Sambhaji Maharaj Escapes Sangameshwar: The War Continues
When Sambhaji Maharaj ascended the Maratha throne in 1681 after the death of his father Shivaji Maharaj, he inherited far more than a crown. Over three decades, Shivaji had transformed Swarajya from a collection of scattered hill forts into the most powerful and dynamic kingdom in western India. Through relentless campaigns against the Adilshahi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire, and numerous regional chiefs, he had built a state stretching across much of Maharashtra, the Konkan coast, and parts of Karnataka. Yet the kingdom remained young, surrounded by powerful enemies and sustained through constant vigilance rather than lasting peace. Having grown up amidst military campaigns, diplomacy, and power politics, Sambhaji now carried the responsibility of protecting not only his father's territorial achievements but also the very ideal of Swarajya that Shivaji had established through years of sacrifice and struggle.
The challenges before the new ruler were immense. The Portuguese continued to defend their coastal possessions, while the weakening Deccan Sultanates struggled to preserve what remained of their authority. Above all stood the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, whose empire possessed unmatched wealth, vast armies, and enormous resources. Determined to bring the independent Maratha kingdom under Mughal rule, Aurangzeb prepared for a long and relentless campaign that would draw the entire Deccan into war. It was under these difficult circumstances of mounting pressure and constant conflict that Sambhaji Maharaj inherited Shivaji's legacy, leading a kingdom built through extraordinary courage and sacrifice and destined to face its greatest challenge.
Unlike the Mughal Empire, the Maratha state did not possess vast revenues or great imperial cities. Its strength rested on mobility, local support, and the natural defenses of the land. The Konkan coast provided ports, naval bases, customs revenue, and access to Arabian Sea trade, while the Sahyadri forts protected the kingdom. The Deccan plateau supplied skilled cavalry and infantry familiar with the rugged terrain. Villagers, patils, deshmukhs, and hereditary warrior families formed a dependable network that carried messages, food, horses, and intelligence across the countryside. Even when Mughal forces occupied towns, they often remained surrounded by hostile territory. Forests, ravines, and mountain passes made supply lines vulnerable, allowing Maratha cavalry to strike quickly and disappear before a larger army could react. Under Sambhaji Maharaj, this flexible style of warfare became even more pronounced. His court frequently changed location, garrisons were constantly reinforced or shifted, and Maratha sardars carried out independent raids deep inside enemy territory, ensuring that the kingdom remained active and difficult to subdue.
Before 1689, despite relentless Mughal invasions, Sambhaji continued to control the core Maratha homeland. Raigad remained the political and symbolic capital of Swarajya, while much of the Sahyadri region, including its vital hill forts linking the Deccan plateau with the Konkan coast, stayed under Maratha authority. Their influence also remained strong around Satara, Wai, and nearby mountain regions, while the contested Konkan continued to provide valuable routes for movement and refuge. In the south, Maratha positions established during Shivaji Maharaj's campaigns survived in parts of Karnataka, giving the kingdom valuable strategic depth. However, the boundaries of Swarajya were constantly changing. Forts and territories frequently passed between Mughal and Maratha control, some regions paid tribute to both sides, and repeated warfare devastated many districts.
Before Emperor Aurangzeb began his Deccan campaign, the Mughal Empire was at the height of its power. Stretching from Kabul to Bengal, it controlled most of northern India and drew immense revenue from fertile farmlands, thriving trade centers, and prosperous ports. Cities such as Delhi, Agra, Lahore, and Ahmedabad were renowned for their wealth, while well-maintained imperial roads carried caravans protected by Mughal garrisons. The emperor commanded one of the largest armies in the world, supported by vast numbers of cavalry, artillery, war elephants, engineers, and provincial forces led by influential nobles. Aurangzeb himself had ruled for decades and was respected as a disciplined, determined, and capable ruler. Unlike many earlier Mughal emperors known for luxury and courtly grandeur, he lived simply and devoted himself to imperial administration, military expansion, and the enforcement of his policies. By the early 1680s, most of northern India was firmly under Mughal authority, with the Rajputs weakened, Bengal prosperous and loyal, and the Afghan frontier relatively under control.
Despite its immense power, one major region remained beyond complete Mughal control—the Deccan. For many years, the southern plateau had resisted imperial expansion. The Sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda still survived, while the Marathas under Shivaji Maharaj had grown from a regional force into a powerful kingdom capable of challenging Mughal authority. Aurangzeb believed that the empire could never be truly united while the Deccan remained independent. Determined to end this long-standing challenge, he took a decision that no previous Mughal emperor had attempted. He personally led the imperial campaign into the Deccan with the full strength of the Mughal Empire, resolved to remain there until every southern rival had been brought under Mughal rule.
