Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

Inside the Mughal camp in Pune, Deccan region of India, Shaishta Khan, the uncle of Emperor Aurangzeb, was making arrangements for the withdrawal of troops to rescue Delhi with a worried expression.

This 76-year-old veteran had spent his life fighting in numerous battles, achieving great merit and thus becoming a viceroy second only to the emperor, and was granted the title of Khan. In the Mughal Empire's hierarchy, besides the emperor, the Khan and Mir were at the highest levels, usually reserved for nobles of royal lineage; Subadar (provincial governor or important military commander) and others were high-ranking officials; followed by Fajdar (local military governor), Diwan (tax and finance official), Kotwar (city security and market management official), Bakish (military logistics officer), and other officials of varying ranks; below them were the common people, divided into many ethnic groups and castes. Not of royal lineage, but rather a relative of the emperor, he achieved such a prestigious position in the empire not only through his military exploits but also through his unwavering loyalty. He was infinitely loyal to his nephew, Emperor Aurangzeb, and even at the age of 76, for the long-term stability of the empire, he tirelessly traveled to the Deccan to subdue the rebellious Marathas.

His Majesty the Emperor entrusted him with the command of 150,000 elite troops drawn from across the country. Combined with allied forces from the Sultanates of Bijapur and Golkunda, who also adhered to Islam, the army tasked with suppressing the infidel Marat people exceeded 200,000. Including accompanying personnel (family, servants, merchants, etc.), the total number reached 500,000. The Empire's elite forces were concentrated here. Yet, the battle proved exceptionally difficult!

Although the Maratha army numbered less than 100,000, they possessed an unyielding spirit of freedom, evident in the fact that their leader, Shivaji, was proclaimed Chhatrapati (meaning independent king). Shivaji was a highly capable military commander, adept at utilizing the mountainous terrain of the Deccan region for guerrilla warfare. Almost every Maratha military stronghold, including the capital Rajgarh Fort, Kapur Fort, and Singal Fort, was built on mountains. To capture a fortress garrisoned by only a few thousand men often required tens of thousands of troops and a considerable amount of time.

Fortunately, Shahstar Khan was old, and older generals often have more patience than younger ones. He first ordered the Muslim general Jahira and the Ethiopian Christian Mapila to lead their naval forces to inflict heavy losses on the Marathi navy in the Arabian Sea, capturing the important coastal cities of Basein and Pune. Then, he feigned weakness at Nagpur to lure the Marathi down from the mountains to fight. In that battle, both sides deployed large armies, with over a thousand war elephants on each side. Although the Mughal army ultimately won due to its superior weaponry and numerical superiority, it failed to annihilate the main force of the Marathi army. Even more disturbing was the discovery of a significant amount of weaponry from the Kingdom of David among the captured Marathon supplies, indicating that the powerful northern neighbor had intervened in the war against the Marathons. Shaysta Khan remained calm, providing detailed accounts of the battle to His Majesty the Emperor, contacting the Sultanates of Bijapur and Golkunda to blockade the coast and borders, preventing the Marathons from receiving external aid, while simultaneously concentrating his forces to eliminate the rebels castle by castle, and winning over wavering Marathons in hopes of undermining their morale from within. After several years of arduous fighting, they finally captured important military fortresses such as Rajgarh Fort, Kapur Fort, and Singal Fort. Scouts reported that the Marathon army was now scattered, with their leader Shivaji, his son Sambaji, and his trusted general Pratap wandering the hills with a portion of their troops, without even a proper place to rest.

Shaishta Khan felt victory was assured. He believed that with just a little more time, he could capture the damned Shivaji and hang him on the walls of Rajgarh Fort, thus deterring any Marathi who dared to rebel. But God seemed to be playing a cruel joke on him at the most crucial moment. The Northern Wei suddenly launched an attack on the Mughal Empire, and orders from Delhi came one after another, all urging him to immediately withdraw his troops from the Deccan and return to Delhi to reinforce the city. He knew his nephew was resolute by nature; he would never have been so hasty if the situation hadn't been dire. Battle reports from the front confirmed his fears: the Wei army had split into two forces. The main force had advanced westward, reaching Allahabad, not far from Delhi; the other detachment had entered Bengal and was engaged in fierce fighting with the defenders in Dhaka. Rescue was imperative, or His Majesty would be in grave danger! As a loyal subject, he was naturally eager to serve the king, but as the commander-in-chief of the entire army, he had to handle the aftermath before returning to the capital. He had to prevent the Marathas from rising again and guard against the southward detachment of the guard army from attacking Orissa and Deccan from Bengal.

Thinking of this, he summoned his three generals, Jahira, Mapila, and Pizam, and earnestly instructed them. "The Guard has invaded and has already captured Kuchihajyo and Kuchibihar, and is now attacking Allahabad and Dhaka in two directions. His Majesty has ordered me to return to Delhi to provide reinforcements, and I must depart immediately. I entrust the military affairs of Deccan and other places to you!" Seeing the three looking at each other in bewilderment, he chuckled again, "You don't need to rush. Before you leave, I will arrange the defenses and leave you with tens of thousands of elite troops."

Upon hearing this, the three breathed a sigh of relief and expressed their determination not to betray the old marshal's trust and their willingness to die for their country.

"The Marathas are now exhausted and no longer a threat. My greatest concern is that a detachment of the Guards, advancing south, might take advantage of my main force's return to Delhi to attack Orissa Subha (province) from Bengal. The Orissa Plateau has a rugged terrain; if the Guards capture it, they will have a strong base for attacking the Empire. Therefore, I intend to order Jahira and Mapila to lead 20,000 elite troops by boat from Basenport via the Godavari River to Orissa to reinforce Ibrahim Khan. Ibrahim Khan is a renowned general in our army. With your reinforcements and the Orissa Plateau to rely on, we will surely be able to hold Orissa Subha," Shaishta Khan gave the order, watching the two men intently. The narrow Godavari River connects the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. This river is not deep, and ships need considerable skill to navigate it. Fortunately, Jahira and Mapila have extensive experience in naval warfare, and many of their men are experienced sailors familiar with the water. They did not find it too difficult and readily accepted the order.

Shaysta Khan then stared intently at the young Nizam and instructed him, "I will leave you with 20,000 elite troops, and the defense of the Deccan is entrusted to you. How do you intend to defend it?"

Although young, Nizam is brave and resourceful, and he made great contributions in the recent Battle of Nagpur, playing a crucial role in the Mughal army's capture of the city. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Although the Marat army suffered heavy losses, they are hiding in the mountains, making them difficult to completely wipe out. They are locals, and after the main force leaves, they will inevitably return. To contain them, the 20,000 troops you gave me are not enough. We need to contact the sultans of Bijapur and Golkunda, offer them some benefits, and use their armies to contain the Marat people."

Upon hearing Nizam's words, Shaystahan laughed heartily and said repeatedly, "If you can do that, what do I have to worry about?"

On January 6th, 1676 (the 33rd year of the Qianyuan era), Shaysta Khan led a large army back from Deccan to reinforce the imperial capital, Delhi. (End of Chapter)