Battle of Surat

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 the Maratha ruler Shivaji and Inayat Khan, a Mughal commander. The Marathas defeated the Mughal force, and ransacked the city.

Battle of Surat
Part of Imperial Maratha Conquests
Date6–10 January 1664
Location
Surat, Gujarat, India
Result

Maratha Victory

  • Marathas Sack Surat
Belligerents
Maratha Army Mughal Empire
Commanders and leaders
Shivaji Inayat Khan

Surat was a wealthy port city in the Mughal Empire and was useful for the Mughals as it was used for the sea trade of the Arabian Sea. The city was well populated mostly by Hindus and Muslims, especially the officials in the Mughal administration of the city. The attack was so sudden that the population had no chance to flee. The plunder continued for six days and two-thirds of the city was burnt down. The loot was then transferred to Rajgad fort.

Battle

Movement and clash of forces

Shivaji attacked Surat after demand for the tribute was rejected. The Mughal Chieftain was very surprised by the suddenness of the attack, unwilling to face the Maratha forces, he hid himself in the Fort of Surat.

Surat was under attack for nearly three days, during this time the Maratha Army looted all the wealth from the traders of the Mughal Gujarat Subah and others such as the Portuguese trading centers. The Maratha soldiers took away cash, gold, silver, pearls, rubies, diamonds & emeralds from the houses of rich merchants such as Virji Vora, Haji Zahid Beg, Haji Kasim and others. The business of Mohandas Parekh, the deceased broker of the Dutch East India Company, was spared as he was reputed as a charitable man.[1][2] Similarly, Shivaji did not plunder the houses of the foreign missionaries.[3]

Shivaji had to complete the sacking of Surat before the Mughal administration at Delhi was alerted, and he could not afford to spend much time attacking the English East India Company. Thus, Sir George Oxenden was able to successfully defend the Surat factory, a fortified warehouse-counting house-hostel.

See also

References
  1. H. S. Sardesai (2002). Shivaji, the great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. pp. 506–. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  2. Balkrishna Govind Gokhale (1979). "VII. The Merchant Prince Virji Vora". Surat In The Seventeenth Century. Popular Prakashan. p. 25. ISBN 9788171542208. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  3. H. S. Sardesai (2002). Shivaji, the great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. p. 506. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7.

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