Battle of Surat
Battle of Surat was a land battle that took place on January 5, 1664 near the city of Surat, Gujarat, India between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Inayat Khan, a Mughal captain. The Marathas defeated the small Mughal force.
| Battle of Surat | |||||||
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| Part of Imperial Maratha Conquests | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Maratha Empire |
 Mughal Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Shivaji |
Inayat Khan |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 4,000 Cavalry | 1,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| No casualties | 4 prisoners killed 24 prisoners wounded |
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The battle is known for strategic movement of cavalry by Shivaji through enemy's terrain covering almost a distance of 300 km.
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[edit] Background
As Shaista Khan was in Maharashtra for more than three years, the financial condition of the 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.
[edit] Battle
[edit] Composition of Mughal forces
The defences of the city were poor, as the local Subedar, Inayat Khan appointed by Aurangzeb appointed only 1000 men at arms in his service, this error led to the massacre of innocent civilians by the Maratha. After sacking the Mughal garrison Shivaji attacked the port of Surat and set the local shipping industry ablaze.
[edit] Composition of Maratha forces
Shivaji was assisted by notable commanders along with cavalry of 8000 or more.
[edit] Movement and clash of forces
When Shivaji arrived at Surat he demanded tribute from the Mughal commander and a small army stationed for port security, which was refused. 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 sack for nearly 3 days, in which the Maratha army looted all possible wealth from Mughal and Portuguese 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 missioneries.[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.
[edit] Outcome
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 Empire.
[edit] Casualties
No casualties with Maratha forces.
There were 4 Mughal prisoners killed and hands of 24 prisoners were chopped off after mughal envoy suddenly tried to kill Shivaji with a dagger.
[edit] References
- ^ H. S. Sardesai (2002). Shivaji, the great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. pp. 506–. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7. http://books.google.com/books?id=deHZAUDHzYwC&pg=PA506. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
- ^ Balkrishna Govind Gokhale (1979). "VII. The Merchant Prince Virji Vora". Surat In The Seventeenth Century. Popular Prakashan. p. 25. ISBN 9788171542208. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=frbYo91TuV4C&pg=PA25&lpg=PA25&dq=Mohandas+Parekh+charitable&source=bl&ots=5iPkA_2ltw&sig=IAQtLz4zuoTwsW2_jZQh84AYnUQ&hl=en&ei=eY_PTrz6K8vjrAfwso3MDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Mohandas%20Parekh%20charitable&f=false. Retrieved 2011-11-25.
- ^ a b H. S. Sardesai (2002). Shivaji, the great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. p. 506. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7.
- ^ The great Maratha, Volume 2, H. S. Sardesai, Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd, 2002, ISBN 8177552864, ISBN 9788177552867
Bibliography
- Grant Duff - History of Marathas
- S.D.Samant - Vedh Mahamanvacha
- Babasaheb Purandare - Raja ShivChhatrapati
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