Question

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj launched southern conquests in ________.

Answer 1

Hint: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj overpowered the Mughal empire and established a competent and progressive civil rule with well-structured administrative organisations.

Complete answer:
The Maratha army undertook an aggressive campaign while raiding Khandesh in October, capturing Bijapuri Ponda in April 1675, Karwar and Kolhapur in July. In November the Maratha navy fought with the Siddis of Janjira, but failed to defeat them. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj raided Athani in April 1676.
In 1677 Shivaji visited Hyderabad for a month and entered into a treaty with the Qutub Shah of the Golconda sultanate where he agreed to reject his alliance with Bijapur and decided to jointly oppose the Mughals. In 1677 Shivaji invaded Karnataka with 30,000 cavalry and 40,000 infantry aided by the backing of Golconda artillery and funding.
Shivaji seized the forts of Vellore and Gingee. Gingee had later served as a capital of the Maratha empire during the reign of Shivaji Maharaj’s son Rajaram I.
While returning to Raigad, Shivaji defeated his half-brother, Venkoji’s army on 26 November 1677 and seized most of his possessions in the Mysore plateau.

So the answer is that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj launched Southern conquests in Khandesh, Bijapur, Karwar, Kolhapur, Athani, Karnataka, Vellore, Gingee and Mysore.

Note: Shivaji Maharaj is known as the father of the Indian Navy due the huge and competent fleet which he produced during his reign. Shivaji began to build his navy in 1657 or 1659, by purchasing twenty galivats from the Portuguese shipyards of Bassein. His fleet had around 400 warships.