Battle of Banavar

Last updated
Battle of Banavar
Part of Maratha-Mysore War (1682)
DateJune 1682
Location
Result Maratha Empire victory
Belligerents
Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg Maratha Empire
Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg Thanjavur Maratha Kingdom
QutbshahiFlag.PNG Golconda Sultanate
Nayakas of Keladi [1]
Flag of Mysore.svg Kingdom of Mysore
Commanders and leaders
Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg Sambhaji
Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg Kavi Kalash
Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg Harji Raje Mahadik
Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg Ekoji I [2]
Basappa Nayak
Flag of Mysore.svg Chikka Devaraja
Flag of Mysore.svg Kumaraiya
Units involved
10,000 cavalry under Sambhaji
10,000 forces of Golconda Sultanate
5,000 forces of Chenna Basappa Nayak
Unknown army under Kumaraiya
15,000 archers of Chikkadevaraya
Strength
25,000 Heavy army
15,000 archer contingent
Casualties and losses
unknown Heavy

Battle of Banavar was a land battle fought between the Maratha Empire and the Kingdom of Mysore in the year 1682. The Maratha Forces Defeated Chikkadevaraja

Contents

Background

Sambhaji's grandfather Shahaji had conquered territories in the modern state of Karnataka. Mohammed Adil Shah, Sultan of Bijapur granted him the Jagir of Bangalore. This was the entry of the Marathas in the Southern India. [3]

Shivaji had established Maratha territories in the Southern India in his two-year-long campaign of 1676–78. The Maratha Empire and the Kingdom of Mysore were the main contenders to dominate the region. The relationship between the two kingdoms was hostile. Marathas attacked Srirangapatna in 1681, but they were defeated. Trichinapoly, which was under Chokkanath, the ruler of Madurai, was coveted by Chikkadevaraya. Chokkanath called for the help of Jinji's Maratha commander Harji Mahadik. Kumarayya, the Mysore commander, with a view to isolating Chokkanath from the Marathas tried to bribe Harji Mahadik liberally thinking that he would prove disloyal to Sambhaji and give as assurance of leaving Jinji. Meanwhile, Kumarayya had stealthily written to Chikkadevaraya requesting him to send reinforcements immediately. But his letter fell into the hands of Marathas.

When Haraji learnt all this, he was furious and was determined to attack the Mysore capital Srirangapattana itself with all his might. He despatched a big force under the command of Dadaji Kakade, Jaitaji Katkar and others against Srirangapattana. Entering the Mysore territory these commanders encamped at Kottatti and Kasalagere situated in the modern Mandya district. Chikkadevaraya immediately ordered Kumarayya to attack Harji. Maratha Sardar Harji Raje Mahadik then defeated the Mysore general Kumaraiya. [4] Both forces had tried to subdue each other resulting in a stalemate. Sambhaji meanwhile tried to form a Deccan alliance against the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Chikkadevaraya allied himself with Aurangzeb and executed the Maratha generals Dadaji Kakade, Jaitaji Katkar and Santaji Nimbalkar. This enraged Sambhaji and he attacked the Kingdom of Mysore in June 1682 with his allies the Nayakas of Keladi and Qutb Shahi dynasty. Allied forces reached Banavar in June 1682. [5] Lingappa, the Mysore officer at Banavar told this news to Chikkadevaraya.

Battle

Upon hearing the news, Chikkadevaraya left Mysore his strong contingent of 15,000 expert archers. He wanted to attack before the allies settled in the region. Both sides prepared for the battle. And the battle began with small skirmishes.

Soon, Chikkadevaraya realised that the allied forces did not have archers. He arranged his archers in a semicircular formation and started showering arrows on the allied army. The Marathas did not expect this and the arrows started mounting casualties In the allied army. Maratha commanders tried but were unable to stop the rout. Some more reinforcements joined the Marathas during the battle, but they suffered heavy casualties in the battle. The Mysore archers took a break for dinner in the night. Sambhaji decided to change directions to avoid more casualties and he retreated towards Thanjavur in the east to get more supplies. He returned with contingents equipped with oil coated shot-proof leather jackets, and explosive arrows to counter the Mysore archers. [6]

Aftermath

This was a significant victory for maratha forces and sambhaji marked it with an inscription. [4] Sambhaji then defeated Chikkadevaraya in the ensuing battles with his new innovations. Sambhaji captured several fortresses in northern Madurai region. [7] [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sambhaji</span> Second Chhatrapati of the Marathas

