Raid of Surat by Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji

Raid of Surat by Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji


Shivaji demanded tribute from the ruler of Surat, which was rejected by the Mughal Sardar.

This angered Shivaj and he decided to attack Surat. The Mughal Sardar was very surprised by the suddenness of the attack and not willing to face the Maratha forces, he hid himself in the fort of Surat. However, there was an attempt of life on Shivaji by the emissary sent by the Mughal sardar.



Surat was under attack for nearly three days, in which the

Maratha army looted all possible wealth from Mughal and

Portuguese trading centers. The Maratha soldiers took

away cash, gold, silver, pearls, rubies, diamonds and

emeralds from the houses of rich merchants such as Virji Vora, Haji Zahid Beg, Haji Kasim and others. 


The business of Mohandas Parekh, the deceased broker of the Dutch East

India Company, was spared as he was reputed as a charitable man.Similarly.


 Shivaji did not plunder the houses of the foreign missionaries. The French traveller

Francois Bernier wrote in his Travels in Mughal India:

" I forgot to mention that during pillage of Sourate, Seva-ji, the Holy Seva-ji! Respected the habitation of the reverend father Ambrose, the Capuchin missionary. 'The Frankish Padres are good men', he said 'and shall not be attacked."


The total number of prisoners executed during the raid was 4; the hands of another 24 were cut off.


Shivaji had to complete the sacking of Surat before the Mughal Empire at Delhi was alerted and could not afford to waste much time in attacking the British. Thus, Sir George Oxenden was able to successfully defend the British factory in Surat.

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