Sack of Surat

Battle of Surat
Part of The Maratha rebellion
Early 20th century depiction of the Sack of Surat by Shivaji.
Date January 1664 Location Surat, Gujarat, India Result Maratha victory
Belligerents
Maratha Kingdom	Mughal Empire
Commanders and leaders
Shivaji	Inayat Khan
Strength
4000 cavalry[1]	5000 garrisons[2]
Casualties and losses
Shivaji ordered the beheading of four Imperialist prisoners and the amputation of the hands of twenty-four others.[3]

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 fledgling Maratha State and Inayat Khan, a Mughal commander. The Marathas defeated the Mughal 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 populated mostly by Hindus, but there were Muslims & others as well; including the officials of the Moghal administration at 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 & two-thirds of the city was burnt down. The loot was then transferred to Rajgad fort hidden in the Western Ghauts near Poona (Pune).