The Siege of Janjira was a military campaign undertaken by the Maratha Empire, 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 Siddis of Janjira, who allied with the Mughal Empire following the fall of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, posed a significant threat to the Marathas of Konkan. During Shivaji's reign, several unsuccessful attempts were made to capture Janjira, the Siddi's capital. After Shivaji's death, his son Sambhaji, along with Prince Akbar, the rebellious son of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and the Rajputs of Marwar, sought to besiege the Janjira fort. Initially, Sambhaji dispatched his commander Dadaji Raghunath Deshpande, later joining the siege himself. However, continuous Mughal attacks on the Konkan region forced Sambhaji to withdraw at an interval. Following Sambhaji's departure, the remaining Maratha forces were compelled to retreat from Janjira, resulting in heavy casualties among the Marathas.
The Siddis, African Muslims originally from Abyssinia, commonly known as Abyssinian Muslims, arrived in India through slave trades, as traders, or by settling in pursuit of their livelihood. They established settlements along the Malabar coast of India and gradually evolved into a naval power, with their main base located at Janjira, described as an "impregnable sea-girt fortress." The island of Janjira was seized by the Sultan of Ahmadnagar in 1498. The Siddis pledged their loyalty to him, and their local leader, known as Siddi, by his traditional title, was appointed as the Governor of Janjira on behalf of the Ahmadnagar state. This appointment granted legal validation to their inherited status as the local chiefs of Janjira.[1] In 1636, during Siddi Ambar's governorship of Janjira, the Mughals ultimately conquered Ahmednagar, and the Ahmednagar Konkan region was relinquished to the Bijapur Subah of the Mughal empire.[2]
With the ascent of Shivaji and the subsequent decline of Bijapur as an independent state, coupled 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 granted an annual payment of 400,000 rupees for the upkeep of their fleet and appointed Kassem Siddi, formerly the Bijapur governor of Janjira, as his Admiral. According to Orme, this change in loyalty occurred in 1661, with Low stating that "the condition of his tenure was the maintenance of a marine for the protection of the Mughal subjects trading to the Gulf of Persia and Arabia, from the Malabar pirates and the Portuguese."[3] During Shivaji's leadership, the Siddis of Janjira were a persistent threat to the Marathas. The Siddis of Janjira are depicted in the Ajayapatra (royal edict) of Amatya, a statesman from the era of Shivaji, as follows:[4]
"Further with a view to bring under his control this kingdom by his valour, he thought of subduing first the adjoining enemy who was like a disease in the stomach. The Shyamalas (Siddis) were truly the causes of harm to the state.... On account of the Shyamalas the success of the chief enemy was at first great, nay during the adverse times the Shyamalas conquered several territories and forts. At first the late revered king... checked the Shyamalas. On that occasion they were supported by the Tamras (Mughals) and therefore the Shyamalas remained as a power."
Throughout his reign, Shivaji orchestrated numerous unsuccessful endeavors to breach the formidable forty-three-foot-high walls of Janjira. In 1676, Shivaji constructed Padmadurg sea fort northeast of Janjira in an attempt to rival the Siddi stronghold, yet this initiative ultimately ended in failure.[5] Shivaji's offensive in 1659 against Janjira failed, leading to escalating conflicts with the Siddis. He amassed a fleet of 40 to 50 warships but faced frequent naval battles, often losing to the Abyssinians. In 1672, Siddi Yakut ravaged Bombay, forcing the British into negotiations. Despite treaties, Siddis repeatedly attacked Bombay, causing scarcity and loss for the English and Marathas. They burnt down the villages and took thousands as captives of the war. Despite his successes elsewhere, Shivaji struggled against the Siddis, a challenge that continued into Sambhaji's reign after Shivaji's death.[6]
Pre conflicts
The Konkan region
During Sambhaji's reign, the Konkan emerged as the primary center of Maratha activity. Sambhaji confronted the Mughal armies led by Aurangzeb in person. The entire Maratha region was embroiled in conflict. The Siddis, who had pledged allegiance to Aurangzeb, battled the Marathas, spreading havoc and seizing many strongholds in the Konkan. Siddi Qasim annually sent his smaller vessels from Underi or Henry to safe havens in Bombay harbor and sailed with larger vessels to patrol near Danda Rajpuri.[7]
The Siddis violated their treaty with the British, attacking the English stronghold of Bombay. In the ensuing skirmish, casualties occurred on both sides. The following day, Siddi Qasim and his troops approached the fort, prompting gunfire from English ships. Eventually, they were allowed to anchor under the condition not to attack the Maratha coast.[8]
However, Sambhaji was displeased with the English's protection and threatened to invade Bombay. Subsequently, Sambhaji attempted to burn the Siddi ships and landed 200 men in Underi, resulting in disaster of Marathas as most were killed or captured. The Siddis brought the heads of 80 Marathas to Bombay, from the heads of the troops that were killed in the conflict. Despite plans to display 80 heads on poles, the British council intervened to prevent such cruelty.[9][10]
The siege
Map of Janjira with the Indian mainland
In early January 1682, Dadaji Raghunath Deshpande, a Maratha general, was dispatched to Janjira, the capital of the Siddis. Sambhaji pledged to appoint him as one of the eight Pradhans of the Maratha empire if he successfully besieged and captured the Janjira fort.[11] By the final days of December 1681, Durga Das Rathore, the Rajput general of Marwar, and Prince Akbar, the son of Aurangzeb who rebelled against the Mughals, formed an alliance with Sambhaji against the Siddis.[12] They converged with the forces of Raghunath Deshpande at Rajpuri, bringing a contingent of 20,000 men.[13]
