Siege of Panhala (1660)
| Siege of Panhala | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Maratha Kingdom | Bijapur Sultanate | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Shivaji Shiva Kashid † Kadtoji Gujar |
Siddi Jauhar Fazl Khan Sidi Yaqub | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
|
3,000 Cavalry 5,000 Infantry | 10,000–15,000 Cavalry | ||||||||
The siege of Panhala was led by Siddi Jauhar on behalf of the Bijapur Sultanate, dispatched by Ali Adil Shah II to reclaim the Panhala Fort, was a momentous undertaking. Shivaji had seized Panhala on 28 November 1659, just 18 days after the death of Afzal Khan at Pratapgad. Despite the efforts of two of Bijapur Sultanate’s prominent commanders, Afzal Khan and Rustam Zaman, who had both failed in their attempts to capture Shivaji, victory eluded them. With Bijapur running short of options and facing the expanding influence of Shivaji, the responsibility of bringing this campaign to a conclusion fell on Siddi Jauhar. By taking on this pivotal role, Siddi Jauhar finally earned favor at the Bijapur court, leading to the restoration of the Kurnool district to him, and Shivaji had to surrender the Panhala fort.