History, asked by anupamakarmakar100, 3 months ago

how did shivaji handle afzal khan in short answer​

Answers

Answered by Kaira1027
1

Afzal Khan was a general loyal to Adil Shah. During a assault by the Adil Shahi dynasty on the Maratha kingdom, Shivaji had moved his forces back from Pune to Pratapgad fort.

Afzal Khan's forces outnumbered Shivaji, but Pratapgad is located in the middle of ghats and jungle. The lands around the fort thwarted any attempts to charge with cavalry, or use cannons effectively - so Afzal Khan laid siege to Pratapgad.

Shivaji held out for a while, but the forts stores of food would run low quite soon with the bulk of the Maratha army garrisoned there. Shivaji's advisers suggested that he take Afzal's offer of peaceful negotiations. Shivaji set out to the foothills near Pratapgad to parley with Afzal Khan.

However, Shivaji knew of Azfal Khan's tendency of treating the "peaceful" part of peaceful negotiation as more of a guideline than a rule. Afzal Khan had earlier murdered a negotiator in the same way. So Shivaji went to the meeting armed.

When Afzal and Shivaji met, Afzal went in for a hug - a traditional greeting amongst equals (perceived or otherwise). And as he was breaking the hug, he tried to stab Shivaji with a dagger he had palmed earlier. The dagger glanced off the armor Shivaji had worn under his clothes.

Then, and this is the gory part, Shivaji revealed his intent - an Indian weapon called a wagh nakh (tiger claw). Imagine a set of brass knuckles, with claws on the outside. Using this, he disemboweled Afzal Khan where he stood. Shivaji and his lieutenants then fled the scene.

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