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Battle of Pratapgad was a land battle that took place on November 10, 1659 at the fortPratapgarh the city of Satara, Maharashtra, India between the Maratha Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Afzal Khan of Adilshah. The Marathas defeated the Adilshahi forces. Adilshahi forces were 20000 strong against 10,000 light maratha cavalry and light infantry.

Battle of Pratapgarh
Part of the Imperial Maratha Conquests
Date: November 10, 1659
Place: Pratapgarh, Maharashtra, India
Outcome: Decisive victory for Marathas
Combatants
Maratha Empire	Adilshahi forces
Commanders
Shivaji	Afzal Khan
Strength
10,000	25,000
Casualties
1,734	5,000

The battle is known for personal combat of Shivaji and Afzal Khan, followed by a classic jungle warfare in the forest of Javali near Mahabaleshwar.

Contents 1 Background 2 Battle 2.1 Composition of Adilshahi forces 2.2 Compositions of Maratha forces 2.3 Movement and clash of forces 2.3.1 Combat of Shivaji and Afzal Khan 2.3.2 Hand to hand combat of the forces 2.3.3 Treatment to captives 2.3.4 Honour 3 Outcome 4 Casulities 5 References

Shivaji held a commendable position in 12 maval regions. The Bijapur court wanted to curb his activities. Hence Afzal Khan, a renowned general of Bijaur, who had previously treacherously killed Shivaji's brother in battle, was selected to lead an assault against Shivaji. He started from Bijapur in June 1659.

Afzal Khan was assisted by other chieftains Sayyad Banda, Fazal Khan, Ambarkhan, Yakutkhan, Siddi Hilal, Musekhan, Pilaji Mohite, Prataprao More and many more commanders of note. It consisted of selected 12,000 cavalry of Adilshahi which was well known. In addition 10,000 infantry and 1500 musketeers were deployed apart from 85 elephants and 1200 camels. Artillery of 80-90 canon was attached. Siddi of Janjira was ready from Konkan side. AdilShah was watching activities of Shahaji, Shivaji's father who was at Banglore. Banglore was gifted to him as Jagir by Adilshah.

Shivaji was assisted by Kanhoji Jedhe along with other Deshmukhs of maval region namely Maral, Nimbalkar(phaltan),Dhamale, Silimkar, Bandal. Cavalry was commanded by Netaji Palkar. Moropant was in command of 3000 chosen infantry men, who were positioned in densely forested areas. Sambhaji Kavaji, Yesaji Kank, Jiva mahala, and many other skilled military leaders were in charge of them. Netaji commanded the cavalry and was placed in a forward position in the vicinity of the fort. Moropant took the position in the jungle with his light infantry. Kanhoji Jedhe assisted Shivaji directly along with other commanders. Shahaji was ready in Banglore with his 10,000 or more force for a final battle in case Shivaji and his forces were routed by Khan.

After starting for Bijapur, Afzal Khan, at first destroyed the temple of Goddes Bhavani at Tuljapur. Next he destroyed the temple of Lord Vittal at Pandharpur.Motive was to bring Shivaji to the plains from his mountain stronghold. Khan knew that, in face to face battle Shivaji's army was no match to the numerically and militarily superior army of Bijapur. However, Shivaji did not fall to this clever ploy. Shivaji had encamped at Pratapgad Fort(Fort of Valour), which was strategically advantageous for mountainous guerrilla warfare. Afzal Khan decided to go to Pratapgad. He was aware of the geography of the area as he had been earlier posted there as Subheadder of Wai. Meanwhile, Afzal Khan tried to garner support of local militarily independent landlords of the region who nominally acknowledged the sovereignty of Adilshah. But the powerful baron Kanhoji Jedhe, as directed by Shahaji, helped Shivaji to counter these moves and garner their support.

