Battle of Pratapgarh
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (November 2012) |
| Battle of Pratapgarh | |||||||
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.jpg) The fort of Pratapgad | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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Bijapur Sultanate Mughal Empire |
 Maratha Army | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Afzal Khan † Sayyed Banda † Krishnaji Bhaskar Kulkarni † Fazal Khan (WIA) Rustam Zaman |
Shivaji I Kanhoji Jedhe Tanaji Malusare Netaji Palkar Moropant Trimbak Pingle Ibrahim Khan Yesaji Kank | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
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35,000 1,100 gunners | 7,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 5,000 killed |
1,734 killed 420 injured | ||||||
The Battle of Pratapgad took place on 10 November 1659, at Pratapgad Fort in Satara. The battle was fought between the Marathas forces led by Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Bijapur troops under General Afzal Khan. The Marathas emerged victorious, marking their first significant military triumph against a major regional power.
Background
Chhatrapati Shivaji held a commendable position in parts of Maval, which drew the attention of the Adilshahi court. The court aimed to curb Shivaji's activities, and they selected Afzal Khan, a renowned general of Bijapur who had previously defeated and killed Shivaji's elder brother Sambhaji in a battle, to lead an assault against Shivaji.[1] Afzal Khan started from Bijapur in 1659, and he met Shivaji on November 10, 1659, to negotiate a truce. However, Shivaji killed Afzal Khan during the negotiation, and the Maratha forces routed the scattered Adilshahi army.[2]
Combat of Chhatrapati Shivaji and Afzal Khan
King Shivaji sent an envoy to Afzal Khan, expressing his desire for peace and stating that he did not want to fight. Eventually, a meeting was arranged between Shivaji raje ("king") and Afzal Khan at a highly decorated tent called shamiyana, located at the foothills of Pratapgad. It was agreed that each of them would bring only ten personal bodyguards, who would remain 'one arrow-shot' away from the pair.
For the meeting, Shivaji raje chose Sambhaji Kondhalkar, Jiva Mahala, Siddi Ibrahim, Kataji Ingle, Kondaji Kank, Yesaji Kank, Krishnaji Gaikwad, Surji Katake, Visaji Murambak, and Sambhaji Karvar. [citation needed] However, Afzal Khan concealed a small dagger called a katyar in his coat, while Shivaji raje wore armor underneath his clothes and carried a concealed weapon called wagh nakha ("nails of the tiger") in one hand.[3][4]
As the two men entered the tent, Afzal Khan, who stood at an imposing height of 6'7", embraced Shivaji Maharaj, but then attempted to strangle him with his vice-like grip and pierce him with his dagger. Fortunately, Shivaji raje's armor protected him from the attack. Shivaji raje retaliated by using his wagh nakh to slash Khan's stomach, disemboweling him. Afzal Khan's bodyguard, Bada Sayyed, then attacked Shivaji raje with a sword, but Jiva Mahala, Shivaji raje's personal bodyguard, fatally struck him down. Additionally, Afzal Khan's lawyer, Krishna Bhaskar Kulkarni, also attacked Shivaji, but in retaliation, Shivaji killed him with his sword.
Despite his injuries, Afzal Khan managed to hold his gushing entrails and stumbled out of the tent, fainting and bleeding. He then threw himself into his palanquin, and the bearers quickly carried him away down the slope. However, Sambhaji Kavji Kondhalkar, Shivaji raje's lieutenant and one of the accompanying guards, gave chase and beheaded Afzal Khan.[5]
Later, the severed head was sent to Rajgad to be shown to King Shivaji's mother, Jijabai. She had long sought vengeance for the mistreatment of her husband, Shahaji raje Bhosale, while a captive of Afzal Khan, and for Khan's role in the death of her elder son, Sambhaji Shahaji raje Bhosle. Meanwhile, Shivaji rushed up the slope towards the fortress, and his lieutenants ordered the cannons to be fired. This was a signal to his infantry, who were hidden in the densely forested valley, to attack the Adilshahi forces.
