Sack of Surat

Battle of Surat
	; Sack of Surat by Shivaji.
Date	5–10 January 1664
Location	Surat, Gujarat, India
Result	Maratha victory
Belligerents
Maratha Kingdom	Mughal Empire
Commanders and leaders
Shivaji	Inayat Khan
Casualties and losses
	Shivaji ordered the beheading of four Imperialist prisoners and the amputation of the hands of twenty-four others.

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).

^ KINCAID, DENNIS (1955). THE HISTORY OF SHIVAJI THE GRAND REBEL. KARAN PUBLICATION, DELHI. p. 171. But a rumour had flashed round the Maratha camp that Shivaji had been assassiaated. There rose a bitter cry for vengeance, wild voices shouting for mass-executions in reprisal. Shivaji, his dress still splashed with blood, staggered to his feet and ran through the camp, showing himself to his followers, ordering them back to their duties. But even his magic voice for once almost failed of its effect. It was only when he agreed to exact some retribution from his prisoners that the soldiers' fury was assuaged. Then Shivaji ordered four of his Im¬ perialist prisoners to be beheaded and the hands of twenty-four others to be cut off.

[1] KINCAID, DENNIS (1955). THE HISTORY OF SHIVAJI THE GRAND REBEL. KARAN PUBLICATION, DELHI. p. 171. But a rumour had flashed round the Maratha camp that Shivaji had been assassiaated. There rose a bitter cry for vengeance, wild voices shouting for mass-executions in reprisal. Shivaji, his dress still splashed with blood, staggered to his feet and ran through the camp, showing himself to his followers, ordering them back to their duties. But even his magic voice for once almost failed of its effect. It was only when he agreed to exact some retribution from his prisoners that the soldiers' fury was assuaged. Then Shivaji ordered four of his Im¬ perialist prisoners to be beheaded and the hands of twenty-four others to be cut off.

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