9th January 1664 Shivaji Raje Campaigned In Surat And Left The City After Plundering The Mughals

9th January 1664 Shivaji Raje Campaigned In Surat And Left The City After Plundering The Mughals

Battle of Surat

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of Surat
Part of Imperial Maratha Conquests
Date January 5, 1664 Location Surat, Gujarat, India Result Decisive victory for Marathas
Belligerents
Maratha Empire	Mughal Empire
Commanders and leaders
Shivaji	Inayat Khan
Strength
4,000 Cavalry	1,000
Casualties and losses
No casualties	4 prisoners killed 24 prisoners wounded

According to 'History of The Marattas' a book written in 1826 byJames Grant Duff, a Captain in the British India Regiment,(page-198),'Surat was attacked by Shivaji on 5 Jan 1664. This was a wealthy port city in Mughal empire for the sea trade of the era. The city was well populated mostly by Hindus and a few Muslims, specially the officials in the Mughal administration of the city.The attack was so sudden that the population had no chance flee. The plunder was continued for six days,two third of the city was burned down and there was smoke in the air for many days. The loot was then transferred to Raigad fort'.

CONTENTS

   [hide] 

• 1 Background
• 2 Battle
  • 2.1 Composition of Mughal forces
  • 2.2 Composition of Maratha forces
  • 2.3 Movement and clash of forces
• 3 Outcome
• 4 Casualties
• 5 References

BACKGROUND[EDIT]

As Shaista Khan, the Mughal governor, was in Deccan for more than three years fighting the Marathas, the financial condition of the Maratha state was dire. So to improve his finances, Shivaji planned to attack Surat, a key Mughal power centre, and a wealthy port town which generated a million rupees in taxes.

BATTLE[EDIT]

Composition of Mughal forces[edit]

The defences of the city were poor, as the local Subedar, Inayat Khan appointed by Aurangzeb, had only 1000 men at his command. After sacking the Mughal garrison Shivaji attacked the port of Surat and set the local shipping industry ablaze.

Composition of Maratha forces[edit]

Shivaji was assisted by notable commanders along with cavalry of 8000 or more.

Movement and clash of forces[edit]

Shivaji attacked Surat after a demand for tribute was rejected. The Mughal Sardar, not the bravest, was very surprised by the suddenness of the attack and not willing to face the Maratha forces, he hid himself in the fort of Surat. However, there was an attempt of life on Shivaji by the emissary sent by the Mughal sardar. So Shivaji took the city and put it to the sack.

Surat was under attack for nearly three days, in which the Maratha army looted all possible wealth from Mughal andPortuguese trading centers. The Maratha soldiers took away cash, gold, silver, pearls, rubies, diamonds and emeralds from the houses of rich merchants such as Virji Vora, Haji Zahid Beg, Haji Kasim and others. The business of Mohandas Parekh, the deceased broker of the Dutch East India Company, was spared as he was reputed as a charitable man.^[1][2]Similarly, Shivaji did not plunder the houses of the foreign missionaries.^[3] The French traveller Francois Bernier wrote in his Travels in Mughal India:^[4]

I forgot to mention that during pillage of Sourate, Seva-ji, the Holy Seva-ji! Respected the habitation of the reverend father Ambrose, the Capuchin missionary. 'The Frankish Padres are good men', he said 'and shall not be attacked.'

The total number of prisoners executed during the raid was 4; the hands of another 24 were cut off.^[3]

Shivaji had to complete the sacking of Surat before the Mughal Empire at Delhi was alerted and could not afford to waste much time in attacking the British. Thus, Sir George Oxenden was able to successfully defend the British factory, a fortified warehouse-counting house-hostel.

OUTCOME[EDIT]

All this loot was successfully transported to Maharashtra before the Mughal Empire at Delhi could get the news of the sacking of Surat. This wealth later was used for developing & strengthening the Maratha State. News in London Gazzeton 20 Feb 1672 ^[5]

CASUALTIES[EDIT]

One Englishman named Anthony Smith, was captured by the Marathas, and funds were demanded from him.However when king Shivaji understood that Smith was poor he was freed. When the Mughal Army finally approached on the fourth fateful day, Shivaji and his followers galloped southwards into the Deccan.