Hand-to-hand combat of the forces
At the foothills of the fort, Maratha troops commanded by Shivaji raje's captain Kanhoji Jedhe swept down on Afzal Khan's 1,500 soldiers, resulting in a complete rout. In a rapid march, a section of Adilshahi forces commanded by Musekhan was attacked, and Musekhan, Afzal Khan's lieutenant, was wounded and subsequently fled the field.
Meanwhile, Moropant Pingle led the Maratha infantry toward the left flank of the Adilshahi troops. The suddenness of this close-quarters attack on Afzal Khan's artillery made them ineffective in providing artillery cover for the main portion of their troops, leading to their rapid defeat in the face of an all-out Maratha attack. At the same time, Shivaji raje's sardar ("captain"), Ragho Atre, led cavalry units that swooped down and attacked the large but unprepared Adilshahi cavalry before they were able to fully gear up for battle, resulting in their complete rout.
The Maratha cavalry under Netaji Palkar pursued the retreating Adilshahi forces, who were attempting to regroup with the part of their reserve forces stationed in the nearby village of Wai. However, they were engaged in battle before they could regroup and were defeated prior to reaching Wai. Despite the onslaught of the Marathas, the Adilshahi forces began retreating towards Bijapur. The Maratha army chased the retreating army and, on their way, captured 23 Adilshahi forts.
Aftermath
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Some of the defeated Adilshahi generals like Siddi Hilal changed their loyalties and joined the Marathas to serve under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Two of Afzal Khan's sons were captured by the Marathas but were let off by the Shivaji raje. Fazal khan (son of Afzal Khan) and the Adilshahi soldiers with him who were badly injured were shown a safe passage out of the forest of Jawli by Prataprao More.[citation needed]
Shivaji raje also buried Afzal Khan as per Islamic customs and built his tomb near Pratapgarh, as per his philosophy of ‘once the enemy is dead, the enmity is dead too’.
The sword of honour was presented to Kanhoji Jedhe for his invaluable and outstanding performance of service to Shivaji raje. The relatives of the killed soldiers were offered service in the Maratha army. Families without any male left alive to support, the family were awarded pensions. Heroes of the war were rewarded with medals, kada (bracelets) and horses.
Khan's death dealt the Adilshah's rule a severe blow. A quarter of his territory, forts and a fifth of his army were captured or destroyed, while Shivaji doubled his territory, losing a tenth of his army, within fifteen days of the Battle of Pratapgadh. Shivaji raje maintained his momentum, sending cavalry towards Kolhapur, which succeeded in capturing seventeen forts, including the prestigious fort of Panhala. Cavalry was also sent towards Dabhol and Rajapur under the command of Doroji Patil, which was successful in capturing forts in the southern Konkan.
See also
Bibliography
- Shivbharat (in Marathi). Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal, Pune, India.
- Dr. S.D. Samant (1996). Vedh Mahamanavacha (in Marathi). Deshmukh & Co., Pune, India.
- James Grant Duff (1826). History of the Mahrattas, 3 Vols. Longmans, London, UK.[ISBN missing]
- Capt. G.V. Modak (c. 1950). Pratapgadche Yuddha (Battle of Pratapgarh) (in Marathi). Pune, India.[ISBN missing]
- Dr. BalKrishna (1940). Shivaji The Great, 4 Vols. Dr. Balkrishna, Kolhapur, India.[ISBN missing]
- Major Joshi Mukund – Battle of Pratapgarh – a new perspective[ISBN missing]
- Commandant Kasar, D.B. – Rigveda to Raigarh making of Shivaji the great[ISBN missing]
References
- ^ Prince Pratap Sinh Serfoji Raje Bhosle (2017). Contributions of Thanjavur Maratha Kings. ISBN 9781948230957.
- ^ M Jankiraman PHD (2017). Perspectives in Indian History: From the Origins to AD 1857. ISBN 9781649839954.
- ^ Sarkar, Jadunath (1919). Shivaji and his times.
- ^ इतिहास इयत्ता ४ थी (in Marathi). Pune: Maharashtra pathyapustak nirmiti aani samshodhak mandad, Pune. 2022.
- ^ Amanda Lomazoff; Aaron Ralby (2013). The Atlas of Military History. ISBN 9781607109853.