Shivaji sent an emissary to Afzal Khan, stating that he did not want to fight and was ready for peace. A meeting was arranged between Shivaji and Afzal Khan at a shamiyana (highly decorated tent) at the foothills of the fort Pratapgarh. It was agreed that the two would meet unarmed, but were to bring with them ten personal bodyguards each, who were to remain at a distance of one 'arrow-shot' away. Nevertheless, Afzal Khan, as was his reputation for cunning, hid a 'katyar' (a small but very sharp dagger) in his coat. Shivaji, knowing Khan's reputation, came prepared. Thus each man went to the meeting intending to slay the other. Amongst Shivaji's weapons was a small but effective weapon called wagh nakhe which literally means 'the claws of the tiger'. It consisted of an iron finger-grip with four razor claws which could be concealed in the clenched fist. As the two men entered the tent fixed for meeting, the 7-feet-tall overconfident Khan, having little difficulty hiding his dagger, lounged forward pretending of giving an open-armed hug, grabbed the 6" Shivaji in his left arm, swiftly drew the hidden dagger and stabbed Shivaji in his back. But since Shivaji was wearing armour beneath his coat was saved. Shivaji opened his fist and disemboweled the Khan with one swift stroke of his "wagh nakhi". Stunned by this sudden turn of events Khan rushed outside shouting for help. Krishanaji Bhaskar Kulkarni, Khan's emissary tried to give battle, Shivaji warned him ;but when he went offensive, Shivaji killed him. Meanwhile Khan's bodyguard, Sayyad Banda, a renowned fighter (each had agreed for one guard be placed immediately outside the tent), pounced on Shivaji on hearing Khan's cries. Before he could strike, Shivaji's bodyguard, Jiva Mahala, who too rushed inside hearing the pandemonium, slashed him with his sabre. (The pithy Marathi phrase: 'Hota Jiva Mhanun Vachala Shiva’ - 'As there was Jiva, so lived Shiva' - owes its origin to this miraculous act). Afzal Khan managed to hold his gushing entrails and hurtled, faint and bleeding, outside the shamiyana and threw himself into his palanquin. The bearers hastily lifted their charge and began moving rapidly away down the slope when Sambhaji Kavji Kondhalkar, Shivaji's lieutenant and one of the distant guards, went in pursuit, and beheaded Afzal Khan.

Shivaji sped up the slope towards the fortress and his lieutenants ordered cannons to be fired. It was a predetermined signal to his infantry, which had been strategically placed in the densely covered valley, to raid the Adilshahi forces.

The severed head of Khan was sent to Rajgarh to be shown to Jijabai. She had long wanted vengeance for the deliberate maltreatment of Shahaji (Shivaji's father) in his captivity by Afzal Khan, and for getting her elder son, Sambhaji, killed through treachery.

Maratha troops under Kanhoji Jedhe attacked 1500 muskeeters and routed them at the foothills of the fort. Then in a rapid march, a section of Adilshahi forces was attacked. It was commanded by Musekhan, who was wounded and had run away from the field. Moropant led the infantry on the left flank of the Adilshahi troops. The artillery was made effective. Ragho Atre attacked the cavalry and before they could mount, were wiped out. The cavalry under Netaji Palkar marched towards Wai in hot pursuit of Adilshahi forces stationed over there.The forces of Afzalkhan ran away from field towards Bijapur.

It was policy of Shivaji not to illtreat the defeated army .Neither their women were molested nor they were sold like slaves. In pursuiant of this he honored wounded commanders and sent back the captive without their slaughter.

Shivaji had always honoured those who fought valiantly. On this occasion sword of honour was given to Kanhoji Jedhe. The relatives of the killed soldiers were recruited. Families without any male left behind were awarded with pension. Heroes of the war were showered with medals, kada (a kind of bracelet) and horses.

Khan's death dealt to the Bijapur Sultan's rule a severe blow from which it never recovered until it was eventually eclipsed by the tyrannical Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

The Maratha's Swarajya on the other hand flourished and blossomed into a muscular Maratha Empire which later spread till Attock near present-day Afghanistan, the seeds of which were laid in this small but breathtaking event amidst the mountainous jungles of Maharashtra.

In the overall combat Adilshahi lost 5000 troops, almost same number of troops were wounded.3,000 were imprisoned. Remaining ran away. Marathas lost 1734 and 420 soldiers were wounded.

• Grant Duff - History of Marathas
• S.D.Samant - Vedh Mahamanvacha
• Capt. Modak G.V.-Battle of Pratapgarh
• Major Joshi Mukund-Battle of Pratapgarh- a new perspective
• Commandant Kasar D.B. - Rigveda to Raigarh making of Shivaji the great
• Balkrishna-Shivaji the great

v • d • e Maratha Empire
History	Shivaji - Shambhaji - Raja Ram - Balaji Vishwanath - Peshwas - Third Battle of Panipat - Anglo-Maratha Wars - Nana Sahib
Battles	Battle of Pratapgarh - Battle of Kolhapur - Battle of Pavan Khind - Battle of Surat - Battle of Sinhagad - Battle of Palkhed - Battle of Vasai - Third Battle of Panipat - Battle of Patan - Battle of Poona - Battle of Delhi - Battle of Assaye - Battle of Laswari - Battle of Farrukhabad - Battle of Bharatpur - Battle of Khadki - Battle of Mahidpur
Maratha Confederacy	Peshwa of Poona - Bhonsle of Nagpur - Gaekwad of Baroda - Sindhia of Gwalior - Holkar of Indore
Adversaries	Aurangazeb - Ahmad Shah Abdali - British Empire
Forts	Lohagad - Pratapgad - Raigad - Ratangad - Sindhudurg - Sinhagad