Maratha-Mughal Border War

Timeline

1. 1665Maratha frontier · MaharashtraAfter the sack of Surat, Aurangzeb ordered provincial governors to assemble armies along the Maratha frontier, cutting their links with Bijapur and Golconda. The Mughal forces attempted to recover the forts held by Shivaji and force his submission, but met effective resistance from mountain guerrilla tactics.
2. 1665Pune · MaharashtraAurangzeb's daughter Princess Jahanara stepped in to mediate, and Shivaji concluded a treaty with the Mughals: the Marathas returned some conquered territories and acknowledged Mughal suzerainty in exchange for confirmation of 23 fiefs (including Pune). The treaty temporarily eased frontier conflict, but mutual distrust persisted.
3. 1666Agra · North IndiaShivaji was invited to Agra to meet Aurangzeb but was placed under house arrest over a dispute over court etiquette. In 1666 he and his son Sambhaji escaped inside baskets used to carry fruit; after returning to the Deccan he openly tore up the treaty, and the border war intensified anew, with Maratha guerrilla warfare entering a new phase.