When Aurangzeb entered the Deccan in 1681, he came not as a temporary conqueror but as an emperor determined to end a conflict that had challenged the Mughal throne for decades. His southward march resembled a moving capital, with armies, artillery, nobles, merchants, clerics, and long supply caravans accompanying him. His initial strategy was to defeat the Deccan Sultanates before turning the full strength of the Mughal Empire against the Marathas. With its larger armies, immense wealth, powerful artillery, and experienced commanders, the empire appeared to hold every advantage. Bijapur resisted fiercely but eventually fell in 1686 after a prolonged siege, and Golconda followed in 1687, bringing its famous fort, immense wealth, and treasury under Mughal control. Many believed that the conquest of the Deccan was nearly complete. Instead, the fall of these Sultanates transformed the war, leaving the Marathas under Sambhaji Maharaj as Aurangzeb's sole major opponent.
Expecting a swift victory, Aurangzeb soon discovered that the Marathas would not fight like a conventional kingdom. Rather than facing the Mughals in open battle, they relied on rapid cavalry raids, attacks on supply lines, ambushes in mountain passes, and strong resistance from hill forts. The Sahyadri mountains, harsh monsoons, difficult terrain, disease, and disrupted supply routes constantly weakened Mughal operations, while territory captured during one season was often lost in the next. Sambhaji continued launching raids into Mughal territory and also campaigned against the Portuguese and Siddis along the Konkan coast to strengthen Maratha security. In response, Aurangzeb adopted harsher measures, destroying crops, targeting villages suspected of aiding the Marathas, and pressuring local chiefs to submit. Yet the conflict dragged on as Maratha forces repeatedly reappeared after every setback. By 1688, Aurangzeb shifted his focus from capturing territory to capturing Sambhaji himself. Mughal spies spread across the Konkan and western hills, intelligence networks expanded, local rivalries were exploited, and secret correspondence was intercepted. The emperor had concluded that as long as Sambhaji remained free, the war could never truly be won. During the winter of 1688–1689, news reached the Mughal camp that the Maratha king had moved toward Sangameshwar in the Konkan.
The Mughal trap at Sangameshwar was carefully planned. For two days, Mukarrab Khan marched his forces through the dense forests of the Konkan without drums, banners, or campfires, relying on local informers to track Sambhaji Maharaj's movements. Once he learned that the Maratha king was staying near Sangameshwar with only a small escort, he acted before dawn. Cavalry sealed the main roads, matchlockmen occupied the surrounding hills, and smaller detachments guarded river crossings and forest paths, creating what appeared to be a complete encirclement. The first sign of danger came when a wounded Maratha scout reached the camp and, with his last strength, warned that Mughal forces were approaching from every direction. While some commanders called for an immediate attack and others urged a retreat into the hills, Sambhaji remained calm. Realizing that the Mughals expected him to escape along the main routes, he chose to mislead them instead. A large Maratha detachment carrying the royal standards rode noisily toward the northern road before sunrise, with several soldiers dressed as the king's personal guards to convince the enemy that Sambhaji was among them. Believing he had found his target, Mukarrab Khan sent hundreds of cavalry in pursuit.
Mukarrab Khan returned to Aurangzeb's camp in disgrace after failing to capture Sambhaji Maharaj. Despite surrounding Sangameshwar from every direction with a carefully planned operation, the Maratha ruler had escaped before the Mughal forces could close the trap. Summoned before the imperial court, Mukarrab Khan faced Aurangzeb's anger in the presence of his nobles. The emperor sharply rebuked him, saying, "You took the army of the Mughal Empire to catch one Maratha king... and still failed." His words silenced the entire court, and no noble dared to speak in Mukarrab Khan's defense. The failed mission became a major embarrassment for the Mughal command, especially after so much effort had been devoted to tracking Sambhaji's movements.
The people most shaken by the failure, however, were the informers who had revealed Sambhaji's location to the Mughals. Expecting rewards after his capture, they instead found themselves terrified of Maratha retaliation. Fearing that Sambhaji would discover their identities, some pleaded with Aurangzeb to send them safely to Agra. The emperor rejected their request without hesitation, reminding them that they had chosen to serve the Mughal Empire and would continue to do so in the Deccan. Aurangzeb also placed little trust in such men, believing that those who had betrayed their own ruler could one day betray him as well. As a result, the informers remained in the Mughal camp under close watch, living in constant fear while rumors of their betrayal gradually spread across Maharashtra.
