The Mughal–Portuguese War of 1692–1693Alexandre Lobato: ''Relações Luso-Maratas 1658-1737'', Centro de Estudos Históricos Ultramarinos, Lisboa, 1965, pp. 35-36. was a brief conflict between the

Moghal Empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...

and

Portuguese India The State of India, also known as the Portuguese State of India or Portuguese India, was a state of the Portuguese Empire founded seven years after the discovery of the sea route to the Indian subcontinent by Vasco da Gama, a subject of the ...

, launched by the Mughal general Matabar Khan against the Portuguese in

Vasai (Bassein) Vasai (Konkani and Marathi pronunciation: �əsəi British English: Bassein; formerly and alternatively Marathi; ''Bajipur'') is a historical place and city located in Palghar district; it was partitioned out of the Thane district in 2014. It ...

, near present-day

Mumbai (Bombay) Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12.5 ...

Background

In 1693, during the

Mughal–Maratha Wars The Deccan wars were a series of military conflicts between the Mughal Empire and the descendants of the Maratha Empire, Maratha ruler Shivaji from the time of Shivaji's death in 1680 until the death of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. Shivaji was ...

the region of

Konkan The Konkan is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, bound by the river Daman Ganga at Damaon in the north, to Anjediva Island next to Karwar town in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau to the eas ...

served as a base of Maratha activities since it was suitable for launching raids against the Mughals in

Deccan The Deccan is a plateau extending over an area of and occupies the majority of the Indian peninsula. It stretches from the Satpura and Vindhya Ranges in the north to the northern fringes of Tamil Nadu in the south. It is bound by the mount ...

. One of these refuges for Marathas was the fort of Sidhgarh (29 miles southeast of Mahuli), the Mughal general Matabar khan after waiting for six months, they captured the fort on 20 October, upon hearing this loss, the Maratha generals Khandoji Kadam and Damaji Naryan led a force from

Rajmachi Rajmachi Fort (Killa) is a historical fort in the hills of the Sahyadri mountains (Western Ghats). It consists of two twin fortresses Shrivardhan Fort, Shriwardhan and Manaranjan Fort, Manaranjan, with a wide machi (plateau) surrounding the tw ...

and blockaded Sidhgarh by occupying the village below the fort, Mughal reinforcement arrived and expelled the Marathas after a heavy fight. The escaping Marathas found shelter in Portuguese territories after bribing the local Portuguese governor, the Portuguese started supplying them and giving shelter to Maratha families as well, the general of

Salsette Island Salsette Island (, , Sashti) is an island in Konkan division of the state of Maharashtra, along India's west coast. Administratively known as the Mumbai Suburban district, Mira Bhayander and a portion of Thana (Thane) lie on it; making it ...

Tristao de Mello favored the Marathas

Course of hostilities

The Portuguese denied the Mughals permission to cross their territory to attack the Marathas. Having learned of the Portuguese acts, Matabar khan launched an attack against them, a strong detachment invaded their holdings in Konkan, and he drove the native peasants into the Mughal side and captured many of the enemy families whenever found, the Portuguese attempted to offer a fight but were routed after a severe battle, he captured two forts according to

Khafi Khan Muhammad Hashim (c. 1664–1732), better known by his title Khafi Khan, was an Indo-Persian historian of Mughal India. His career began about 1693–1694 as a clerk in Bombay. He served predominantly in Gujarat and the Deccan regions, including the ...

the Mughals then chased the retreating Portuguese in Bassein, they set the church outside of Bassein to fire and halted at Bahadurpura asking

Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...

to lend him more reinforcements to attack Bassein and other forts. The domestic enemies of the Portuguese took advantage of this and sided with the Mughals as the inhabitants of

Uran Uran is a coastal town in Raigad District's Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra state in Konkan division. It lies to the east of Mumbai across the Dharamtar Creek. Uran is primarily a fishing and agriculture village, which has developed into the spec ...

did. The viceroy of Goa sent a letter to Aurangzeb and presents to his minister and servants. It was not difficult for the viceroy to obtain the cessation of hostilities by a diplomatic manner, remembering to the Mughals the longstanding relations between them and military cooperation in a previous conflict. The viceroy denied any involvement with the Marathas, which the Mughals accepted. Aurangzeb ordered the cessation of the war and the release of the Portuguese prisoners as a quarrel with Europeans would hinder the trade and diminish his revenues, Matabar attempted to reverse this by explaining his conduct but failed.Sarkar, Jadunath, p. 155

References

{{reflist Battles involving Portuguese India Bassein Bassein 17th century in Portuguese India Bassein 1693 in Asia 1690s in the Mughal Empire 1693 in the Portuguese Empire

Background

Course of hostilities

See also

References