Only the well organized British led by George Oxenden and the Portuguese survived the onslaught, but the city itself never recovered.

REFERENCES[EDIT]

1. Jump up^ H. S. Sardesai (2002). Shivaji, the great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. pp. 506–. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7. Retrieved14 December 2011.
2. Jump up^ Balkrishna Govind Gokhale (1979). "VII. The Merchant Prince Virji Vora". Surat In The Seventeenth Century. Popular Prakashan. p. 25. ISBN 9788171542208. Retrieved 2011-11-25.
3. ^ Jump up to:^a b H. S. Sardesai (2002). Shivaji, the great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. p. 506. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7.
4. Jump up^ The great Maratha, Volume 2, H. S. Sardesai, Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd, 2002, ISBN 8177552864, ISBN 9788177552867
5. Jump up^ News in London Gazzet http://www.indianexpress.com/news/researcher-finds-reference-to-shivaji-maharaj-in-foreign-newspaper/362848

Bibliography

• James Grant Duff - History of Marathas
• S.D.Samant - Vedh Mahamanvacha
• Babasaheb Purandare - Raja ShivChhatrapati

Battle of Surat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Surat



So to improve his finances, Shivaji planned to attack Surat, a key Mughal power ... Similarly, Shivaji did not plunder the houses of the foreign missionaries.
Shivaji & the Surat loot - DNA E-Paper
epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=42547&boxid...ed...



Jan 7, 2014 - “The reports current then were that Shivaji had taken away some ... of terror ensued, as the Marathas sacked, burned and looted the city (Surat).
Shivaji and His Times - Page 137 - Google Books Result
https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=8125013474
Jadunath Sarkar - 1992
The English used to remove their money and goods from Surat to this place at every ... Meantime, Shivaji had left Surat, entered Baglana, and plundered the ...
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ... !: 23. Again Sack Of Surat ...
shreeshivchatrapati.blogspot.com/.../23-again-sack-of-...



Translate this page
Mar 14, 2009 - The plunder of Surat was a great shock for Mughals. Prince Muazzam ordered Daud khan to intercept Shivaji. On his way back Shivaji ...
Narendra Modi: Shivaji didn't loot, he plundered Mughals ...
archive.indianexpress.com/news/...modi-shivaji...plundered.../1215806/



Jan 6, 2014 - He said Shivaji was a victim of historical distortions describing him as a "looter" who invaded Surat to acquire the wealth. During an event ...
Shivaji was a Robin Hood in plundering Surat: Modi in Raigad
www.mumbaimirror.com › Mumbai



Jan 6, 2014 - BJP's prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi, who has been ridiculed for mixing up historical facts, once again dabbled in history-telling on ...
BJP – Congress fight over Shivaji Maharaj's role in the ...
deshgujarat.com › Politics › BJP



Feb 18, 2012 - Shri Solanki added that Shivaji Maharaj had selected Surat for ... [1][2] Similarly, Shivaji did not plunder the houses of the foreign missioneries.
A note for Sharad liar Pawar on Shivaji and Gujarat ...
deshgujarat.com › Gujarat



Oct 5, 2014 - He said Shivaji plundered the treasury of Surat when Maharashtra was in dire state and needed money for its fight for freedom from the Mughal ...
Early Records of British India: History of the English ...
https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=8120609476
J. Talboys Wheeler - 1996
When Aurungzeb came to the throne, he broke his treaty with Sivaji ; he took back the territory he had ceded to Sivaji. In revenge, Sivaji plundered Surat.
Shivaji
https://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Mughals/Shivaji.html



Shivaji Bhonsle, venerated in Maharashtra as the father of “the Maratha nation”, was born ... In 1664, Shivaji dared even to plunder Surat, a trading town with rich ...

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Coordinates: 21°10′N 72°50′E

Categories:

• 1664 in India
 
• Battles involving the Maratha Empire
 
• History of Surat
 
• Conflicts in 1664
 
• Battles involving the Mughal Empire