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{{Short description|Battle between Mughals and Ahoms in 1616}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
'''Battle of Samdhara''' was the first battle fought between [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]] and the [[Ahom kingdom|Ahoms]] in 1616 <ref name="Comprehensive history of Assam, SL">{{cite book |title=Comprehensive history of Assam, SL Baruah |pages=242}}</ref>

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Samdhara
| place = Samdhara, [[Assam]]
| partof = [[Ahom-Mughal conflicts]]
| result = Ahom victory
| combatant1 = [[File:Ahom insignia plain.svg|25px]] [[Ahom kingdom]]
| combatant2 = [[File:Flag of the Mughal Empire.png|25px]] [[Mughal empire]]
| commander1 = [[Pratap Singha]] Shamkula Borgohain Lasham Charing Gohain Ailas Gohain Lama Barua Chepta Barua Langu Deoghria Bharali Barua Piksai Hazarika
| commander2 = [[Qasim Khan Chishti|Seikh Qasim Khan]] Syed Hakkim khan Syed Aba bakr Sattrajit Raja Jagdeo Jamal khan Mankali
| strength1 = 30,000 men 700 war elephants<ref>{{cite book |title=Sudhindra Nath Bhattacharya, A History of Mughal North-east Frontier Policy|pages=155}}</ref>
| strength2 = 10,000 troops 10,000 cavalry 400 war boats 2,000 musketeers<ref>{{cite book |title=Mohamed Nasr, Ahom Mughal Relations A Study In Diplomatic History |pages=82 |url=https://archive.org/details/AhomMughalRelationsAStudyInDiplomaticHistory/page/n89/mode/2up}}</ref>
| casualties1 = Light
| casualties2 = 5,000 killed 9,000 captured 3,000 fled Almost whole of the Mughal fleet was captured
| date = January, 1616
| image = Bhomoraguri Rock inscription 1616, commemorating the victory of Ahoms over the Mughals in Samdhara.png
| caption = Bhomoraguri Rock inscription 1616, commemorating the victory of Ahoms over the Mughals in Samdhara
}}

{{Assam History}}

== Background ==
The first direct clash of arms between the [[Ahom kingdom|Ahoms]] and [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]] was occasioned by an illegal trade-affair carried by a merchant, Ranta or Ratan Shah by name, who was procuring aloes-wood for [[Jahangir]], at Singri, that lay to the east of the [[Barnadi River|Barnadi]] and within the [[Ahom kingdom]]. On detection, his goods were confiscated and he was expelled from the [[Ahom kingdom|Ahom territory]]. Shortly afterwards, unauthorised merchants of [[Bengal Subah|Bengal]] were found of the north of Kajali buying pulses, mustard seeds and other commodities. Two such mechant vessels were seized by the Ahom government and two of the tradesmen killed<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.03465/page/n47/mode/2up |title=Kamrupar Buranji: or an account of ancient Kamarupa and a history of the Mogul conflicts with Assam and Cooch Behar , up to A.D. 1682 |year=1930 |pages=20|publisher=Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies, Assam }}</ref> The incident of killing to the merchants was only a pretext to launch an invasion to Assam, the Mughal viceroy had long preparing for an invasion.<ref>{{cite book |title=Mohamed Nasr, Ahom Mughal Relations A Study In Diplomatic History |pages=81 |url=https://archive.org/details/AhomMughalRelationsAStudyInDiplomaticHistory/page/n89/mode/2up}}</ref>

== Expedition ==
This stern action of the Ahom government was taken exception to by the Mughal government in [[Bengal Subah|Bengal]] , which was further dissatisfied with the Ahom king [[Susenghphaa|Pratap Singha]] for sheltering [[Balinarayan]], brother of Parikshit. [[Qasim Khan Chishti|Seikh Qasim Khan]], the governor of Bengal, sent immediately a force consisting of an army, more than 10,000 strong troops, and 300 well-equipped war-boats, under Syed Hakkim and Syed Aba Bakr.<ref name="Comprehensive history of Assam, SL"/> Sattrajit, son of the zamindar of Bhusna near [[Dhaka|Dacca]], who had earlier fought successfully against Parikshit and had been rewarded by his appointment as thanadar of [[Pandu, Guwahati|Pandu]] and [[Guwahati|Guahati]], also accompanied the expeditionary force. Beside, some noted officers of the central government like Raja Jagdeo, grandson of Raja [[Todar Mal]], Jamal Khan Mankali accompanied Aba Bakr.<ref>{{cite book |title=Comprehensive history of Assam, SL Baruah |pages=ibid}}</ref> The expeditionary force started from Bajrapur in Bengal in March 1616 and reached the mouth of the [[Kolong River|Kalang river]] in the midst of rains in May/June of that year. The Ahom fleet stationed at the Kajali Choucki attacked the invading force by suffered a defeat and retreated with the loss of some boats. Elated at this victory, Sattrajit entered Sala by way of the [[Kolong River|Kalang]], killed a few men and looted a royal store. After three days, he crossed the [[Brahmaputra River|Brahmaputra]], moved westward and carried away three female dancers from the Siva temple at [[Biswanath district|Biswanath]] in and sailed off.<ref name=":0"/>

