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| Battle of Umberkhind | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Mughal-Maratha Wars | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Maratha Empire |
 Mughal Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Shivaji Netaji Palkar |
Kartalab Khan  Rai Bagan | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 20,000 | 10,000 regular infantry | ||||||
The Battle of Umberkhind took place on 3 February 1661 in the mountain range of Sahyadri near the city of Khopoli, Maharashtra, India. The battle took place between the Mughal and Maratha Empire. Shivaji's Maratha forces defeated the invading Mughal army, resulting in the Mughal army's surrender. The battle demonstrated Shivaji's Ganimi kava and Guerrilla warfare tactics, marking a significant victory for the Marathas and strengthening their position against the Mughals.
Background
See also: Battle of ChakanAfter his victory at Chakan, the Mughal general Shaista Khan aimed to expand his control over Maratha territories but was hesitant due to shortage of troops. Once reinforcements arrived, he initiated an offensive targeting the forts in the Konkan region. At the same time, Shivaji began organizing his forces for a counter attack. Shaista Khan, along with Rai Bagan, led the campaign, entrusting the mission to capture the forts to Uzbek commander Kartalab Khan.
The expeditionary force, comprising contingents from various clans and commanders such as Kachhwah, Chauhan, Amar Singh, Mitrasen, Sarjerao Gadhe, Rai Bagan, Jaswantrao Kokate, and Jadhavrao, began its descent from the Sahyadri range via the north-south route near Lohagad. Subsequently, the army entered a dense forest known as Umbarkhand. This terrain, described as a virtual death-trap, limited the army's mobility and exposed them to ambushes from adversaries concealed in the surrounding terrain. The Bor Pass, a more commonly used route, was heavily fortified by Shivaji's forces, prompting Khan to attempt an outflanking maneuver through the less guarded Kuruwande Pass.
Ambush at Umberkhind Pass
After Kartalab Khan descended the Sahyadri range and entered the forest, Shivaji, fully aware of his plans, tactically positioned his forces for an ambush. The surprise guerrilla attack threw the Mughal army into chaos, leading to a stampede among the troops, despite efforts by some commanders to put up resistance. Rai Bagan, a commander accompanying Kartalab Khan, advised surrender due to the hopeless situation. Kartalab Khan dispatched an emissary to negotiate with Shivaji, who agreed to allow the Mughal army safe passage in return for their surrender of all possessions. As a result, the Mughals surrendered and quickly exited the forest.
Negotiation with Kartalab Khan
Capturing the Mughal forces might not have greatly benefited Shivaji’s position, as the Mughals viewed him more as a rebellious leader than an equal authority. Furthermore, given the Mughal Empire's vast manpower, the loss of Kartalab Khan's contingent would have had little effect on their overall military strength. For Shivaji, taking a large number of prisoners would have created logistical difficulties with minimal strategic advantage. Instead, he ambushed Kartalab Khan’s advancing Mughal forces at the Umberkhind pass, causing significant casualties. Facing an unfavorable situation, Mughal commander Rai Bagan recommended surrender, enabling the Mughal army to retreat safely to Pune.
Resemblance with roman tactics
According to Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale, The Battle of Umbarkhind shares similar tactics with the Battle of Lake Trasimene(217 BCE). In both cases, the general used deception to lure the enemy into a trap. Hannibal had drawn the Romans into an ambush by threatening Rome and positioning himself along their route as they rushed to its defense. However, it is unclear whether Shivaji intentionally set up his trap in a similar way or simply took advantage of the enemy's mistake.
Aftermath
Shivaji allowed safe passage to Kartalab Khan’s forces after the Battle of Umberkhind to focus on diplomacy over conflict. His goal was to compel the Mughals to accept a political settlement rather than escalate the war. Given his limited resources, Shivaji sought to demonstrate to the Mughals that imposing their will on him would come at a high cost, while also asserting his determination to defend his territory.
See also
References
- Sardesai, GS (1946). "New History of the Marathas". Phœnix Publications. p. 137.
- Vaibhav, Purandare (22 August 2022). Shivaji: India' Great Warrior King. Juggernaut Books. p. 53. ISBN 9789391165505.
- Bhave, Shreyas. The Legend of Bahirji-Naik: Siege of Panhala (Book II). Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd. ISBN 978-93-5559-089-3.
- C V Vaidya (2005). Shivaji_The_Founder_Of_Maratha_Swaraj. DR BR AMBEDKAR, Digital Library Of India. Poona. p. 157.
- ^ Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale (2011). Shivaji His Life and Times. pp. 471–476.
- ^ Maratha Generals and Personalities: A gist of great personalities of Marathas. Pratik gupta. 2014-08-01. p. 127.
- ^ Setumadhavarao S Pagadi (1983). Shivaji. pp. 35–36.
- ^ S_R_Sharma (2005). Maratha_History. DR BR AMBEEDKAR, Digital Library Of India. karnatak_Publishing_House. p. 141.
- ^ Kulkarni V. B. (1963). Shivaji The Portrait Of A Patriot. p. 78.
- Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale (2011). Shivaji His Life and Times.
The Battle of Umbarkhind has a close tactical resemblance to the battle of Lake Trasimene (217 BCE). Hannibal had deliberately lured the Romans into a trap by threatening Rome and placing himself astride their route as they were hurrying to its relief. We do not know whether Shivaji had deliberately baited his trap by some such move or had merely exploited the opportunity presented by the enemy's carelessness.
