According to 'History of The Marattas' a book written in 1826 by
James Grant Duff, a Captain in the British India Regiment,(page-198),'
Surat was attacked by
Shivaji on 5 Jan 1664. This was a wealthy port city in Mughal empire for the sea trade of the era. The city was well populated mostly by Hindus and a few Muslims, specially the officials in the Mughal administration of the city.The attack was so sudden that the population had no chance flee. The plunder was continued for six days,two third of the city was burned down and there was smoke in the air for many days. The loot was then transferred to Raigad fort'.
Background[edit]
As
Shaista Khan, the Mughal governor, was in
Deccan for more than three years fighting the Marathas, the financial condition of the Maratha state was dire. So to improve his finances, Shivaji planned to attack Surat, a key Mughal power centre, and a wealthy port town which generated a million rupees in taxes.
Composition of Mughal forces[edit]
The defences of the city were poor, as the local
Subedar,
Inayat Khan appointed by Aurangzeb, had only 1000 men at his command. After sacking the
Mughal garrison
Shivaji attacked the
port of
Surat and set the local shipping industry ablaze.
Composition of Maratha forces[edit]
Shivaji was assisted by notable commanders along with cavalry of 8000 or more.
Movement and clash of forces[edit]
Shivaji attacked Surat after a demand for tribute was rejected. The Mughal Sardar, not the bravest, was very surprised by the suddenness of the attack and not willing to face the Maratha forces, he hid himself in the fort of Surat. However, there was an attempt of life on Shivaji by the emissary sent by the Mughal sardar. So Shivaji took the city and put it to the sack.
Surat was under attack for nearly three days, in which the Maratha army looted all possible wealth from
Mughal and
Portuguese trading centers. The Maratha soldiers took away cash, gold, silver, pearls, rubies, diamonds and 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] The French traveller
Francois Bernier wrote in his
Travels in Mughal India:
[4]
I forgot to mention that during pillage of Sourate, Seva-ji, the Holy Seva-ji! Respected the habitation of the reverend father Ambrose, the
Capuchin missionary. 'The Frankish Padres are good men', he said 'and shall not be attacked.'
The total number of prisoners executed during the raid was 4; the hands of another 24 were cut off.
[3]
Shivaji had to complete the sacking of Surat before the Mughal Empire at Delhi was alerted and could not afford to waste much time in attacking the
British. Thus, Sir George Oxenden was able to successfully defend the British factory, a fortified warehouse-counting house-hostel.
Outcome[edit]
All this loot was successfully transported to
Maharashtra before the
Mughal Empire at
Delhi could get the news of the sacking of Surat. This wealth later was used for developing & strengthening the Maratha State. News in London Gazzeton 20 Feb 1672
[5]
Casualties[edit]
One Englishman named Anthony Smith, was captured by the
Marathas, and funds were demanded from him.However when king Shivaji understood that Smith was poor he was freed. When the
Mughal Army finally approached on the fourth fateful day, Shivaji and his followers galloped southwards into the
Deccan.
Only the well organized British led by
George Oxenden and the
Portuguese survived the onslaught, but the city itself never recovered.
References[edit]
- Jump up^ H. S. Sardesai (2002). Shivaji, the great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. pp. 506–. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7. Retrieved14 December 2011.
- Jump up^ Balkrishna Govind Gokhale (1979). "VII. The Merchant Prince Virji Vora". Surat In The Seventeenth Century. Popular Prakashan. p. 25. ISBN 9788171542208. Retrieved 2011-11-25.
- ^ Jump up to:a b H. S. Sardesai (2002). Shivaji, the great Maratha. Cosmo Publications. p. 506. ISBN 978-81-7755-286-7.
- Jump up^ The great Maratha, Volume 2, H. S. Sardesai, Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd, 2002, ISBN 8177552864, ISBN 9788177552867
- Jump up^ News in London Gazzet http://www.indianexpress.com/news/researcher-finds-reference-to-shivaji-maharaj-in-foreign-newspaper/362848
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