Sambhaji, also known as Shambhuraje, was the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, ruling from 1681 to 1689. He was the eldest son of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Kingdom. Sambhaji's rule was largely shaped by the ongoing wars between the Marathas and the Mughal Empire, as well as other neighbouring powers such as the Abyssinians of Janjira, Wadiyars of Mysore and the Portuguese Empire in Goa. After Sambhaji's execution by Aurangzeb, his brother Rajaram I succeeded him as the next Chhatrapati and continued the Mughal–Maratha Wars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahaji</span> Father of Shivaji Bhonsle and eldest son of Maloji Raje Bhonsle (1594-1664)

Shahaji Bhonsale was a 17th century Indian military leader who served the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, the Bijapur Sultanate, and the Mughal Empire at various points in his career. As a member of the Bhonsle dynasty, Shahaji inherited the Pune and Supe jagirs (fiefs) from his father Maloji, who previously served the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. During the Mughal invasion of the Deccan, Shahaji joined the Mughal forces and served under Emperor Shah Jahan for a short period. After being deprived of his jagirs, he defected to the Bijapur Sultanate in 1632 and regained control over Pune and Supe. In 1638, he received the jagir of Bangalore after Bijapur's invasion of Kempe Gowda III's territories. Afterwards, he became the chief general of Bijapur and oversaw its expansion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarabai</span> Queen consort and later regent of the Maratha Kingdom

Maharani Tarabai Bhosale (née Mohite) was the regent of the Maratha Empire from 1700 until 1708. She was the queen of Rajaram I, and daughter-in-law of the kingdom's founder Shivaji I. She is acclaimed for her role in keeping alive the resistance against Mughal rule in Konkan, and acting as the regent of the Maratha Empire during the minority of her son, Shivaji II. She defeated Aurangzeb in several battles and expanded the Maratha Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deccan wars</span> 1680–1707 wars between the Mughal Empire and the Marathas

The Deccan wars were a series of military conflicts between the Mughal Empire and the descendants of the Maratha ruler Shivaji from the time of Shivaji's death in 1680 until the death of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. Shivaji was a central figure in what has been called "the Maratha insurgency" against the Mughal state. Both he and his son, Sambhaji, or Shambuji, typically, alternated between rebellion against the Mughal state and service to the Mughal sovereign in an official capacity. It was common practice in late 17th-century India for members of a ruling family of a small principality to both collaborate with the Mughals and rebel.

Murud is a town and a municipal council in Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated at a distance of 150 km (93 mi) from Mumbai, Murud is a tourist destination. The Palace of Nawab is located in Murud. The palace was built in 1885 for administration purposes. The palace is still owned by the descendants of the Nawab and is a private property.

Santaji Ghorpade (1660–1696) was a Maratha general and held the esteemed position of the 7th Senapati within the Maratha Empire during the reign of Chattrapati Rajaram I. He is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts in Guerrilla warfare. Santaji Ghorpade, in collaboration with Dhanaji Jadhav, conducted a series of successful campaigns against the Mughals from 1689 to 1696. His strategic acumen was demonstrated through the adept utilization of tactics such as guerrilla warfare, ambushes, and swift mobility, ultimately resulting in effective defeats of the Mughal Army. In recognition of his valor, Rajaram bestowed upon him the title of Mamlakat-Madar in 1690.

Dadoji Kondadeo was an administrator of the Pune jagir and the nearby Kondana fort. He was appointed by Shahaji, a noble and general of the Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur.

Sriranga III was the last ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, who came to power in 1642 following the death of his uncle Venkata III. He was a great-grandson of Aliya Rama Raya. He was the Last Emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sai Bhonsale</span> Maharani of the Maratha Empire

Saibai Bhosale was the first wife and chief consort of Chattrapati Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. She was the mother of her husband's successor Chattrapati Sambhaji.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Jinji (1690–1698)</span> 1690–1698 siege

The siege of Jinji,, began when the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb appointed Zulfiqar Ali Khan as the Nawab of the Carnatic and dispatched him to besiege and capture Jinji Fort, which had been sacked and captured by Maratha Empire troops led by Rajaram, they had also ambushed and killed about 300 Mughal Sowars in the Carnatic. The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb then ordered Ghazi ud-Din Khan Feroze Jung I to protect the supply routes leading to Jinji Fort and to support and provide reinforcements to Zulfiqar Ali Khan when needed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muqarrab Khan</span> Khan Zaman Fath Jang Dakhini

Muqarrab Khan of Golconda, also known as Khan Zaman Fath Jang Dakhini, was an Indian Deccani Muslim, who was the most experienced commander of Qutb Shahi Dynasty, during the reign of Abul Hasan Qutb Shah. He is known for betraying Abul Hasan Qutb Shah during Siege of Golconda. He arrested Maratha Emperor Sambhaji at Sangameshwar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maratha Navy</span> Combined naval force of Maratha Empire

The Maratha Navy was the naval wing of the armed forces of the Maratha Confederacy, which existed from around the mid-17th century to the mid-18th century in the Indian subcontinent.

