Bhonsle

Bhonsle, also spelled Bhosale, is a prominent Maratha clan and surname in western India. The Bhonsles are historically associated with the Maratha ruling families and the broader Maratha Empire that rose in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The most famous member of the Bhonsle lineage is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire. His descendants—Sambhaji, Rajaram, and Shahu I—carried on the Bhonsle name and established the royal house of Satara. In the 18th century, cadet branches of the Bhonsle family established additional principalities, most notably the Bhonsles of Kolhapur, who ruled Kolhapur State until the mid-20th century.

The Bhonsle dynasty also had influence beyond Satara and Kolhapur. Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, a key figure in the 1857 rebellion against British rule, belonged to the Bhonsle royal family of Jhansi, illustrating the clan’s historical reach across several princely states in British India.

In contemporary times, Bhonsle (and its variant Bhosale) remains a common Marathi surname. It appears across Maharashtra and neighboring regions, carried by individuals involved in politics, public service, arts, sports, and academia. The name also figures in genealogical and historical records related to Maratha heritage and regional princely lineages.