Dhanaji Jadhav Dhanaji Shambhusinha Jadhav ( 1650 – 1708 ) , popularly known as Dhanaji Jadhav , was a warrior of the Maratha Empire . Along with Santaji Ghorpade he made terrifying campaigns against Mughal Army from 1689 to 1696 . After Santaji , Dhanaji became the chief of the Maratha army in 1696 and remained on the post until his death in 1708 . Background . Dhanaji was born in or around 1650 , to the Jadhav family from Sindkhed , which claimed descent from the Yadavas of Devagiri . Dhanaji ’ s father Santaji was brought up by Shivaji ’ s mother Jijabai after assassination of Dhanaji ' s grandfather Achloji , Jijabai ’ s brother . Santaji ’ s son Shambhusinha ( Sambhaji ) also was brought up by Jijabai with her son Shivaji after Santaji ' s death at the Battle of Pavan Khind . Early career . At an early age , Dhanaji joined Maratha army under Shivaji ’ s Military Chief Prataprao Gujar . In the battles at Umbrani and Nesari , Dhanaji ’ s performance attracted attention of Shivaji for the first time . He was named by Shivaji on his death bed among six pillars of Maratha Empire who would save the kingdom in hard times . Contribution to the Maratha War of Independence . At the beginning of the Rajaram ’ s regime , Dhanaji was a " Pancha Hajari " , a chief of 5 , 000 soldiers . In September 1689 along with Santaji Ghorpade , Dhanaji attacked Aurangzeb ’ s general Sheikh Nizam who had blockaded Maratha fort in Kohlapur Panhala . Nizam was dealt a severe beating and most of his supplies , horses and elephants were captured . During 1689 – 1690 , Santaji and Dhanaji were directed to prevent the Mughal army in Maharashtra to enter into Karnataka after Rajaram ’ s flight to Gingee . On 25 May 1690 , Sarjahkhan alias Rustamkhan was defeated and captured near Satara by Ramchandra Pant Amatya , Shankaraji Narayan , Santaji and Dhanaji and this defeat proved to be a big blow to Aurangzeb . In the month of December in the same year , Santaji and Dhanaji were promoted and were placed respectively under the supervision of Ramchandra Pant Amatya and Shankaraji Narayan Sacheev . In the last quarter of 1692 , Dhanaji and Santaji were sent to Karnataka to beat back the Mughal blockade of the new Maratha capital of Gingee . On the way south to Karnataka on 8 October 1692 , Dharwad was captured and annexed by 7000 Maratha soldiers under both of them . In December 1692 , the Mughal army under Zulfikhar Ali Khan around fort Gingee was beaten soundly by Santaji and Dhanaji as a result of which Zulfikhar Ali Khan had to approach to king Rajaram for accommodation and compromise . On 9 January 1693 , Dhanaji captured Aurangazeb ’ s General Ismailkhan Makha , arrested him and took him to Gingee . After lengthy negotiations with Rajaram , Zulfikhar Ali Khan was granted a safe passage out in March 1693 which Santaji did not like . He argued with Rajaram and left the place without his permission as a result of which Dhanaji was given tentative charge of the army chief . Santaji , however , soon resumed his duties . In September 1695 during a great battle against the Mughals at Chandan Vandan , Dhanaji lost one of his sons on the battlefield . On 20 November 1695 , Kasimkhan ; Aurangzeb ’ s powerful General in Karnataka , was attacked , defeated and killed by Santaji and Dhanaji at Doderi near Chitradurga . In December 1695 , Dhanaji was defeated in a battle near Vellore by Zulfikhar Ali Khan . In June 1696 , by order of Rajaram , Dhanaji attacked Santaji for his rebellion near Vriddhachalam but was forced to retreat . Soon thereafter Santaji was officially sacked and his charge was given to Dhanaji again . In March 1697 , Dhanaji defeated Santaji at Dahigaon with the help of Hanmantrao Nimbalkar . Later career and death . In 1700 after the death of Rajaram , his illegitimate son Raja Karna was placed on his throne by his Ministers with the help of Dhanaji . However , Raja Karna died of smallpox within 3 weeks . In November 1703 , Aurangzeb opened talks with Dhanaji through his son Kambaksh to handover Shahu to him . The talks , however , could not succeed due to the so - called extravagant demands by Dhanaji made on behalf of the Maratha king . In 1705 , Maratha army containing about 40 , 000 soldiers headed by Dhanaji , Dado Malhar and Rambhaji Nimbalkar smashed into Surat and looted entire region of Gujrat up to Bharoch . Dhanaji also vanquished the Mughal army under Nazar Ali , the Nawab of Baroda , at Ratanpur and brought huge treasure to Maharashtra . In 1708 , with mediation by his assistant Balaji Vishwanath ( who would later become Peshwa in 1713 ) Dhanaji left Tarabai and joined hands with Shahu at Khed . Soon thereafter he died . Subsequently , his son Chandrasen was placed on his post . A monument to Dhanaji Jadhav is in Peth Vadgaon town in Kolhapur district . In popular culture . A Marathi film Dhanya Te Santaji Dhanaji directed by Dinkar D . Patil starring Chandrakant and Suryakant was released in 1968 . This film is about Dhanaji Jadhav and Santaji Ghorpade .