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 PeshwaMoropant faced a counterattack by the Siddis, forcing the Marathas to retreat with heavy casualties.
The Siddis, once part of the army of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate under Malik Amber, switched their allegiance to the Adil Shahi Sultanate after Ahmadnagar fell to the Mughal Empire. Despite attacks by the Marathas under Shivaji, the Adil Shahi rulers provided no military aid to the Siddis, which almost led to the surrender of the fort to the Marathas. However, Siddi leaders like Qasim, Khairyat, and Siddi Sambal opposed surrender and continued their wars with the Marathas. They eventually shifted their allegiance to the Mughal Empire, which provided them with military support. The Marathas launched annual attacks on the Janjira fort but failed to capture it each time, suffering significant losses. In 1676, the Maratha Peshwa Moropant faced a major setback when Siddi Qasim, with the Mughal fleet, launched a surprise attack on the besiegers. This forced the Marathas to retreat, and despite Shivaji's efforts, he was unable to capture the Janjira fort from the Siddis during his lifetime.
Background
The Janjira fort
With Shivaji's rise and the subsequent decline of Bijapur Sultanate as an independent state, along with the loss of one of their more distant forts to the Marathas, the Siddis of Janjira shifted their allegiance to the Mughal Empire. Recognizing the value of their fleet and maritime expertise, Aurangzeb, the then Mughal Emperor granted an annual payment of 400,000 rupees for the upkeep of their fleet and appointed Siddi Qasim, formerly the Bijapur governor of Janjira, as his Admiral. According to Orme, this change in loyalty occurred in 1661.[1] During Shivaji's leadership, the Siddis of Janjira posed a persistent threat to the Marathas, as the Mughals were the enemies of the Marathas.[2]
The most formidable force along the Konkan coast was not the well-known European trading nations, but rather the Siddis of Janjira. They controlled sea forts and sizable nearby land holdings, and maintained a substantial navy to safeguard their merchant shipping. This intricate coastal environment was the one Shivaji encountered when he invaded the coastal regions of the Konkan in 1657.[3] After defeating Afzal Khan of the Bijapur Sultanate in 1659, Shivaji focused on consolidating his control over the Konkan region. Recognizing the significance of naval supremacy, he invested in building a fleet comprising small, swift ships. Although they couldn't rival large European warships, they were adept at capturing merchant vessels. However, the primary objective of this fleet, much like the construction of numerous sea forts, was to confront and constrain the Siddis of Janjira.[4]
The Siddis and the Marathas were locked in an enduring state of conflict, a feud passed down through generations like a blood feud. Despite the Marathas being preoccupied with battling stronger adversaries, they consistently restrained the Siddis, reclaiming any new territories they had acquired and imposing new alliances on them. This is a testament to the enduring strength of the Marathas. However, the fact that the Siddis managed to endure and maintain their position, despite the fall of many more powerful forces, speaks even more to the resilience and fortitude of the Siddis. Early in Shivaji's career, the first encounter with the Siddis occurred. In 1648, Shivaji launched an invasion into Siddi territory and seized one of their outlying forts. This marked the outset of the prolonged conflict between the Marathas and the Siddis, which persisted, with occasional pauses, for the next hundred years. Starting from 1659, Shivaji dispatched forces against the Siddis annually.[5]
The conflicts
In 1648, aided by Maratha commanders who penetrated the Konkan from behind the Sahyadri mountains, Shivaji managed to capture the Kolaba forts of Tala, Gosala, and Raigarh. The next year, under the leadership of Peshwa Shamraj Pandit, Shivaji dispatched a formidable force to invade the Siddis' territory. However, they encountered by the Bijapur general Fateh Khan and suffered a significant defeat with heavy casualties. Shivaji attempted to rectify this setback by sending another force led by Raghunath Pant, but Fateh Khan defeated them as well. Consequently, in 1660, the Siddis gained significant advantages.[6]
The Siddis were allied with the Adil Shahi dynasty, also known as the Bijapur Sultanate. Despite the yearly Maratha attacks, the Sultans of Bijapur, who were the overlords of the Siddis, provided little or no assistance to them. Consequently, the officers who had previously defended Janjira at a crucial moment decided to break their ties with Bijapur. It was during this time that the Siddis shifted their allegiance from Bijapur to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. They approached the Mughals, offering to maintain their territory as vassals of the Mughals and to transfer the Bijapur fleet to the Mughal service in exchange for protection against the Marathas. Aurangzeb readily accepted their offer.[7]
By 1661, the Bijapur general Fateh Khan decided to surrender Janjira to Shivaji due to the relentless attacks by the Marathas. Fateh Khan made this decision and offered to join Shivaji's service. However, the Siddis, who had transferred their allegiance to the Mughal Empire, specifically Siddi Qasim, Siddi Sambal, and Siddi Khairyat, devout Muslims and staunch enemies of Shivaji, did not approve of this surrender. They thwarted the betrayal by garnering the support of their compatriots, and with their approval, Fateh Khan was apprehended and placed in chains. Qasim and Khairyat, who were brothers, relinquished their claims in favor of Siddi Sambal, who was appointed as the governor of Janjira. In 1660, Aurangzeb changed Sambal's title from Wazir to Yakut Khan.[8] However, this did not deter the Marathas from conducting their annual raids on Janjira.[7]
Fortification of Janjira
