The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c20.40

v4.c20.40

We shall now turn to the affairs of western India after Rājā Rām’s accession. The first flush of Mughul success was over in a year and a half, the Marāthās recovered from the crushing blows of Shambhūjī’s capture and Rājā Rām’s flight to Madras, and they gained their first signal victory over the Mughuls on 4 June, 1690, when they captured Sharza Khān near Sātārā with his family, 4000 horses and the entire camp and baggage of his army, after slaying 1500 of his men. Then they recovered several forts from the imperialists, Partābgarh, Rohirā, Rājgarh and Tornā. In 1692 there was a renewal of Marāthā activity and their success was conspicuous in many quarters, such as the recovery of Panhālā. The siege of this fort, urged by Aurangzīb, failed after many years of desultory attack under Mu‘izz-ud-dīn Bīdār Bakht and Fīrūz Jang. The disaster to Sharza Khān in 1690 compelled the emperor to occupy the north Sātārā district in force, which led to frequent but indecisive conflicts with Santā Ghorpare, who had made the Mahādev hill his base, and used to raid far to the south and the east. The Belgaum and Dhārwār districts were harried by Santā and Dhana, which necessitated the strengthening of the Mughul forces there; but when these generals went off to the eastern Carnatic (end of 1692), the Mughuls on the western front enjoyed a short respite. Late in 1693 they returned home and renewed their attacks. Dhana destroyed the siege-works before Panhālā, while Santā sent off Amrit Rāo Nimbālkar to raid Berār, and he himself levied *chauth* in the Mālkhed region. Throughout 1694 and 1695 the Marāthā bands were active and the Berads troublesome all over the western Deccan, but nothing decisive or noteworthy was done on either side but desultory fighting and futile marches, which wore the Mughuls down.