Shivaji I was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the Maratha Confederacy.
Sambhaji, also known as Shambhuraje, was the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Kingdom, 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.
The Maratha Confederacy, also referred to as the Maratha Empire, was an early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent Maratha states often subordinate to the former. It was established in 1674 with the coronation of Shivaji as the Maratha Chhatrapati and recognised by Emperor Bahadur Shah I as a tributary state in 1707 following a prolonged rebellion. Following this, the Marathas continued to recognise the Mughal emperor as their nominal suzerain, similar to other contemporary Indian entities, though in practice, imperial politics at Delhi were largely influenced by the Marathas between 1737 and 1803.
Firangoji Narsala was a Maratha warrior and military leader in the army of Shivaji Maharaj, in 17th century India. He is famous for his defence of Sangram Durg, a fort, against a Mughal army led by Shaista Khan in 1660.
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 Mughal forces of Aurangzeb in several battles and expanded the Maratha Empire.
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.
The Battle of Pratapgad took place on 10 November 1659, at Pratapgarh Fort in Satara. The battle was fought between the Maratha forces led by Shivaji and the Bijapur troops under General Afzal Khan. The Marathas emerged victorious, marking their first significant military triumph against a major regional power. In the aftermath of this victory Shivaji captured 65 elephants, 4000 horses, 1200 camels and 10 Lakh rupees of cash and jewellery.
Sangram Durga is a land fort situated at Chakan, Pune, Maharashtra, India. The original area of the fort was 65 acres, currently it is only 5.5 acres.
The battle of Surat, also known as the Sack of Surat, was a land battle that took place on 5 January 1664, near the city of Surat, in present-day Gujarat, India, between Shivaji, leader of the fledgling Maratha State and Inayat Khan, a Mughal commander. The Marathas defeated the Mughal military unit posted at Surat.
The Battle of Sinhagad, also known as Battle of Kondhana, involved an attack by Marathas during the night of 4 February 1670 on the Mughal fort of Sinhagad, near the city of Pune, Maharashtra. The Marathas captured the fort.
Mirza Abu Talib, better known as Shaista Khan, was a general and the Subahdar of Mughal Bengal, he was maternal uncle to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, he acted as a key figure during his reign, Shaista Khan initially governed the Deccan, where he clashed with the Maratha ruler Shivaji, However, he was most notable for his tenure as the governor of Bengal from 1664 to 1688, Under Shaista Khan's authority, the city of Dhaka and Mughal power in the province attained its greatest heights. His achievements include constructions of notable mosques such as the Sat Gambuj Mosque and masterminding the conquest of Chittagong. Shaista Khan was also responsible for sparking the outbreak of the Anglo-Mughal War with the English East India Company.
Chakan is a city and municipal council in Pune district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The Chakan is also part of Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority. Chakan is one of the largest automobile and manufacturing hub of India. Being developed as a hub for manufacturing and logistics by MIDC, Chakan is home to some of the biggest names in automobile manufacturing: Volkswagen, Bajaj Auto, Mercedes Benz Hyundai, and more. Chakan is often referred to as the "Automobile Hub of India". The Independent referred Chakan as India's "Motor City". The city is about 30 km from the city of Pune and 140 km from Mumbai.
The siege of Bijapur began in March 1685 and ended in September 1686 with a Mughal victory. The siege began when Aurangzeb dispatched his son, Muhammad Azam Shah, with a force of nearly 50,000 men to capture Bijapur Fort and defeat Sikandar Adil Shah, the then Sultan of Bijapur, who refused to be a vassal of the Mughal Empire. The siege of Bijapur was among the longest military engagements of the Mughals, lasting more than 15 months until Aurangzeb personally arrived to organise a victory.
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.
The Battle of Khelna occurred between the Mughal Empire and Maratha Kingdom between 1701-1702. Mughal emperor Aurangzeb ordered for the Fort of Khelna to be besieged. Mughal general Asad Khan launched an offensive and besieged the fortress. After about a three-month siege, Maratha commander, Parashurampant surrendered under the condition that he and his garrison would be allowed to march out unharmed.
The Battle of Purandar was fought between the Mughal Empire and the Marathas in 1665.
The Battle of Salher was fought between the Marathas and the Mughal Empire in February 1672 CE. The battle was fought near the fort of Salher in modern-day Nashik district. The result was a decisive victory for the Marathas. This battle is considered particularly significant as it is the first pitched battle where the Mughal Empire lost to the Marathas.
The siege of Panhala was led by Siddi Jauhar on behalf of the Bijapur Sultanate, dispatched by Ali Adil Shah II to reclaim the Panhala Fort, was a momentous undertaking. Shivaji had seized Panhala on 28 November 1659, just 18 days after the death of Afzal Khan at Pratapgad. Despite the efforts of two of Bijapur Sultanate’s prominent commanders, Afzal Khan and Rustam Zaman, who had both failed in their attempts to capture Shivaji, victory eluded them. With Bijapur running short of options and facing the expanding influence of Shivaji, the responsibility of bringing this campaign to a conclusion fell on Siddi Jauhar. By taking on this pivotal role, Siddi Jauhar finally earned favor at the Bijapur court, leading to the restoration of the Kurnool district to him, and Shivaji had to surrender the Panhala fort.
The Shivaji's invasions of Janjira were a series of military campaigns launched by the first Maratha ruler, Shivaji, against the Abyssinian rulers of the sea fortress of Janjira named Siddis between 1661 and 1676. The Marathas attacked the Janjira fort annually, and during the final siege of 1676, the Maratha Peshwa Moropant faced a counterattack by the Siddis, forcing the Marathas to retreat with heavy casualties.
The Battle of Dodderi was a three-day battle of the Deccan wars between the Maratha forces led by Santaji Ghorpad and the Mughal army, with support from the Nayak of Chitradurga. Santaji's strategic attacks disrupted the Mughal advance, leading to the death of Mughal commander Qasim Khan. The Mughals retreated to the fort of Dodderi, where they faced starvation and hard conditions due to a tight Maratha blockade. Mughal commander Khanazad Khan surrendered and agreed to pay a ransom of 100,000 rupees. The battle is considered a decisive defeat for the Mughal Empire.
