| Shivaji's Incursion in North Konkan | |||||||||
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| Part of Mughal-Maratha Wars Bijapur sultanate-Maratha Wars | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Maratha Empire |
 Sultanate of Bijapur Mughal Empire Siddis of Janjira.svg){kind=small} Portuguese India | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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ShivajiRaghunath PantDadaji BapujiSonaji Pant |
Kanth Rao (POW) Muhammad Yusuf Kesari Singh †Siddi Fateh Khan Franceso de Mole De CastroAntonido da Suzo Coutinho | ||||||||
In the wake of Shah Jahan's illness in September 1657 and the subsequent Mughal succession crisis, Shivaji seized the opportunity to expand his territory. The Adilshahi abandonment of their treaty with the Mughals left the Nizamshahi Konkan region vulnerable. Exploiting this, Shivaji launched his North Konkan campaign on October 3, 1657, capturing Chaul and advancing north. By October 24, he had taken Kalyan, and by January 9, 1658, Mahuli fort had fallen to him. Shivaji's campaign disrupted Mughal and Adilshahi plans, with his forces defeating Mughal troops and capturing several forts. During this period, Shivaji also amassed significant wealth and caused disruptions for the Portuguese, who had to reinforce their garrison at Chaul.
Following Muhammad Adil Khan’s death and the ineffectiveness of his successor, Ali Adil Khan, Shivaji took advantage of the weakened Adilshahi control, capturing and fortifying numerous forts in the North Konkan region. This drew the attention of Mughal officials, who issued warnings to local deshmukhs about Shivaji’s activities and preparations for a Mughal response.
Background
editShivaji began advancing into the Konkan region after his Capture of Jawali, which inevitably led to conflicts with the Siddi of Danda-Rajpuri. The Shivapur Chronology notes that Raghunathpant was dispatched to Rajpuri on July 31, 1657. The reason for his mission is unclear. Given the intense monsoon rains in the Konkan during this period, it seems unlikely that Raghunathpant was sent on a military campaign. While there are examples of campaigns in the Konkan during the rainy season—such as Shivaji's capture of Mahuli and Karnala in June 1670—it is generally difficult to undertake new military operations in such conditions. It is more plausible that Raghunathpant was sent to prepare for an operation planned for after the monsoon.
The Sabhasad Chronicle provides a brief account of a campaign led by Raghunath Ballal Sabnis against the Siddi. According to this source, under Shivaji's orders, Sabnis led a force of five or six thousand infantry, captured territory up to Danda-Rajpuri, including the forts of Tala and Ghosala, defeated the Siddi's forces in several battles, and eventually negotiated a peace treaty with him. It is likely that the 'Raghunathpant' mentioned in the Shivapur Chronology was the same as Raghunath Ballal Sabnis.
It is clear from references in the Shivabharat that Shivaji had taken some of the Siddi's territories before Afzal Khan's campaign against him, around June 1659. The Shivabharat describes a letter from Afzal Khan to Shivaji, detailing Shivaji's previous 'crimes' and demanding the surrender of all forts and territories he had captured.
Campaign
editFollowing Shah Jahan's serious illness on September 6, 1657, the four Mughal princes began preparing for the war of succession. The Adilshah, seizing the opportunity, abandoned the treaty with the Mughals. This caused uncertainty in the Nizamshahi Konkan region, which had been ceded to the Mughals by the treaty but was not yet under their control. With the Adilshahi officials possibly relaxing their vigilance and the principal official, Mullah Ahmad, being summoned to Bijapur, the region became vulnerable. Shivaji exploited this situation, as the absence of a strong Adilshahi military presence allowed him to advance with little resistance.
Shivaji began his North Konkan campaign on October 3, 1657, moving through the Telbaila Pass into the Konkan. He captured Chaul and then advanced towards Mahuli. On October 24, 1657, he captured Kalyan, which is situated 80 km north of Chaul and 40 km south of Mahuli. The Portuguese document dated November 28, 1657, also reports Shivaji's capture of Chaul. The Sanskrit text Shivakavya recounts that Shivaji, upon learning about the suffering of Hindus under Muslim rule, fought fiercely in Bhiwandi, leading to a decisive battle where many Muslims were killed or fled. Shivaji also discovered a large amount of buried treasure, which he used to his advantage. He then invested Mahuli fort, which capitulated on January 9, 1658. Shivaji returned to Rajgad on January 14, 1658.
