Jijabai Bhonsle (or Bhonsale, Bhosale, Bhosle) or Jadhav (12 January 1598 – 17 June 1674), referred to as Rajmata, Rastramata, Jijabai or Jijau, was the mother of Chattrapati Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. She was a daughter of Lakhujirao Jadhav of Sindkhed Raja.

Early life
Jijabai was born on 12 January 1596, to Mhalasabai Jadhav and Lakhuji Jadhav at Sindkhed Raja in present-day Buldhana district of Maharastra. Lakhujiraje Jadhav was a Maratha noble who claimed descent from the Yadavas. Jijabai was married at an early age to Shahaji Bhosle, son of Maloji Bhosle of Verul village, a military commander serving under the Nizam.

Birth and Upbringing of Shivaji 
Shahaji Bhosle and Jijabai's son, Shivaji was born in February 1630.

When Shivaji was 14 years old, Shahaji Raje handed over the Jagir of Pune to him. The responsibility of managing the Jagir fell on Jijabai. Jijabai and Shivaji arrived in Pune with skilled officers. Due to the persistent interests of Nizamshah, Adilshah and Mughals, the condition of Pune was very bad. Under such adverse circumstances, she  redeveloped the city of Pune. She plowed the farmland with a golden plow, giving sanctuary to the locals. She was responsible for the education of Shivaji. Jijabai told Shivaji stories from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, which began and ended in independence.

She managed her husband's Jagir in Pune and developed it. She established Kasba Ganapati Mandir. She also renovated Kevareshwar Temple and Tambadi Jogeshwari Temple.

Death
When Jijabai's husband Shahaji Raje died, she decided to sacrifice herself according to the Sati tradition, but Shivaji Maharaj opposed it and prevented her from performing sati.

She died on 17 June 1674 at Pachad village near Raigad Fort. At that time it was only twelve days since the coronation of Shivaji.

In popular culture
 Legendary actress, Sulochana Latkar portrayed Jijabai in the marathi film Maratha Tituka Melvava 
Sumati Gupte played Jijabai in the 1974 film Raja Shiv Chhatrapati. 
Jijabai was a portrayed by Mrinal Kulkarni in the popular TV series Raja Shivchatrapati which aired on Star Pravah in 2008. 
 Mrinal Kulkarni played Jijabai in Farzand, an Indian Marathi language epic, historical drama film. 
 Mrinal Kulkarni played Jijabai in the 2019 Marathi language historical drama film,  Fatteshikast.
 Shilpa Tulaskar portrayed Jijabai in the 2011 series Veer Shivaji 
 Smita Deshmukh starred as Jijabai in the 2011 Marathi language film Rajmata Jijau based on the life of Jijabai, based on Madan Patil's historical novel Jijausaheb
 Prateeksha Lonkar played Jijabai in Swarajyarakshak Sambhaji, an Indian historical drama based on the life of Sambhaji. 
 Padmavati Rao plays Jijabai in the 2020 Indian Hindi-language biographical period action film, Tanhaji.
 Nishtha Vaidya, Amruta Pawar, Bhargavi Chirmule, Neena Kulkarni portray Jijabai at different stages of her life in Swarajya Janani Jijamata, a show based on the life of Rajmata Jijabai. 
 The 2011 film Rajmata Jijau is a biography of Jijabai.
 In his book Medieval India, C.V.Vaidya states that Yadavas are "definitely pure Maratha Kshatriyas". ... [ Jijabai (the mother of Shivaji, who founded the Maratha Empire) belonged to the clan of jadhavas of Sindkhed Raja, who also claimed descent from the Yadavas.

See also
 List of Maratha dynasties and states
 Maratha clan system
 Bhosale
 Maratha Kranti Morcha

References

People of the Maratha Empire
People from Buldhana district
1598 births
1674 deaths
Marathi people
Women of the Maratha Empire
Queen mothers
Indian female royalty
17th-century Indian people
17th-century Indian women