How Many Times did Shivaji Plunder Surat

Introduction

There has always been a group of people who have attempted to paint Chhatrapati Shivaji in a poor light by referring to the Surat loot. What's worse is that a comparison is made to the Mughals and other rulers who also looted, which serves as the foundation for a lot of misinformed whatabouteries. This specifically relates to the first Surat loot in 1665. This inaccurate perception was created using Mughal court records and British accounts of the events, which paint a rather biased picture.

But how many times did Shivaji Plunger Surat?

Shivaji was drawn to Surat's prosperity and twice plunged it between January 1664 and October 1670. By assaulting Surat twice, he made a clear statement to Aurangzeb. Due to its prominence as a commercial hub, it prospered greatly between the 16th and 18th centuries.

The Battle of Surat

It is important to comprehend why Shivaji chose to launch such a perilous campaign. The Pune-Supa region had been destroyed by the Mughal generals Shaiste Khan and Daud Khan in the years before 1665. Numerous people had been killed, and entire villages had been destroyed by fire. Furthermore, Shaiste Khan had taken control of the Lal Mahal in Pune and looted everything he could. To begin the process of subduing the Deccan, Aurangzeb planned to send Mughal armies against the defenceless residents of Pune and Supa.

After severing Shaiste Khan's thumb in a daring raid at night, Shivaji decided to harm the Mughals by attacking Surat, their richest town. He tricked the Mughals into becoming complacent by pretending to be going somewhere else, and before long he had appeared with his armies at Gamdevi, just thirty miles from Surat! His fight was against the Mughal emperor, not the residents of Surat, and he made this clear in his public statements. He had suffered immeasurable harm as a result of the Mughal armies' destruction, so it was only right that he got back at them. However, he had no intention of plundering randomly.

The faujdar of Surat, Inayatullah Khan, was contacted by Shivaji, who was leading a sizable army, asking him to send the three richest merchants in the city. They would pay him back for the damages incurred by Aurangzeb's invasions. They were Haji Baig, Haji Qasim, and Bahirji Bohra, three merchants. According to Sardesai's "Shivaji and His Lines," this sum was in the range of forty to fifty lakhs. Inayatullah Khan resisted, but ultimately decided to pay a few crores! Inayatullah Khan not only declined to resolve the conflict with Shivaji, but he also declined to stand up for the town and fled.

Then, purporting to speak with Chhatrapati Shivaji, he dispatched a young messenger. Surprisingly, however, the messenger attempted to stab Shivaji, and the worst outcome was only prevented by Shivaji's bodyguards' quick actions. Several enraged commanders in his army wanted to carry out a general massacre, if not of the town itself, then at least of the soldiers serving Inayatullah Khan, as this was an insult to their leader. Shivaji, however, forbade such rash actions despite being the target of an assassination attempt. However, since negotiations with Inayatullah Khan had failed, Shivaji had no choice but to fire Surat.

There are two interesting anecdotes from the subsequent three to four days of looting. The first is of Father Ambrose, a Catholic monk. Shivaji was informed that this person's home was deserving of looting. Father Ambrose was a devout man, and Chhatrapati Shivaji was aware of this and refrained from pillaging his home. His home was unharmed during Surat's siege. The second anecdote concerns a man by the name of Parekh and is related to NS Takakhav's biography of Shivaji and the travelogues of a 17th-century author by the name of Bernier.

He was also one of Surat's wealthiest merchants by name. It so happened that Parekh had passed away a few months earlier and that his wife was now his sole heir. The merchant had also been a great philanthropist throughout his life. Shivaji immediately forbade the robbing of his home or his possessions and stationed guards to ensure that this did not occur.

1670 saw the second sacking of Surat. This time, Shivaji was directly engaged in battle with Mughal forces deployed throughout the Sahyadris. He was also squaring off against Janjira Siddi. The Mughal boats from Surat attacked the back of his armies when they were fighting the Siddi. Shivaji responded by attacking Surat. This time, Lohgad, which is close to Pune, received the loot.

Thus, it is clear that there were clear political goals behind the 'looting' of Surat. It wasn't a case of indiscriminate killing and looting. Despite the temptation, Shivaji refrained from engaging in any instances of avarice or cruelty throughout the campaign.

The Second attack on Surat

1670 saw the second sacking of Surat. This time, Shivaji was directly engaged in battle with Mughal forces deployed throughout the Sahyadris. He was also squaring off against Janjira Siddi. The Mughal boats from Surat attacked the back of his armies when they were fighting the Siddi.

The Reign of Surat

The old Hindu town of Suryapur, which was colonised on the banks of the River Tapi by the Brigus or the King of Sauvira between the years of 1500 and 1520 A.D., is where the city's origins can be found. From the Mughals, who controlled it until the start of the 20th century, the British took over in 1759.

Shivaji Maharaj- An Inspiration to Millions

By upholding Swarajya values and Maratha heritage and using his administrative abilities, Shivaji created a royal name for himself in history. He was renowned for his bravery and the strategies he used to defeat the Mughals in numerous battles.

All of the soldiers in Shivaji Maharaj's army exhibited a love for their country and freedom under his command. The "Mavalas," or the soldiers in his army, had such a strong sense of commitment that they were willing to sacrifice their lives for it. With his humanity, he was able to win over the hearts of his people.

One Battle Lost

Battle of Kalyan Mughal Empire General Bahadur Khan routed the Maratha army and seized control of the Kalyan fort. The Mughal forces repulsed the Marathas' attempt at a counteroffensive, which failed, and their army was decimated.