After Sambhaji Maharaj escaped from Sangameshwar, Emperor Aurangzeb moved quickly to strengthen Mughal control over western Maharashtra. His objective was to restrict Maratha movement between the eastern Deccan plateau and the hill regions around Pune. To carry out this campaign, he appointed Zulfiqar Khan, one of his most capable commanders in the Deccan. Leading an army of nearly 70,000 men, including cavalry, infantry, artillery, elephants, supply carts, and thousands of camp followers, Zulfiqar Khan marched westward from the imperial camp near Ahmednagar. Passing through Supa, the Mughal force entered the Baramati region in overwhelming strength. The small Maratha garrison stationed there realized it could not resist such a large army in open battle and withdrew toward the hills before the Mughals completed their advance. Acting on Aurangzeb's orders, Zulfiqar Khan devastated the region to deny resources to the Marathas. Crops were burned, grain stores seized, wells damaged, and villages suspected of supporting Swarajya were looted in search of food, horses, and supplies. For days, smoke covered the countryside as the Mughals hoped that fear and destruction would weaken resistance around Pune before launching larger operations.
News of the devastation at Baramati quickly reached Sambhaji Maharaj. Reports described fleeing villagers, burning fields, and Mughal scouts moving steadily toward the Pune region. Sambhaji immediately recognized the strategic danger. If Zulfiqar Khan established a strong Mughal base in Pune, it would threaten the routes leading to the Maratha hill forts and weaken control over western Maharashtra. Determined to act before the enemy could consolidate its position, Sambhaji entrusted the mission to Santaji Ghorpade, the Marathas' most feared cavalry commander. Renowned for his speed, bold tactics, and unpredictable attacks, Santaji had already earned a formidable reputation by striking Mughal camps and supply lines with little warning. Among Mughal soldiers, it was often said that Santaji's horsemen appeared like ghosts, attacked with devastating force, and disappeared before the enemy could organize an effective response.
As Zulfiqar Khan’s massive Mughal army marched from Baramati toward Jejuri, confidence grew within the imperial camp. The Marathas had withdrawn with little resistance, leading many officers to believe Sambhaji was too weakened after Sangameshwar to launch a major attack. Santaji Ghorpade, however, had been tracking the Mughal advance from the surrounding hills. With only eight to ten thousand cavalrymen, he knew an open battle against seventy thousand troops was impossible. Instead, he relied on speed, terrain, and surprise. Before dawn, Maratha scouts blocked smaller routes while hidden cavalry occupied positions behind hills and dry riverbeds. Santaji waited until the Mughal army stretched out during its march, leaving its supply train, artillery, and slower infantry vulnerable.
The Marathas struck the Mughal baggage train first, charging from the hills with war cries while firing arrows and matchlocks into the supply columns. Bullocks panicked, elephants lost formation, and grain carts caught fire before the attackers disappeared into the rough terrain. Believing it was only a small raid, Zulfiqar Khan delayed his response. Soon another Maratha force attacked the rear guard, raising clouds of dust to make its numbers appear larger. Confusion spread rapidly as officers struggled to identify the threat. Some believed the entire Maratha army had arrived, while others feared Sambhaji himself was nearby, causing conflicting orders and disorganized movements.
Before noon, Santaji launched another assault, targeting artillery crews and horse lines. The repeated attacks from different directions prevented the Mughal cannons from being deployed effectively, and several imperial officers were killed while trying to restore order. Fighting continued throughout the day in scattered engagements rather than a single pitched battle. Whenever Mughal cavalry attempted pursuit, the Marathas withdrew into difficult terrain before attacking elsewhere. By evening, Zulfiqar Khan secured the road toward Pune, but the Mughals had suffered heavy losses in supplies, animals, and manpower. Although Santaji did not completely halt the Mughal advance, his tactics dealt a major blow to imperial morale and proved that even the largest Mughal army could be weakened before reaching Pune.
After the fighting near Jejuri, Zulfiqar Khan’s advance slowed considerably. Santaji Ghorpade’s repeated attacks had not destroyed the Mughal army, but they turned its march into a constant struggle. The road from Baramati to Jejuri was littered with dead animals, broken carts, burned grain sacks, and abandoned equipment. Mughal soldiers slept little, as every hill, patch of trees, and narrow road seemed to hide danger. Maratha horsemen continued appearing without warning, striking supply lines, killing isolated scouts, or firing into camps after sunset before disappearing into the darkness.