The campaign effectively thwarted Mughal plans to secure the region. A letter from October 21, 1657, by Aurangzeb's secretary, Abul Fath, reveals that Mughal forces faced significant difficulties, including a skirmish where Mughal troops were forced to retreat. Shivaji's 200 horsemen played a crucial role in this, showing their capability to challenge Mughal and Adilshahi forces.
The Portuguese also noted Shivaji's activities in the region, reporting that he had caused disruption in their territories, leading them to maintain a garrison at Chaul during the winter. Various sources confirm that Shivaji amassed considerable wealth during his campaign, capturing several forts beyond just Mahuli.
Summarizing Shivaji's North Konkan campaign:
- August 1657: Raghunathpant captures territory from the Siddi. - October 3, 1657: Shivaji departs Rajgad, descends via Telbaila Pass, captures Chaul, and heads north. - October 1657: The Mughal faujdar of Junnar defeats the Adilshahi commander Habash Khan and suffers losses against Shivaji's forces. - October 24, 1657: Dadaji Bapuji captures Kalyan and Bhiwandi; Shivaji arrives at Kalyan. - January 5, 1658: Shivaji begins the siege of Mahuli. - January 9, 1658: Mahuli falls to Shivaji. - January 14, 1658: Shivaji returns to Rajgad.
The Sanskrit Shivakavya mentions only Mahuli, but Shivaji captured several other forts during this campaign.
Towards the end of Shah Jahan's reign, the dominion of Bijapur was troubled by rebellions following the severe illness of Muhammad Adil Khan. Consequently, Muhammad Adil Khan summoned his nobleman in the Konkan, Mullah Ahmad, to Bijapur. This left the forts in the Konkan region poorly defended due to a lack of cavalry and infantry. Exploiting this vulnerability, Shivaji began his rebellion. He first used deceit to capture some forts and then extended his control over others that lacked adequate defenders, equipment, and supplies.
When Muhammad Adil Khan died, his young son Ali Adil Khan succeeded him. Due to Ali Adil Khan's inexperience and lack of administrative skill, he was unable to address the situation, allowing Shivaji to progressively capture all the forts in the North Konkan region. Shivaji fortified these positions, utilizing the natural advantages of the hills, forests, and forts to prepare for a comprehensive revolt. He constructed new forts and reinforced around forty existing ones, effectively waging war against Ali Adil Khan.
The Shivabharat also references the Nizamshahi territory captured by Shivaji. According to a quote from the Adilshah’s speech just before he sent Afzal Khan against Shivaji in 1659, Shivaji had seized the old Nizamshahi lands—rich with mountains, forests, and mines—that had been given to Aurangzeb for a treaty. Shivaji captured approximately twenty-five to thirty forts in North Konkan, including Mahuli, Lohagad, Tung, Tikona, Visapur, Songad, Karnala, Tala, and Ghosala, among others. Except for Janjira and surrounding areas held by the Siddis, the entire Nizamshahi Konkan came under Shivaji’s control. While the exact methods by which many of these forts were captured remain unclear, it is likely that some were abandoned or poorly defended and surrendered with little resistance. The swift capture of Mahuli fort in just five days indicates significant neglect.
The Rohida fort was not under Shivaji's control until at least 1656. However, by the time Shivaji signed a treaty with the Mughal commander Mirza Raja Jai Singh in 1665, he had already secured the fort. Although the precise timing of Rohida’s capture is unknown, it is likely that Shivaji acquired it around 1657 or 1658, as he had declared war on the Adilshah and had control over the surrounding territory.
After taking control of the North Konkan forts, Shivaji would have needed to repair, equip, and garrison them to make them defensible. This activity drew the attention of Mughal officials. On March 11, 1659, a Mughal nobleman wrote a letter in Marathi to Dinkarrao, the Deshmukh of the Wankhed sub-division of Konkan. The letter noted that Shivaji was commandeering cattle and goods from the region to Mahuli fort, causing damage and inconvenience to the public. It instructed Dinkarrao to prevent any removal of property to the fort, secure supplies, and warned that a Mughal force would soon be dispatched. The letter indicates that similar warnings were likely sent to other deshmukhs in Konkan.