== Battle ==
The Ahoms had been watching carefully the movement of the [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]] and, in the meantime, strengthened the fort of Samdhara, which stood near the confluence of the [[Bharali River|Bharali]] and the [[Brahmaputra River|Brahmaputra]]. The Ahoms on the other side managed to gain valuable information about the Mughals from Ahkek Gohain, who previously went to the Mughal side, and was brought back to Ahom camp after being promised pardon. The Mughal also proceeded to the Bharali and stationed at its right bank, opposite of the Ahom fort at Samdhara.<ref name=":0" /> At this, the Burhagohain, Boragohain and other officials asked for auspicious moment to attack, from the Deodhai's (astrologers), which they advised in a night attack (January 1616). The Mughals who were unprepared, were unable to face the enemy were easily overpowered. Large number of officers including Syed Hakim, Jamal Khan Kankali, Bhaaaban Roxi, Gokul chand, Lakshmi Rajput, Abu Bakr and his son were slain.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Mohamed Nasr, Ahom Mughal Relations A Study In Diplomatic History |pages=84}}</ref>

The imperial fleet of Mughals at first resisted, but couldn't after the fall of their commander Abu Bakr, and gave up further resistance. Almost whole of the Mughal fleet was captured by the Ahoms and some naval officers including Miran Sayed Masud, in-charge of the war boats were slain. Sattrajit with Sona Ghazi made a narrow escape with two boats, while Ilahdad Khan Dakhini, Raja Rai, Narsing Rai, Karamchand, son of Satrajit and many others were captured. The casualties on the Mughal side, is estimated to around 1,700 men killed on the spot and, in total 5,000 killed, about 9,000 men taken as captive, and about 3,000 men seeking safety in the jungles by the author of [[Baharistan-i-Ghaibi]]. On the Ahom side Srifal Bora, Namal Bora, Hati Barua, Lacham Sandikoi and Chingdang were killed, but still gained a rich booty of elephant, horses and war materials.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |title=Comprehensive history of Assam, SL Baruah |pages=243}}</ref> [[Pratap Singha]] having herd of the victory at Samdhara, ordered not to kill the captive officers, as he was anxious to see them in person. He rushed to Samdhara, but until then most of the Mughal officers were slain. At this he ordered the Ahom officers put to death, responsible for killing the captive Mughal officers.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Mohamed Nasr, Ahom Mughal Relations A Study In Diplomatic History |pages=84–86}}</ref>

== Aftermath ==
Thus the maiden attempt [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]] to expand towards the east was successfully thwarted by the Ahoms. This defeat brought both ignominy and disaster to the Mughals.[[Qasim Khan Chishti|Qasim Khan]] was replaced by [[Ibrahim Khan Fath-i-Jang|Ibrahim Khan Fathjang]] as the governor of [[Bengal Subah|Bengal]] in April 1617 and Lakshmi Narayan, who has been placed in detention for three years, was re-installed in his kingdom on the condition that he would serve the cause of the [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]] in their fight against the [[Ahom kingdom|Ahoms]]. On the Ahom side, this victory greatly increased their prestige and solidified their position as the master-power of [[Northeast India|north-east]]. It was at this time that, they brought under their control the entire tract between the Barnadi and the [[Bharali River|Bharali]]. [[Pratap Singha]], the Ahom king established [[Balinarayan]] as the tributary raja of [[Darrang district|Darrang]] and renamed him as [[Dharmanarayan]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Baruah, S L (1986), A Comprehensive History of Assam, Munshiram Manoharlal |pages=243}}</ref> Many of the captured soldiers and commanders were sacrificed to goddess [[Kamakhya]] in [[Kamakhya Temple]], including the captured son of Sattrajit.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Power of Tantra: Religion, Sexuality and the Politics of South Asian Studies | isbn=9780857731586 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DJ-LDwAAQBAJ&dq=ahoms+sacrificed+muslims+to+kamakhya&pg=PP138| last1=Urban | first1=Hugh B. | date=30 October 2009 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Ahom Dynasty]]
* [[Ahom kingdom]]
* [[Ahom–Mughal conflicts]]
* [[Battle of Saraighat]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
* Baruah, S L (1986), A Comprehensive History of Assam, Munshiram Manoharlal

[[Category:History of Assam]]
[[Category:History of Guwahati]]
[[Category:17th-century conflicts]]
[[Category:17th century in the Ahom kingdom]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Mughal Empire]]
[[Category:17th century in the Mughal Empire]]
[[Category:Ahom kingdom]]
[[Category:Military history of India]]

Battle of Samdhara - Revision history

Mokx71: add intro further and corrected details as per guidelines

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article