List of Battles Fought By Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was a brave Maratha ruler who fought against multiple enemies, including the Siddhis, Mughals and Portuguese. He continued the dream of Hindavi Swaraj started by his father, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. In his reign of nine years, he fought around 120 battles and never lost a single one. In this article, we will go through the list of battles fought by Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.

Who was Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj?

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was the second ruler of the Maratha Empire and the son of Shivaji. He became king in 1681 and spent most of his reign fighting the Mughals, Siddis, Portuguese, and Mysore rulers. Though a brave warrior, his rule faced internal conflicts and betrayals. In 1689, the Mughals captured and brutally executed him after he refused to surrender. His younger brother, Rajaram, continued the Maratha resistance.

List of Battles Fought by Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj fought many battles to defend the Maratha Empire. He fought against the Mughals, Siddis of Janjira, Portuguese and other enemies. His military campaigns were fierce and he never lost a battle in his nine-year reign.

Check the list of battles fought by Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj:

Battles Fought Against the Siddis of Janjira

Sambhaji Maharaj’s first target was the Siddis of Janjira, who were his arch-rivals. He attacked them with 20,000 Maratha troops and cannon guns, bombarding their fort for 30 days. Some other battles fought between them were:

• Sambhaji vs Siddi of Janjira (Jaitapur) – 1687
• Siege of Janjira Fort
• Maratha vs Siddis (Underi Fort) – 1681

Battles Against the Mughals

Sambhaji Maharaj fought several battles against the Mughals, who wanted to destroy the Maratha Kingdom. Some of the major battles include:

• Muzaffar Khan vs Marathas – 1681
• Shahbuddin Khan vs Rupaji Bhosale – 1682
• Marathas vs Mughals (Aundha) – June 1682 and 1688
• Mughals vs Marathas (Kanchangad) – 1683
• Marathas vs Mughals (Jalna) – 1683
• Chhatrapati Sambhaji vs Raud Andaz Khan (Sinhagad Region) – 1685
• Chhatrapati Sambhaji and Akbar vs Mughals (Konkan) – 1683

One of the most important battles was the attack on Burhanpur, a key Mughal trading center, where Sambhaji Maharaj’s forces caused massive destruction.

Battles Fought Against the Portuguese

The Portuguese were helping the Mughals against the Marathas. In response, Sambhaji Maharaj attacked Portuguese territories, capturing many forts and villages. Some of the battles fought were.

• Marathas vs Portuguese (Tarapur Fort) – 1683
• Marathas vs Portuguese (Kamandurg) – 1685
• Chhatrapati Sambhaji vs Portuguese (Daman) – 1683
• Marathas vs Portuguese (Revdanda) – 1682
• Defence of Phonda Fort – 1683

The Marathas even launched a major campaign against Goa, capturing Salsette and the island of Santo Estevao. However, this battle resulted in heavy losses for the Marathas.

Last Years and Martyrdom

For nine years, Chhatrapati Sambhaji successfully resisted the Mughals. His top generals, Hambirrao Mohite and Yesaji Kank, played key roles in his victories. However, tragedy struck when Hambirrao Mohite was killed in the Battle of Wai in 1687.

Soon after, due to conspiracies and betrayals, Sambhaji Maharaj was captured by the Mughals on 1 February 1689 at Sangameshwar. Aurangzeb demanded that he:

• Surrender all forts to the Mughals
• Accept Aurangzeb as his ruler
• Convert to Islam

Sambhaji Maharaj refused all demands and chose martyrdom. The Mughals tortured him brutally – cutting out his eyes and tongue, and keeping him without food and water for a week. He never gave up and remained steadfast in his beliefs.