The constant threat drained the imperial army more than open battle. By the time Zulfiqar Khan reached the Jejuri region, his soldiers were exhausted, hungry, and frustrated. Many horses had collapsed from overwork, supply reserves had fallen sharply, and officers struggled to maintain discipline among troops expecting attacks from every direction. Although the Mughal army remained large and powerful, the confidence it had carried from Ahmednagar had disappeared. Meanwhile, Santaji Ghorpade remained hidden in the surrounding hills, watching and waiting for another opportunity to strike.
After weeks of marching through hostile territory, Zulfiqar Khan finally entered Pune. What had begun as a confident advance from Ahmednagar had turned into a difficult campaign. Santaji Ghorpade’s cavalry had shadowed the Mughal army throughout the march, attacking supply columns, burning grain carts, killing scouts, and keeping soldiers under constant pressure. Horses were exhausted, food supplies had reduced, and the troops had little opportunity to rest. Believing his objective had been achieved, Zulfiqar Khan expected to regroup in Pune before continuing operations. Unknown to him, Sambhaji Maharaj had been preparing for this moment by gathering a large Maratha force around Pune, waiting until the Mughal army became tired, scattered, and vulnerable before launching a decisive attack.
Soon after the Mughals entered the city, their soldiers focused on setting up camps, unloading supplies, treating the wounded, and organizing their positions. Maratha scouts reported that the imperial army was spread out and unprepared. Sambhaji immediately ordered the advance, and thousands of Maratha horsemen moved toward Pune from multiple directions. At dawn, Maratha cavalry charged the Mughal positions before proper battle lines could be formed, while Santaji Ghorpade struck the rear of the camp. Confusion spread rapidly as Mughal officers struggled to organize their men. Some units attempted to form defensive lines, while others withdrew in panic, believing they had been surrounded. Dust clouds covered the battlefield as fierce cavalry fighting erupted across the plains outside Pune.
Sambhaji personally directed the battle, reinforcing sectors where Mughal resistance remained strong. The exhausted imperial soldiers fought bravely, but their worn-out horses, damaged supply system, and failing communication weakened their defense. Every effort to restore order was met by fresh Maratha cavalry attacks, giving Sambhaji complete control of the battlefield by midday. As the fighting intensified, panic spread through the Mughal camp. Supply wagons were captured, artillery positions overrun, and several senior officers were killed while rallying their troops. Thousands of soldiers abandoned their formations, while others were surrounded by fast-moving Maratha cavalry. Recognizing the battle was lost, Zulfiqar Khan escaped with a small body of guards, leaving behind much of his artillery, baggage, and supplies. As evening fell, the battlefield belonged to Sambhaji Maharaj. The Mughal army that had marched confidently from Ahmednagar was shattered outside Pune, and the victory spread across Maharashtra, restoring Maratha confidence and proving that Swarajya remained strong despite Aurangzeb’s campaign.
The defeat at Pune shocked the Mughal camp. Zulfiqar Khan barely escaped with his life, and his whereabouts remained unknown for several days until Mughal cavalry patrols located him east of Pune and safely escorted him back to Ahmednagar. Although furious, Aurangzeb refused to retreat. Instead, he adopted a new strategy by shifting his main field camp westward to Supa while leaving strong garrisons in Ahmednagar. From Supa, he planned a direct march on Raigad, believing Sambhaji Maharaj and the main Maratha army were still occupied around Pune. Capturing the Maratha capital quickly, he hoped, would deal a decisive blow to Swarajya before Sambhaji could respond.
Sambhaji, however, remained active after his victory at Pune. Joining forces with Santaji Ghorpade, he began restoring Maratha control over the surrounding region. Their first objective was Jejuri, where a Mughal column left behind by Zulfiqar Khan was holding the town. Expecting no major attack and assuming the Marathas were still celebrating, the Mughal garrison had relaxed its defenses. Sambhaji and Santaji seized the opportunity, launching coordinated cavalry attacks from multiple directions that overwhelmed the surprised defenders before they could organize an effective resistance.
The fighting at Jejuri was brief but intense. Many Mughal soldiers were killed, while others fled toward Supa carrying news of the defeat. By sunset, Jejuri was once again under Maratha control, and the saffron banner of Swarajya flew over the town. The victory further strengthened Maratha morale and restored their dominance over the route between Pune and the eastern plains. However, the celebrations were short-lived as scouts brought urgent news that Aurangzeb had established his camp at Supa and was assembling a fresh army for a march on Raigad. The conflict had now become a race to determine the fate of the Maratha capital.
