Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Shivaji defeated the Mughals in the battle of:
Solution & Analysis
Answer: C
Concept
While Shivaji was famous for guerrilla tactics, the Battle of Salher proved that the Maratha army could also defeat the Mughals in a massive, open-field pitched battle using traditional military formations.Explanation
In 1672, Shivaji’s generals, Moropant Pingle and Prataprao Gujar, defeated a large Mughal force at the Battle of Salher in the Nashik district. This was the first time the Marathas decisively beat the Mughals in a conventional open battle, significantly boosting Maratha prestige.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: At Purandar, Shivaji was forced into a treaty; Raigarh and Shivner were forts rather than names of decisive open-field battle victories against the Mughals.
Logic 2: The victory at Salher allowed Shivaji to adopt the title of 'Chhatrapati' with greater authority, as it destroyed the myth of Mughal invincibility.