Shivaji

Shivaji captured the Torna Fort from the Bijapur Sultanate at age 16, his first major military action. This victory provided him with a strategic base and treasure to fund further campaigns, marking the beginning of Maratha expansion.

Shivaji defeated the Bijapur general Afzal Khan at the Battle of Pratapgad. Shivaji killed Afzal Khan in a personal encounter, and the Maratha forces routed the Bijapur army, eliminating a major threat to his nascent kingdom.

Shivaji attacked and plundered the wealthy Mughal port city of Surat, seizing vast amounts of treasure. This raid demonstrated Maratha military capability and weakened Mughal economic power, while enriching Shivaji's treasury.

Shivaji signed the Treaty of Purandar with the Mughal general Jai Singh I, ceding 23 forts to the Mughals and agreeing to serve as a Mughal vassal. This treaty temporarily ended hostilities but allowed Shivaji to retain his core territory.

Shivaji escaped from house arrest in Agra, where he had been detained by Emperor Aurangzeb. He hid in a basket of sweets and fled to the Deccan, resuming his campaign against the Mughals and rebuilding Maratha power.

Shivaji was formally crowned as Chhatrapati (emperor) at Raigad Fort, establishing the Maratha Empire. The coronation included Hindu rituals and the assumption of royal titles, legitimizing his rule and sovereignty.