section_path: Historiography
section_name: Historiography
paragraph_text: Historiography
  
  Early historians had an overwhelmingly negative view of Sambhaji. The first author to write an extensive history of the Marathas was James Grant Duff, whose 1826 work painted Sambhaji as a debauched and unfit ruler. Mahadev Govind Ranade, writing around 1900, came to a similar conclusion, writing that "It is useless to enter into a detailed account of Sambhaji's reign, for Sambhaji never can be said to have ruled the country."
  
  Govind Sakharam Sardesai 's 1946 work the New History of Marathas is the first modern treatment of Sambhaji's life. Sardesai's chapter on Sambhaji is entitled "Sambhaji the violent." Sardesai describes Sambhaji both as a heroic leader in the war against the Mughals and "brave as a lion personally," but also as having "vicious and intemperate habits.": 308 Sardesai also assesses that Sambhaji lacked his father's patience or foresight.: 308 Sardesai assesses that Sambhaji's aborted attack against the Portuguese at Goa marked a turning point for Sambhaji's fortunes, after which the Marathas were increasingly on the defensive.: 307 Sardesai concludes that whatever Sambhaji's strategic failings, which saw him abandoned by most of his allies, the nature of his death steeled the Maratha to avenge the death of their sovereign.: 316
  
  Early historians had an overwhelmingly negative view of Sambhaji. The first author to write an extensive history of the Marathas was James Grant Duff, whose 1826 work painted Sambhaji as a debauched and unfit ruler. Mahadev Govind Ranade, writing around 1900, came to a similar conclusion, writing that "It is useless to enter into a detailed account of Sambhaji's reign, for Sambhaji never can be said to have ruled the country."
  
  Govind Sakharam Sardesai 's 1946 work the New History of Marathas is the first modern treatment of Sambhaji's life. Sardesai's chapter on Sambhaji is entitled "Sambhaji the violent." Sardesai describes Sambhaji both as a heroic leader in the war against the Mughals and "brave as a lion personally," but also as having "vicious and intemperate habits.": 308 Sardesai also assesses that Sambhaji lacked his father's patience or foresight.: 308 Sardesai assesses that Sambhaji's aborted attack against the Portuguese at Goa marked a turning point for Sambhaji's fortunes, after which the Marathas were increasingly on the defensive.: 307 Sardesai concludes that whatever Sambhaji's strategic failings, which saw him abandoned by most of his allies, the nature of his death steeled the Maratha to avenge the death of their sovereign.: 316