plantain and entrusted him with significant responsibilities such as the chief gunner post.[18] Angre employed Manuel de Castro, a Portuguese soldier who was about to be punished by the East India Company[19] for his failure in capturing Khanderi Island, which was controlled by Kanhoji Angre.[20]
Kanhoji intensified the attacks on European ships on the western coast of India. On 4 November 1712, his navy even succeeded in capturing the yacht HCS Algerine of the Governor of Bombay, William Aislabie, killing the chief of their Karwar factory, Thomas Chown, and making his wife a prisoner, not releasing the captured yacht and Mrs. Chown until 13 February 1713 for a Jakat/tax of 30,000 Rupees.[24] The release was done along with the return of previously captured territory, hoping that the East India Company will help him in his other wars, but later Angre made an alliance with Balaji Viswanath and continued fighting the company.[citation needed] He seized East Indiamen Somers and Grantham, near Goa as these vessels were on their voyage from England to Bombay.[24] In 1712, he disabled a thirty-gun man-of-war which was conveying Portuguese "armado" and captured it.[24]
Angre eventually signed a treaty with the East India Company President Aislabie to stop harassing the company's fleet. Aislabie would eventually return to England during October 1715.
After the arrival of Charles Boone as the new Governor of Bombay on 26 December 1715, Boone made several attempts to capture Angre. Instead of succeeding, in 1718 Angre captured three East India Company merchant ships, which refused due Jakat/tax and hence ransoming their crews.
On 29 November 1721 a joint attempt by the Portuguese (Viceroy Francisco José de Sampaio e Castro) and the British (General Robert Cowan) to capture Kanhoji proved unsuccessful. This fleet consisted of 6,000 soldiers in four Man of war class ships led by Commander Thomas Mathews. Aided by Maratha warriors including Mendhaji Bhatkar and his navy, Angre continued to harass and plunder the European ships. Commander Matthews returned to Great Britain, but was accused and convicted of trading with the Marathas in December 1723.[citation needed] Also, during 1723, Governor Boone returned to Great Britain. After Boone's departure, relative calm prevailed between the British and Angre, until Angre's death in 1729.[citation needed]
By the time of his death on 4 July 1729, Kanhoji Angre had emerged as a master of the Arabian Sea from Surat to south Konkan. He left behind two legitimate sons, Sekhoji and Sambhaji; four illegitimate sons, Tulaji, Manaji, Yesaji and Dhondji. Angre's Samadhi (tomb) is situated at Shivaji Chowk, Alibag, Maharashtra.[22]
After Kanhoji, his son Sekhoji continued Maratha exploits at sea till his death in 1733. After Sekhoji's death, Angre's holdings were split between two brothers, Sambhaji and Manaji, because of divisions in the family. With the Marathas neglecting naval concerns, the British soon found it easier to defeat the remnants of the kingdom. Angre and his sons' reign over the Western coast ended with the capture of Tulaji in a joint attack on the fort of Gheriah (now Vijaydurg) in February 1756 by the forces of the British East India Company and Maratha Peshwa Balaji Bajirao.[25] The Peshwa's half brother Shamsher Bahadur commanded the Maratha forces.[26]
Three seals have been known to be used by Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre. One during the reign of Chhatrapati Rajaram, and two during the reign of Chhatrapati Shahu.
The three seals, along with their inscriptions and meaning are given below.
| Reigning Chhatrapati | Inscription | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Chhatrapati Rajaram[27] | ॥श्री॥
राजाराम चरणी सादर तुकोजी सुत कान्होजी आंगरे निरंतर |
Shri
Kanhoji, son of Tukoji, Angre is forever present at the feet (service) of Rajaram. |
| Chhatrapati Shahu[28] | ॥श्री॥
राजा शाहू चरणी तत्पर तुकोजी सुत कान्होजी आंगरे सरखेल निरंतर |
Shri
Kanhoji Angre Sarkhel, son of Tukoji, is forever eager at the feet (service) of Shahu. | |
 |
Chhatrapati Shahu[29] | ॥श्री॥
श्री शाहू नृपती प्रि त्या तुकोजी तनुजन्म ना कान्होजी सरखे लस्य मुद्रा जय ति सर्वदा |
Shri
King Shahu's favoured, Tukoji's son, Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre's seal is always victorious. |
Kanhoji Angre stands as one of the most notable admirals of the Maratha Navy who caused significant troubles to the European trading companies. Kanhoji is credited with the foresight that a Blue Water Navy's ultimate and strategic role is to keep the enemy engaged far from the shores of the homeland. At one time, Kanhoji was so successful that he attracted enterprising Europeans in his fleet as mercenaries, including one Dutchman, whom he appointed to the rank of Commodore. At the height of his power, Kanhoji commanded hundreds of warships and thousands of sailors at a time when the Royal Navy had little in the way of naval resources in far-away India that could significantly offset the growing strength of the Maratha Navy.[citation needed]
Kanhoji's harassment of British commercial interests and the English victory over the Portuguese at Swally led them to establish a small naval force that eventually became the modern Indian Navy. Today, a statue of Angre stands in Indian Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. While the original fort built by Angre that overlooked the Naval Docks has vanished, its boundary wall is still intact and within it lays the Headquarters of Indian Western Naval Command and is called INS Angre (Indian Naval Station Angre).
The descendants of Angres continued to live in Kolaba till the 1840s and in 1843, the city was annexed to East India Company as per a despatch to Governor General of Bombay dated 30 December 1843.[30]
Chandrojirao Angre, a descendant of Kanhoji Angre, and his distant cousin, Jijabai Angre (later Parvatibai Puar, of Dewas Junior) supported the publication of History of the Angres in 1939 at Alibag Mumbai.[30]
