Battle of Kolhapur
Encyclopedia
Battle of Kolhapur was a land battle that took place on December 28, 1659 near the city of Kolhapur, Maharashtra
, India
between the Maratha
Chhatrapati
Shivaji and the Rustam Zaman
of Adilshah. The Marathas defeated the Adilshahi forces. Adilshahi forces were 10000 strong against 5000 light maratha cavalry.
The battle is known for brilliant movement of flanks by Shivaji similar to Uzbek
tactics of Babur
against Rana Sangha.
fort. Rustam Zaman
was directed from Bijapur. He arrived near Miraj
in the vicinity of Kolhapur on 27 December, 1659.
was assisted by other chieftains Fazal Khan, Malik Itbar, Sadat Khan, Yakub Khan, Aankush Khan, Hasan Khan, Mulla Yahya, Santaji Ghatage. It consists of selected cavalry of Adilshahi which was well known. In addition elephant
s were deployed as first line of defense. The centre was commanded by Rustam Zaman
himself, left flank by Fazal Khan, right flank by Malik Itbar. Fateh Khan and Mullah Yahya were on the rear guard.
, Hiroji Ingale, Bhimaji Wagh, Sidhoji Pawar Jadhavrao, Hanmantrao Kharate, Pandhare, Siddi Hllal, and Mahadik. Center was commanded by Shivaji Maharaj himself. Siddi Hilal and Jadhavrao were on left flank. Ingale and Sidhoji Pawar on right flank. Mahadik and Wagh on the rear guard. Netaji Palkar
was off the centre.
was planning to move towards Panhala
fort. Shivaji anticipated this movement and in a quick dash appeared before Adilshahi forces in the early morning of 28th December, 1659. And attacked the enemy. Shivaji charged the center. Other Maratha commanders attacked respective flanks. In a hard battle, Adilshahi forces were scuttled. By afternoon Rustam Zaman
had fled the field.
. Adilshahi forces lost about 2000 horses and 12 elephants to the Marathas. The Marathas under Shivaji Maharaj continued to harass and conquer more Adilshahi territory. In one of the incidences, Shivaji tried to conquer an Adilshahi fort named Khelna but the terrain of the fort was difficult; conquering the fort was easier said than done. The Adilshahi garrison at the fort was also defending the fort valiantly. Then, Shivaji came up with a plan. Accordingly, a group of Marathas went up to the fort and convinced the Adilshahi chief (killedar) at the fort that they were not content with the rule of Shivaji and thus, had come to serve the Adilshah. The Marathas were successful and the next day, they revolted and caused total chaos inside the fort. Simultaneously, Shivaji attacked the fort from outside and in no time captured the fort. Shivaji renamed the fort as Vishalgad
.
was 7000 on Adilshahi side and 2000 on Maratha side.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
between the Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
Chhatrapati
Chhatrapati
Chhatrapati is the Indian honorific title equivalent to the European Emperor. It is more formally written as Kshetrapati, from the Sanskrit kshetra- and -pati...
Shivaji and the Rustam Zaman
Rustam Zaman
Rustam Zaman was a Bijapuri general who commanded Adil Shah's 10,000 strong army, in the Battle of Kolhapur against Shivaji's forces....
of Adilshah. The Marathas defeated the Adilshahi forces. Adilshahi forces were 10000 strong against 5000 light maratha cavalry.
| Battle of Kolhapur | ||
|---|---|---|
| Part of the Imperial Maratha Conquests Imperial Maratha Conquests The Imperial Maratha Conquests were a series of conquests in the Indian subcontinent which led to the building of the Maratha Empire. These conquests were started by Shivaji Maharaj in 1659 from the victory at the Battle of Pratapgad... |
||
| Date: December 28, 1659 | ||
| Place: Kolhapur, Maharashtra Maharashtra Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India... , India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
||
| Outcome: Decisive victory for Maratha Maratha The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;... s |
||
| Combatants | ||
| Maratha Empire Maratha Empire The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km².... |
Adilshahi forces | |
| Commanders | ||
| Shivaji, Netaji Palkar Netaji Palkar Netaji Palkar was the second Sarnaubat in the army of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire in western India.-Family history:... |
Rustam Zaman Rustam Zaman Rustam Zaman was a Bijapuri general who commanded Adil Shah's 10,000 strong army, in the Battle of Kolhapur against Shivaji's forces.... |
|
| Strength | ||
| 5,000 | 10,000 | |
| Casualties | ||
| 2,000 | 7,000 | |
The battle is known for brilliant movement of flanks by Shivaji similar to Uzbek
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
tactics of Babur
Babur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
against Rana Sangha.
