Shivaji's Trade War: The Surat Raids That Bankrupted the Mughals

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a lesser-known but decisive aspect of Shivaji Maharaj's military strategy: his audacious raids on the Mughal port city of Surat in 1664 and 1670. Surat was the Mughal Empire's richest trading hub, a gateway for pilgrims to Mecca and a source of immense customs revenue for Aurangzeb's treasury. Shivaji's first raid, in January 1664, caught the city off guard — he plundered the wealthy merchants' homes and warehouses, but notably spared the English and Dutch factories after receiving bribes. The second raid, in October 1670, was even more methodical: Shivaji's Mavala soldiers targeted the city's banking houses, including the famed Virji Vora, whose wealth rivaled the Mughal treasury. Lucas discusses how these raids were not random looting but a calculated strategy to weaken Mughal finances, disrupt trade, and send a message that Swarajya was a force to be reckoned with. The episode also touches on the diplomatic fallout: how the English East India Company, Dutch VOC, and Portuguese reacted, and how Surat's decline contributed to the eventual rise of Bombay as a commercial center. Listeners will learn about key figures like the Mughal governor Inayat Khan, the merchant Virji Vora, and the Maratha commander Netaji Palkar. #ShivajiMaharaj #SuratRaids #MarathaEmpire #MughalEmpire #Aurangzeb #VirjiVora #NetajiPalkar #InayatKhan #Swarajya #HindaviSwarajya #Mavala #GanimiKava #17thCentury #IndianHistory #SouthAsia #MilitaryHistory #EconomicWarfare #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo