The Siege of Gingee took a dramatic turn as internal conflicts within the Mughal camp and the arrival of fresh Maratha forces completely changed the balance of power between 1694 and 1696.
Betrayal Within the Mughal Camp
The Mughal forces were facing serious internal problems. Zulfikar Khan found himself at odds with his own officers, particularly Daud Khan Panni and Dalpat Rao. The situation became so bad that these officers were believed to be planning to arrest their own commander and send him to Emperor Aurangzeb in chains.
The internal tensions were so severe that when Zulfikar Khan reportedly sent ten camels loaded with coins to Rajaram, Daud Khan intercepted the convoy on the way. This shows how deep the mistrust had become within the Mughal leadership.
During this period, there were also disturbing reports that the Marathas had poisoned wells and contaminated water tanks with milk-hedges, causing deaths among the local population.
Temporary Mughal Revival
Despite these problems, Zulfikar Khan managed to capture a few forts from the Marathas and renewed his siege operations with fresh energy after receiving three lakh rupees from the Mughal court. However, his army continued to suffer from desertions and severe grain shortages, making 1695 as unsuccessful for Mughal arms as the previous years.
Game-Changing Maratha Reinforcements
By the end of 1695, alarming news reached the Mughal camp. A large Maratha army was approaching under the leadership of two formidable commanders – Santaji and Dhanaji Jadhav.
The English records from Fort St. David provide clear evidence of this development:
- A letter dated December 12, 1695, reported that 12,000 Maratha horsemen had arrived at Gingee
- Another letter dated December 17, 1695, specifically mentioned Dhanaji Jadhav’s arrival with 6,000 cavalry
These reinforcements completely changed the situation. Many Mughal soldiers became so frightened that they fled to places like Madras seeking English protection.
English Diplomatic Shift
The arrival of Maratha reinforcements forced the English to reconsider their position. Governor Hatsell of Fort St. David realized he needed to maintain friendly relations with Rajaram, whose position was now greatly strengthened.
The Madras Diary recorded in January 1696 that due to the increasing Maratha strength at Gingee and their frequent raids near Fort St. David, it became necessary for Hatsell to accommodate Rajaram’s demands. The English decided to maintain “fair correspondence” with the Marathas during this uncertain period, noting that the Marathas appeared very powerful unless the Mughal Emperor sent considerable reinforcements to help Zulfikar Khan.
Zulfikar Khan’s Desperate Situation
The arrival of Santaji and Dhanaji forced Zulfikar Khan to concentrate all his forces for defense against a possible Maratha attack. Throughout 1696, he faced extreme financial difficulties and desperately sought help from English merchants in Madras.
Khan begged for a loan of one lakh hun (a type of currency), offering to mortgage any part of the country as security. When this failed, his desperation reached such heights that he even threatened to attack the English directly.
Maratha Leadership Changes
The Maratha command structure had also seen changes. Santaji had previously quarreled with Dhanaji and left for Maharashtra in 1693. Following this, Dhanaji was appointed as the Senapati (military commander) of the Maratha army in the Gingee region.
On their march to Gingee, the advancing Maratha forces had already demonstrated their strength by crushing Kasim Khan, the Mughal governor of Sera and the Mysore Balaghat region.
The Changing Balance
By 1696, the siege of Gingee had transformed from a Mughal offensive into a defensive struggle for survival. Internal betrayals, financial crisis, and the arrival of strong Maratha reinforcements had completely reversed the military situation, showing how quickly fortunes could change in 17th century warfare.
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