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Battle of Bhatvadi: Difference between revisions
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The generals of the Ahmadnagar army included [[Shahaji]], whose son [[Shivaji]] subsequently established a kingdom that evolved into the [[Maratha Empire]]. The Maratha records portray the battle of Bhatvadi as an auspicious omen signaling the rise of the Maratha power. | The generals of the Ahmadnagar army included [[Shahaji]], whose son [[Shivaji]] subsequently established a kingdom that evolved into the [[Maratha Empire]]. The Maratha records portray the battle of Bhatvadi as an auspicious omen signaling the rise of the Maratha power. | ||
== Background == | |||
The [[Ahmadnagar Sultanate]] was a major kingdom in the [[Deccan]] region of India; it was officially ruled by the Nizam Shahi dynasty, but its de facto ruler was the powerful minister [[Malik Ambar]]. Ahmadnagar was involved in conflicts against its northern neighbour, the [[Mughal Empire]], its southern neighbour, the [[Bijapur Sultanate]], ruled by the Adil Shahi dynasty, and its eastern neighbour, the [[Golconda Sultanate]]. A peace treaty between the Mughals and Bijapur led to their alliance against Ahmadnagar. Malik Ambar could not match the military superiority of the Bijapur-Mughal forces, and relied on [[guerrilla warfare|guerilla tactics]].{{sfn|Pushkar Sohoni|2016|pp=15-16}} | |||
[[Shahaji]] and other local [[Maratha (caste)|Maratha]] chiefs frequently changed their allegiance between the warring sides. Sometime before the battle of Bhatvadi, Shahaji and some other Maratha leaders joined the Mughals, but returned to Malik Ambar's service just before the battle.{{sfn|Stewart Gordon|1993|p=44}} The Maratha officers who fought on Malik Ambar's side at Bhatvadi included Shahaji, Sharofji, Maloji, Parsoji, Mambaji, Nagoji, Trimbakji, Kakoji, Hambir Rao Chavan, Madhji, Nar Singh Raj, Ballela Tripul, Vithal Raj Kavata, Dattaji, Naganath, Nar Singh Pingle, and Sunder Jagdev.{{sfn|Richard M. Eaton|2006|p=134}} | |||
By 1624, the Mughals had captured the [[Ahmadnagar]] city, and Malik Ambar controlled the rural areas to the east of the city.{{sfn|Pushkar Sohoni|2016|p=16}} After a series of conflicts and negotiations, Malik Ambar invaded the Bijapur Sultanate, and besieged its capital, the [[Bijapur]] city. The Bijapuri king [[Ibrahim Adil Shah II]] asked his general Mullah Muhammad Lari to come to Bijapur, and also secured support of the Mughal viceroy Sarbuland Rai by offering 200,000 ''[[hun (coin)|huns]]'' to him. Meanwhile, an epidemic killed 500 horses in Malik Ambar's camp in a single night. He attempted to convince the Mughals to stay away from the conflict and tried to negotiate a peace treaty with Bijapur, but was unsuccessful. The impending arrival of a combined Bijapur-Mughal army forced him to retreat from Bijapur.{{sfn|Shanti Sadiq Ali|1996|pp=79-80}} | |||
Adil Shah sent an army led by Ikhlas Khan Habshi to pursue Malik Ambar's retreating army, and shortly after, sent a larger army comprising Mughal and Bijapur troops commanded by Muhammad Lari.{{sfn|Shanti Sadiq Ali|1996|p=80}} | |||