Английская Википедия:Battle of Surat
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use Indian English Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Infobox military conflict Шаблон:Campaignbox Later Mughal-Maratha Wars Battle of Surat, also known as the Sack of Surat, was a land battle that took place on 5 January 1664, near the city of Surat, in present-day Gujarat, India, between Shivaji, leader of the Mahratta Confederacy and Inayat Khan, a Moghal commander. The Marathas defeated the Moghal military unit posted at Surat and ransacked the city.
Surat was a wealthy port city used by the Moghals for maritime trade in the Arabian Sea. The city was well populated mostly by Hindus, Muslims & others; especially the officials in the Mughal administration of the city. According to historian James Grant Duff, Surat was attacked by Shivaji on 5 January 1664. The attack was so sudden that the population had no chance to flee. The violent plunder of the Mahratta forces continued for six days and two-thirds of the city was burnt down.Шаблон:Citation needed The loot was then transferred to Rajgad fort hidden in the Western Ghauts near Poona (Pune).Шаблон:Citation needed
Background
Shaista Khan, the Moghal nawab, was in the Deccan for more than three years fighting the Mahrattas, the financial condition of the Mahratta Confederacy was dire. So to improve his finances, Shivaji planned to attack Surat, a key Moghal administrative centre and a wealthy port town that generated a million rupees in taxes. His aim was to capture and loot the wealthy port city and bring all the loot to his Raigad Fort.Шаблон:Citation needed
Battle
Movement and clash of forces
Shivaji attacked Surat after demand for the tribute was rejected. The Mughal Chieftain was very surprised by the suddenness of the attack, unwilling to face the Maratha forces, he hid himself in the Fort of Surat.Шаблон:Cn
Surat was under attack for nearly three days, during this time the Maratha Army looted all the wealth from the traders of the Mughal Gujarat Subah and others such as the Portuguese trading centers. The Maratha soldiers took away cash, gold, silver, pearls, rubies, diamonds & 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]
Shivaji had to complete the sacking of Surat before the Mughal administration at Delhi was alerted, and he could not afford to spend much time attacking the English East India Company. Thus, Sir George Oxenden was able to successfully defend the Surat factory, a fortified warehouse-counting house-hostel.Шаблон:Cn
See also
References