<i>Swarajyarakshak Sambhaji</i> Indian historical biographical drama

Swarajyarakshak Sambhaji is an Indian historical drama based on the life of warrior king Sambhaji. The series is directed by Vivek Deshpande and Kartik Rajaram Kendhe and is written by Pratap Gangavane. It is produced and starred by Amol Kolhe in lead role of Sambhaji, Vilas Sawant and Sonali Ghanashyam Rao under the banner of Jagadamb Creations. It premiered from 24 September 2017 by replacing Kahe Diya Pardes and aired on Zee Marathi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Ramsej</span> Siege during the Maratha-Mughal Wars (1682-1688)

Siege of Ramsej was a series of military confrontations between the Maratha Empire headed by Sambhaji and the Mughal Empire led by Aurangzeb regarding the control of Ramsej Fort in the Nashik region. Aurangzeb arrived in the Deccan in late 1681 with a strong army to destroy the Maratha Empire and the Deccan Sultanates of Adilshahi and Qutubshahi. He wanted to capture the forts held by the Marathas in the Nashik and Baglana regions. Hence he decided to begin his Deccan campaign with an attack on Ramsej Fort which is near Nashik. The Mughal forces under Kasim Khan Kirmani captured Ramsej from the Marathas. The defending Maratha forces evacuated the fort.

Battle of Trichinopoly (1682) was fought between the Maratha Empire and the Kingdom of Mysore. The Maratha forces under Sambhaji and his allies, besieged and captured the city of Tiruchirappalli.

Mughal invasion of Konkan (1684) was a part of the Deccan wars. It was a campaign launched by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to capture the Konkan region from the Maratha ruler Sambhaji. The Mughal forces were led by Mu'azzam and Shahbuddin Khan. The harsh climate and the Maratha guerrilla strategy forced the numerically strong Mughal army into a slow retreat. The Maratha army suffered small losses in this unsuccessful campaign of Mughal Empire.

The Maratha–Mysore War (1682) was a series of battles fought between the Maratha Empire and the Kingdom of Mysore in Southern India, both of which were attempting to establish supremacy in Southern India. The Maratha forces were led by Sambhaji and the Mysore forces were led by Chikka Devaraja. The conflict resulted in the defeat of the Mysore forces by Marathas, leading to a conclusion at the Treaty of Srirangapatanam, where Chikkadevraja paid 1 Crore Honas as a war tribute to Sambhaji.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Janjira</span> Military campaign of the Marathas against the Siddis of Janjira

The Siege of Janjira was a military campaign undertaken by the Maratha Confederacy, commanded by Sambhaji, the second Maratha ruler, against the Siddis of Janjira in January 1682. The Maratha forces, led by Sambhaji, withdrew from Janjira to the Konkan region in response to Mughal attacks, leaving a contingent behind under the command of Dadaji Raghunath Deshpande. Despite their efforts, the Marathas were unable to capture the fort, and the Siddis pursued the retreating forces, plundering Maratha territories.

On orders of Muhammad Adil Shah Mahummad Khan invaded South along with Shahaji and Siddi Masud Against the Mysore Kingdom Vijayanagara Empire and Sultanate of Golconda to suppress them.

Battle of Kalyan Bhivandi was fought between Maratha Forces of Sambhaji and The Mughal forces under Bahadur Khan in which latter was defeated and Maratha emerged victorious.

References

  1. Karnataka State Gazetteer: Uttara Kannada pg 146
  2. B, Muddachari (1965). The Mysore_Maratha Relations In The 17th Century. p. 170.
  3. Bendre, V.S. (1967). Malojiraje ani Shahaji Maharaj. Kolhapur: Parshva Publications.
  4. 1 2 B, Muddachari (1969). The Mysore-Maratha relations in the 17th century. Prasaranga, University of Mysore.
  5. Sawant, Indrajit. Marathyanche Swatantrayuddha Bhag 1- Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
  6. Shivde, Sadashiv (2001). Sambhaji Raja. Pune: Diamond Publishers.
  7. Bertrand, Joseph. La Mission Du Madure. Vol. III. pp. 306–307.
  8. Wodeyar, Chikkadevaraja. Chikkadevaraja Binnapam.