After establishing his headquarters at Supa, Aurangzeb prepared for a direct campaign against Raigad. Intelligence suggested that Sambhaji Maharaj and much of the Maratha field army remained near Pune, convincing the emperor that the capital could be captured before they returned. He appointed Firuz Jang to lead nearly 60,000 troops and ordered him to avoid a major battle and reach Raigad quickly. The Mughal army marched through Baramati, Phaltan, and Wai under strict discipline, as Firuz Jang remained alert to possible attacks by Santaji Ghorpade's cavalry. At Wai, he learned that Sambhaji Maharaj and Santaji were preparing an ambush at Varandha Ghat. Rather than advancing into the trap, he turned north through Shirwal, forcing the Marathas to abandon their planned ambush and redeploy. The Mughals then continued toward Bhor, facing only minor resistance. After occupying the town and securing the roads leading toward Raigad, Firuz Jang continued his advance toward the Maratha capital.
Without delay at Bhor, Firuz Jang continued his advance toward Raigad through Pali, determined to capture the Maratha capital before Sambhaji Maharaj could return from Pune. As the Mughal army neared Raigad, the Maratha garrison made a critical mistake. Instead of remaining behind the fort's powerful defenses and forcing the Mughals into a prolonged siege, the garrison commander chose to confront the enemy in the open country between Pali and Raigad. The Maratha force was heavily outnumbered, and Firuz Jang responded with coordinated cavalry, infantry, and artillery formations. Mughal guns disrupted the Maratha advance while imperial cavalry attacked both flanks. After several hours of fierce fighting, the Maratha defenders were routed and forced to retreat into the surrounding hills.
With the defending force defeated, the road to Raigad lay open. Firuz Jang quickly surrounded the capital and occupied it before substantial Maratha reinforcements could arrive. However, the Mughals failed to secure their greatest objective. Before the city fell, members of Sambhaji Maharaj's family escaped through secret routes known only to trusted Maratha officers. His wife, young son, and several close relatives were safely evacuated into Maratha-controlled territory. Although Aurangzeb's army captured Raigad, the Maratha royal family remained free. The loss of the capital dealt a major symbolic blow to Swarajya, but the survival of the royal dynasty ensured that resistance against the Mughal Empire would continue.
The capture of Raigad marked a turning point in the campaign. With the Maratha capital under Mughal control and Sambhaji Maharaj forced to withdraw, Aurangzeb moved quickly to strengthen his gains before the Marathas could recover. He once again entrusted Zulfiqar Khan with a major command, reinforcing him with fresh troops and ordering him to march from Supa toward Pune. His mission was to eliminate the remaining Maratha resistance and secure control of the region. At the time, Maratha forces around Pune were disorganized after the fall of Raigad, with many units retreating to nearby hill forts while others attempted to regroup under local commanders.
Taking advantage of this situation, Zulfiqar Khan advanced rapidly. Near Jejuri, the Mughals encountered a scattered Maratha force attempting to delay their progress. Outnumbered and lacking coordination, the defenders were unable to withstand the attack and retreated into the surrounding hills after a brief battle. With the road clear, Zulfiqar Khan marched into Pune without facing a major engagement. Sambhaji Maharaj had already left the region and moved toward Vishalgad to avoid being trapped between the Mughal armies operating from Pune and Raigad.
At Vishalgad, Sambhaji reunited with his family, who had escaped before the fall of Raigad. Although the loss of both Raigad and Pune was a major setback, the Chhatrapati remained free, his family was safe, and many of the strongest Maratha forts were still under his control. By the end of the campaign, the Mughals held Raigad and Pune, while Sambhaji established his new headquarters at Vishalgad. The war was far from over, but for the first time since Sangameshwar, Aurangzeb could claim a major strategic success against Swarajya.
The loss of Raigad, Pune and Shirwal created deep despair among many Maratha nobles. Some believed Swarajya could no longer continue its struggle against the vast Mughal Empire, while others feared that further resistance would only bring greater destruction to the land and its people. At Vishalgad, several advisors quietly urged Sambhaji Maharaj to open negotiations with Aurangzeb, arguing that a settlement might preserve what remained of the kingdom. Some even suggested that the Chhatrapati personally submit to the emperor in exchange for favorable terms.
Will Sambhaji Maharaj abandon his father Shivaji Maharaj's principles
and choose surrender—or continue the struggle against Aurangzeb?
If he chooses to fight, can Sambhaji withstand the relentless Mughal onslaught—or will the Maratha king and his kingdom be crushed?
With Swarajya's future hanging in the balance, what path will Sambhaji Maharaj choose?
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