Siege of Basavapatan

In November 1695, the Maratha general, Santaji Ghorpade, defeated the Mughal general, Qasim Khan. The Mughals retreated to their fort at Dodderi, the Marathas chased them and began besieging them from all sides, confident that their hunger would destroy the defenders. Many of the cattle had been captured by the Marathas. Qasim Khan died during the siege, with many suspecting he committed suicide. After he died, the command was left by General Khazand Khan, who sent Santaji terms of surrender. Santaji kept his word and allowed them to leave the fort and buy supplies from Maratha camps.[3][4]

Meanwhile, the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, in Islampur, 280 miles north of Dodderi, hearing the danger of Qasim Khan, dispatched his general Hamid-ud-din Khan along with Rustam-dil Khan to support him. They stationed themselves in Adoni, but were too late to do anything and waited to receive Khazand Khan.[5]

In less than a month after their defeat, Himmat Khan Bahadur, who had been deputed to cooperate with Qasim Khan, fled to Basavapatan, a place 40 miles west of Dodderi, with a force of 1,000 cavalry. Santaji planted his garrison in Dodderi and ordered two divisions of his army to watch and oppose Hamid-ud-din Khan from the north and Himmat Khan from the west. On January 20, 1696, Santaji appeared before Himmat Khan's position with a force of 10,000 cavalry and the same number of infantry; the Maratha Karnataki musketeers took position from the hills; Himmat Khan advanced to that position and dislodged them from it, killing 500 of them; then he drove his elephant towards the position where Santaji was standing; however, he was shot by a bullet and fell unconscious; Santaji received two arrow wounds; the leaderless Mughals retreated back to their trenches, where Himmat passed away.[6][7]

Three hundred of Himmat's men dispersed and fled, and the rest of the garrison hold their positions and successfully resisted for days. The Marathas then withdrew from the siege with spoils captured from Himmat's baggage. Learning of this siege, Aurangzeb ordered Hamid-ud-din Khan on January 22 to relieve Himmat Khan. Hamid-ud-din left his position in Adoni and heavy baggage on February 1. The fort was commanded by Sayyid Azmatullah and Muhammad Euz after the death of Himmat, the relief force consisted of 12,000 men, some twenty miles before his destination he was attacked by Santaji on February 26, but the Marathas were defeated and pushed back. The Mughals looted their camp. Hamid-ud-din spent two or three days burying the dead and healing the wounded. After this he marched to Basavapatan, a few days later Santaji appeared but Hamid-ud-din made a sally from the fort and routed the Marathas and capturing 200 female horses and many weapons.[8][9]

• Jadunath Sarkar, History Of Aurangzib, Vol.5. [10]
• Brij Kishore, Tara Bai and Her Times.[11]