Battle of Bhatvadi

01Malik Ambar’s war

Malik Ambar, an Abyssinian who rose to be regent of the Nizam Shahi kingdom of Ahmednagar, held the Mughals at bay in the Deccan for twenty years. He organised the Maratha deshmukhs and their light horse into a guerrilla force, the bargi-giri that the Marathas later made their own, and reformed the land revenue. In 1624 the Mughals and Bijapur, usually rivals, joined against him and advanced on his territory with a large army.

02Water and horse

Malik Ambar drew the allies on to low ground near Bhatvadi, east of Ahmednagar. Heavy rain swelled the lake there, and he had its embankment cut so that the water poured into the enemy camp. In the confusion his Maratha cavalry attacked. Mulla Muhammad Lari was killed, Lashkar Khan and other Mughal officers were taken, and the camp was plundered. Shahaji Bhonsle and his brothers fought with distinction; one brother, Sharifji, was killed. Malik Ambar died in 1626, the last great defender of Ahmednagar.