During the siege of Janjira, Sambhaji devised a cunning scheme with the assistance of Kondaji Farzand. They orchestrated a plot for Janjira's defection. Kondaji pretended to have a falling out and joined the Siddis, intending to detonate the Siddi magazine on the day specified by Sambhaji for the attack. Additionally, Kondaji brought women to corrupt the garrison. However, one of them had been the mistress of a Siddi officer, who learned of the plot. As a result, Kondaji and his associates were executed.[11][14] Sambhaji then endeavored to fill the channel, which was eight hundred yards wide and thirty feet deep, with stones and rock fragments, aiming to create a causeway for the assaulting parties. However, Sambhaji's presence was short-lived as he was compelled to abandon the siege. He left ten thousand men under Raghunath Deshpande's command at Janjira due to ongoing Mughal attacks in the Konkan region, including the capture of the Kalyan fort.[11][15]
Sheltered by a rock in the middle of the island, the garrison, led by Siddi Khairyat, persisted in their defense while Siddi Qasim cleared the bay of Sambhaji's fleet. After Sambhaji's departure, Deshpande ceased fighting and retreated from Janjira.[16] Siddi Qasim pursued the Marathas to Bombay, where the Maratha general Dadaji Prabhu Deshpande attempted to defend by assembling boats for a counterattack, but they were ultimately repelled, resulting in a loss of two hundred men.[17]
Aftermath
The failed attempt, however, did not deter Sambhaji from continuing his campaigns against the Siddis. He dispatched one of his Subahdari to Anjavida, one of the domains of the Siddis, with the objective of capturing the fort and establishing a naval base. Upon learning of this, the Portuguese landed at Anjavida, expelled the Marathas, and established their own naval base there. This resulted in hostilities between Sambhaji and the Portuguese. In July of the same year, when Sambhaji attacked Chaul, which was under Portuguese control, Siddi Yakut Khan and Siddi Khairyat Khan rushed to the aid of the Portuguese.[16]
For some time after Sambhaji departed, Siddi Qasim, along with his entire fleet, maintained a vigilant watch over Janjira. In April, he sailed to Bombay, where the English, fearing the Mughal Emperor's disapproval, permitted him to anchor. Following the arrival of the Siddis, they pillaged the Maratha coast, venturing as far inland as Mahad in Kolaba, and abducted the wife and family of Dadaji, Sambhaji's general.[17]
In October, Sambhaji devised another assault on the Siddis, under the leadership of Siddi Misri, who had defected from the Siddis after losing command of the Mughal army. Sambhaji's forces comprised 30 vessels, while the Siddis had 15 vessels. Despite being outnumbered, the Siddis once again emerged victorious, inflicting wounds upon their leader Misri himself.[6]
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.
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 Empire. Sambhaji's rule was largely shaped by the ongoing wars between the Maratha Empire 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.
Kanhoji Angre, also known as Conajee Angria or Sarkhel Angré was a chief of the Maratha Navy in present-day India. Kanhoji became known for attacking and capturing European merchant ships and collecting jakat, seen by Europeans traders and colonists as ransoming of their crews. British, Dutch and Portuguese ships often fell victims to these raids.Despite attempts by the Portuguese and British to put an end to his privateering activities, Angre continued to capture and collect jakat from European merchant ships until his death in 1729. Kanhoji's naval prowess in capturing dozens of European trading ships and avoiding capture has led to many historians to appraise Kanhoji as the most skilled Indian navy chief in the maritime history of India.
Balaji Vishwanath Bhat (1662–1720) 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. He secured a grant from the Mughal court that confirmed Shahu as the legitimate Mughal vassal, at the expense of his rival Sambhaji. Later, his son Bajirao I became the Peshwa.
Rajaram Bhonsle I was the third Chhatrapati of Maratha Empire, who ruled from 1689 to his death in 1700. He was the second son of the Shivaji, the founder of the empire and younger half-brother of Sambhaji, who he succeeded. His eleven-year reign was marked with a constant struggle against the Mughals. He was succeeded by his infant son Shivaji II under the regentship of his dowager Maharani Tarabai.
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.
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.
Ramchandra Neelkanth Bawadekar (1650–1716), also known as Ramchandra Pant Amatya, served on the Council of 8 as the Finance Minister (Amatya) to Emperor (Chhatrapati) Shivaji, dating from 1674 to 1680. He then served as the Imperial Regent to four later emperors, namely Sambhaji, Rajaram, Shivaji II and Sambhaji II. He authored the Adnyapatra, a famous code of civil and military administration, and is renowned as one of the greatest civil administrators, political thinkers, diplomats and military strategists of the Maratha Empire.
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 Empire. He also served as Imperial Secretary (Sacheev) during Rajaram's reign. He also served as Deputy to the Crown (Rajadnya) under Emperor 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.
Panhala fort, is located in Panhala, 20 kilometres northwest of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, India. It is strategically located looking over a pass in the Sahyadri mountain range which was a major trade route from Bijapur in the interior of Maharashtra to the coastal areas. Due to its strategic location, it was the centre of several skirmishes in the Deccan involving the Marathas, the Mughals and the British the grand son's of chhatrapati shivaji maharaj East India Company, the most notable being the Battle of Pavan Khind. Here, the queen regent of Kolhapur, Tarabai Ranisaheb, spent her formative years. Several parts of the fort and the structures within are still intact. It is also called as the 'Fort of Snakes' as it is zigzagged in shape.
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).
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 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.
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 abd 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.
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 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.
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 
Rathores of Marwar 