Background
Shivaji had killed Afzal Khan and routed his army in the battle of Pratapgarh (10 November, 1659). He took advantage of this victory and in a great offensive took a large hilly tract running about 200 km under his command. A number of forts like Vasota fell to Marathas. By December, 1659 Shivaji appeared near PanhalaPanhala
Panhala is a city and a Hill station Municipal Council 18 km northwest of Kolhapur, in Kolhapur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Panhala is the smallest city in Maharastra and being a Municipal Council the city is developing rapidly. The city sprawls in the Panhala fort commands...
fort. Rustam Zaman
Rustam Zaman
Rustam Zaman was a Bijapuri general who commanded Adil Shah's 10,000 strong army, in the Battle of Kolhapur against Shivaji's forces....
was directed from Bijapur. He arrived near Miraj
Miraj
Miraj , is an historic town in southern Maharashtra, India. The history of the town dates back to the early 10th century, and the town is known for its rich tradition of Hindustani classical music and for religious harmony. It served as a stronghold and a strategic bastion because of its location...
in the vicinity of Kolhapur on 27 December, 1659.
Composition of Adilshahi forces
Rustam ZamanRustam Zaman
Rustam Zaman was a Bijapuri general who commanded Adil Shah's 10,000 strong army, in the Battle of Kolhapur against Shivaji's forces....
was assisted by other chieftains Fazal Khan, Malik Itbar, Sadat Khan, Yakub Khan, Aankush Khan, Hasan Khan, Mulla Yahya, Santaji Ghatage. It consists of selected cavalry of Adilshahi which was well known. In addition elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s were deployed as first line of defense. The centre was commanded by Rustam Zaman
Rustam Zaman
Rustam Zaman was a Bijapuri general who commanded Adil Shah's 10,000 strong army, in the Battle of Kolhapur against Shivaji's forces....
himself, left flank by Fazal Khan, right flank by Malik Itbar. Fateh Khan and Mullah Yahya were on the rear guard.
Composition of Maratha forces
Shivaji was assisted by Maratha Cavalry leader Netaji Palkar, SARDAR GODAJIRAJE JAGTAPJagtap
Jagtap is one of the prominent Maratha surname among Royal Maratha clans dwelling numerously in Maharashtra and the Maratha cast dominated regions of India.- Origin :...
, Hiroji Ingale, Bhimaji Wagh, Sidhoji Pawar Jadhavrao, Hanmantrao Kharate, Pandhare, Siddi Hllal, and Mahadik. Center was commanded by Shivaji Maharaj himself. Siddi Hilal and Jadhavrao were on left flank. Ingale and Sidhoji Pawar on right flank. Mahadik and Wagh on the rear guard. Netaji Palkar
Netaji Palkar
Netaji Palkar was the second Sarnaubat in the army of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire in western India.-Family history:...
was off the centre.
Movement and clash of forces
Rustam ZamanRustam Zaman
Rustam Zaman was a Bijapuri general who commanded Adil Shah's 10,000 strong army, in the Battle of Kolhapur against Shivaji's forces....
was planning to move towards Panhala
Panhala
Panhala is a city and a Hill station Municipal Council 18 km northwest of Kolhapur, in Kolhapur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Panhala is the smallest city in Maharastra and being a Municipal Council the city is developing rapidly. The city sprawls in the Panhala fort commands...
fort. Shivaji anticipated this movement and in a quick dash appeared before Adilshahi forces in the early morning of 28th December, 1659. And attacked the enemy. Shivaji charged the center. Other Maratha commanders attacked respective flanks. In a hard battle, Adilshahi forces were scuttled. By afternoon Rustam Zaman
Rustam Zaman
Rustam Zaman was a Bijapuri general who commanded Adil Shah's 10,000 strong army, in the Battle of Kolhapur against Shivaji's forces....
had fled the field.
Outcome
Shivaji gained a large territory and secured front of his emerging empireMaratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
. Adilshahi forces lost about 2000 horses and 12 elephants to the Marathas. The Marathas under Shivaji Maharaj continued to harass and conquer more Adilshahi territory. In one of the incidences, Shivaji tried to conquer an Adilshahi fort named Khelna but the terrain of the fort was difficult; conquering the fort was easier said than done. The Adilshahi garrison at the fort was also defending the fort valiantly. Then, Shivaji came up with a plan. Accordingly, a group of Marathas went up to the fort and convinced the Adilshahi chief (killedar) at the fort that they were not content with the rule of Shivaji and thus, had come to serve the Adilshah. The Marathas were successful and the next day, they revolted and caused total chaos inside the fort. Simultaneously, Shivaji attacked the fort from outside and in no time captured the fort. Shivaji renamed the fort as Vishalgad
Vishalgad
Vishalgad was one of the important forts of Shivaji and Maratha Empire. The name ‘Vishalgad’ meaning grand fort in Marathi, was given by Shivaji after annexing it for the Maratha Empire in 1659.The fort is about 1130 meters that is 3630 feet.-Origin of the name Vishalgad:Khelna was in the control...
.
Casualties
The total casualties of this battle and also battle of PratapgarhPratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh
Pratapgarh also called Bela, Bela Pratapgarh, Partapgarh or Partabgarh, is a city and nagar panchayat of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Pratapgarh district, part of the Faizabad Division...
was 7000 on Adilshahi side and 2000 on Maratha side.