Battle of Sinhagad
Sinhagad fort (then Kondhana), about 28 km south-west of Pune, Maharashtra, India
What happened
Maratha soldiers of Shivaji, led by Tanaji Malusare, attacked the Mughal garrison of Kondhana fort. Shivaji had given up several forts to the Mughals under the Treaty of Purandar and wanted them back. On a night in February 1670, Tanaji's men climbed the fort's steep cliff with rope ladders. Tanaji fell in the fighting, but his brother Suryaji led the Marathas to take the fort.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was one of the first forts Shivaji won back from the Mughals, and the first and most spectacular Maratha success of that campaign. Tanaji's story is still told in films and television today.
What came next
The fort was renamed Sinhagad, 'Lion's Fort', in Tanaji's honour. The Mughals took it again in 1684.
Did you know?
Shivaji is said to have mourned, 'The fort is conquered, but the lion is lost', which is how Sinhagad got its name.
Timeline
- 4 February 1670The Marathas capture the fort at night.
- 1670The fort is renamed Sinhagad.
- 14 December 1684Mughal forces take the fort again.
- 2019The original memorial to Tanaji is found during restoration.