Shivaji Maharaj As a Strategist And World Class Leader

 

Shivaji Maharaj As a Strategist

 

 

Depending upon the situation he carried out Offensive & defensive phases.During the offensive phase he captured as many forts before Mughal field army arrived.

 

The strength of Mughal Army lay in their heavy cavalry and artillery however artillery was cumbersome and hampered strategic mobility .Shivaji Maharaj turn this to his advantage by skillful deployment of light cavalry. The Maratha Army was lightly equipped and free from cumbersome supply system. It lived off the land and could subsist on scantiest of food. It was their greater hardiness and superior discipline which gave them remarkable mobility. With his mobility he could force the battle on his term,as it enabled him to seek out weak spots and strike with decisive effect. He confused the enemies by his swift and unpredictable movement. They became exhausted in fruitless pursuit. His cavalry raids deep inside enemy territory conclusively proved how the Mughal Army was helpless and defenseless against his striking forces.

 

 

World Class Military Leader

 

 

Shivaji Maharaj has been compared by Europeans with great war leaders. Portuguese viceroy-compared him with Ceaser, Alexander, the British compared with Hannibal.

 

Famous historian “Arnold Tyburn” says, that if Shivaji was born in our country, we would have remembered him forever and danced with him on our heads.

 

Shivaji Maharaj showed that the tree of Hinduism was not dead, that it could arise from beneath the seemingly crushing load of centuries of political bondage ,exclusion from administration, legal repression and could still grow into a nation state and lift its head to the skies.

 

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