Shivaji became a vassal of the Mughal Empire following his defeat and surrender at the Battle of Purandar. In this capacity, he sought to capture the Janjira fort for the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.[9] However, the Mughal general Jai Singh intervened and prevented Shivaji from capturing Janjira.[10] However, Shivaji engaged in direct conflicts with the Siddis every year after the monsoon season starting from 1661.[11] Despite his attempts, he consistently failed to capture the Janjira fort.[4] Altogether, he lost 15,000 men through the naval raid he conducted.[12]
Between 1675 and 1677, Shivaji personally led efforts to besiege the Janjira fort. In August 1676, reinforcements under Peshwa Moropant arrived with a troop of 10,000, yet the Marathas were still unable to capture the Janjira fort.[13] Siddi Qasim arrived with a Mughal fleet consisting of 300 men and successfully destroyed Moropant Pingale's floating batteries, forcing him to retreat to Raigarh. As a result, the siege was lifted, and the Marathas retreated by the end of December 1676.[14][15]
Aftermath
The invasions of Janjira led Shivaji to recognize the significance of naval power, prompting him to construct a fleet of small, fast ships. While these vessels couldn't rival large European warships, they were effective in capturing merchant shipping. The primary objective of this fleet, similar to the construction of several sea forts, was to confront and constrain the Siddis of Janjira. Despite expanding control in the Konkan region, Shivaji's inability to defeat the Siddis during his reign persisted due to ineffective artillery.[4]
In the years following Shivaji’s death, the Siddis had expanded their landholdings to encompass much of the central and northern Konkan coastal plains.[16] Janjira Fort was the only location along the Konkan coast that neither Shivaji nor Kanhoji nor any of their combined seven sons were able to defeat, capture, control, or administer.[17] The conquest of Janjira remained an unfulfilled ambition throughout Shivaji's life.[18]
Shivaji I was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adilshahi Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the Maratha Empire. In 1674, he was formally crowned the Chhatrapati of his realm at Raigad Fort.
Bajirao I was the 7th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy. He after Shivaji, is considered to be the most charismatic and dynamic leader in Maratha history. He was just twenty years old and already had a reputation for rapid decisions and a passion for military adventure.
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.
Shahu I was the fifth Chhatrapati of the Maratha Confederacy founded by his grandfather, Shivaji I. He was born into the Bhonsle family, and was the son of Sambhaji I and Yesubai. At a young age, he was taken into custody at the Siege of Raigad by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and held captive. He was released from captivity after the death of Aurangzeb in the hope of engineering an internecine struggle among the Maratha factions of Tarabai and Shahu. Shahu emerged victorious in the bloody Battle of Khed and was crowned as Chhatrapati.
Balaji Vishwanath Bhat was the first of a series of hereditary Peshwas hailing from the Bhat family who gained effective control of the Maratha Empire and the Mughal vassals of the Marathas during the early 18th century. Balaji Vishwanath assisted a young Maratha king Shahu to consolidate his grip on a kingdom that had been racked by civil war and persistently intruded on by the Mughals under Aurangzeb. He was called the Second Founder of the Maratha State. Later, his son Bajirao I became the Peshwa.
Murud-Janjira is the local name of a famous fort and tourist spot situated on an island just off the coastal town of Murud, in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. Malik Ambar is credited with the construction of the Janjira Fort in the Murud Area of present-day Maharashtra India. After its construction in 1567 AD, the fort was key to the Sidis withstanding various invasion attempts by the Marathas, Mughals, and Portuguese to capture Janjira.
Malik Ambar was a military leader who served as the Peshwa of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in the Deccan region of India.
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.
Shankaraji Narayan Gandekar (1665–1707), also known as Shankaraji Narayan Sacheev or Shankaraji Narayan, was a popular Minister (Pradhan) and Count (Sardar) of the Maratha Kingdom. He also served as Imperial Secretary (Sacheev) during Rajaram's reign. He also served as Deputy to the Crown (Rajadnya) under Sambhaji. His contribution to the war of independence against Mughal rule is considered to be immensely supportive. He was also the founder of the princely state of Bhor located, in Pune district.
Qasim Yakut Khan also known as Yakut Shaikhji, Yakub Khan and Sidi Yaqub was a naval Admiral and administrator of Janjira Fort who first served under Bijapur Sultanate and later under the Mughal Empire.
Vijaydurg, the oldest fort on the Sindhudurg coast, was constructed during the regime of Raja Bhoja II of the Shilahar dynasty and restructured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Shivaji was the founder of the Maratha Empire in the Indian subcontinent. This article describes Shivaji's life from his birth until the age of 19 years (1630–1649).
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 ruler 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 organize a victory.
Janjira State was a princely state in India during the British Raj. Its rulers were a Siddi dynasty of Habesha descent and the state was under the suzerainty of the Bombay Presidency.
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 Maratha Navy was the naval wing of the armed forces of the Maratha Empire, which existed from around the mid-17th century to the mid-18th century in the Indian subcontinent.
Laya Patil, also spelled as Lai Patil, was the leader of a naval unit of the Maratha Navy of the Maratha Empire at the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Bhonsle. He was a Koli by caste and born in Alibag, present-day Maharashtra. Shivaji had built a warship in the honor of Laya Patil, which was named Palkhi and honoured with the title of Sarpatil.
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.
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.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Maratha Empire 
