Afzal Khan ( general ) Afzal Khan ( died 10 November 1659 ) was a medieval Indian commander who served the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur , and fought against Shivaji . He was killed at a meeting with Shivaji and his army was defeated in the Battle of Pratapgad . His name is also transliterated as " Afzul Khan " in the historical records . Early life . Afzal Khan was a leading court figure during the reign of Ali Adil Shah II of the Bijapur Sultanate . His steadfast skills and commanding ability led to his popularity and emergence in the ranks of hierarchy . According to legend he was awarded a famous sword known as the " Adili " , the sword was studded with diamonds . Afzal Khan was also given a popular elephant Howdah named " Dhal - Gaj " . He headed a personal force of 10 , 000 soldiers . War against the Marathas . When the Maratha rebels led by Shivaji challenged the Adilshahi supremacy , Afzal Khan volunteered to the task of defeating the Marathas . According to a Bijapuri legend , he sought a Sufi Pir ' s blessings before setting out on every military campaign . On such a visit before the campaign against Shivaji , the elderly Pir prophesied that it would be Afzal Khan ' s last campaign . In 1659 , Afzal Khan led an army of about 10 , 000 elite troops and pursued Shivaji persistently , inflicting numerous casualties , which forced Shivaji ' s forces to take refuge in the hill forts . In a bid to force Shivaji to come out in open , he detoured to desecrate Hindu sacred places , including Pandharpur , the most important pilgrimage site in the Marathi - speaking region at the time . Such behavior was unprecedented for the Bijapuri forces , and alienated the local deshmukh s ( revenue collectors ) . He also captured Tuljapur , where his Adilshahi forces razed the statue of the Hindu Goddess Bhavani . Afzal Khan ' s original plan was to invade Pune , Shivaji ' s original residence . Shivaji knew that he would not be able to defeat Afzal Khan in the plains , and moved to Pratapgad Fort , which was surrounded by the dense forest valley area of Jawali . Shivaji ' s army excelled in this type of terrain , which made the Adilshahi army ' s cannons , musket s , elephants , horses and camels ineffective . At the same time , Shivaji had limited stores inside the fort and Afzal Khan ' s raids had caused terror among his followers . Afzal Khan also attempted to garner support from local militarily independent landlords , who nominally acknowledged the suzerainty of the Adil Shahi . The powerful nobleman Kanhoji Jedhe , who was the most respected deshmukh of the area , supported Shivaji . The deshmukh of Bhor , Khandoji Khopde , an enemy of Kanhoji , became a supporter of Afzal Khan . Afzal Khan felt that the ensuing battle would cause massive casualties to both sides and eventually lead to a deadly stalemate . He , therefore , sent out emissaries to Shivaji , to lure him down the fort and negotiate peace . Shivaji ' s council also urged him to make peace with Afzal Khan to avoid unnecessary losses . The two leaders , therefore , agreed to meet for negotiations . In 1639 , Afzal Khan had murdered Raja Kasturi Ranga after inviting him for a meeting where he could safely make a submission . Therefore , Shivaji was wary of Afzal Khan ' s real intentions . When Afzal Khan sent his envoy Krishnaji Bhaskar to Shivaji , Shivaji solemnly appealed to him as a Hindu priest to tell him if Afzal Khan was making any treacherous plans . According to the Maratha chronicles , Krishnaji hinted that Afzal Khan harbored mischief . Shivaji then sent his own envoy Pantaji Gopinath to Afzal , agreeing to a meeting ; Pantaji ' s real mission was to find out the strength of Afzal ' s forces . Pantaji bribed some officials of Afzal Khan to learn that he was planning an attack on Shivaji . Afzal Khan had originally asked Shivaji to meet him at Wai . Warned by Pantaji , Shivaji insisted that the meeting should take place closer to Pratapgad . Afzal Khan agreed , on the condition that the meeting would be arranged with two personal bodyguards on each side . His forces marched to Par , a village lying one mile south of Pratapgad . A crest below Pratapgad was chosen as the meeting place . Shivaji set up tents with a richly - decorated canopy at the place , but also placed his soldiers in ambush at various intervals on the path leading to the meeting place . Death . It was agreed that the leaders would be unarmed , and each man would bring an envoy and two armed bodyguards : one would be a swordsman and another an archer . Afzal Khan ' s companions included Sayyid Banda , a distinguished military man . Shivaji , forewarned , wore armour under his clothes and a steel helmet under his turban . He carried a weapon called " wagh nakh " ( " tiger claws " ) , consisting of an iron finger - grip with four razor claws , which he concealed within his clenched fist . He also carried a stiletto - like thin dagger called the " bichu " or Bichawa ( scorpion ) . He was accompanied by his bodyguards Jiva Mahala and Sambhaji Kavji . At the start of the meeting Afzal Khan graciously embraced Shivaji as per custom . According to the Maratha chronicles , he then suddenly tightened his clasp , gripped Shivaji ' s neck in his left arm and struck him with a kitar . Shivaji , saved by his armor , recovered and counter - attacked Afzal Khan with " wagh nakh " , disemboweling him . He then stabbed Khan with his " bichawa " , and ran out of the tent towards his men . The Persian language chronicle by Khafi Khan attributes the treachery to Shivaji instead . Afzal Khan cried out and Sayyid Banda rushed to the scene and attacked Shivaji with his patta , cutting his turban . Shivaji ' s bodyguard Jiva Mahala intervened , chopping off Sayeed Banda ' s right arm in a quick combat before killing him . Meanwhile , Afzal Khan ' s bearers placed their wounded leader in his palki ( litter vehicle ) , but they were attacked by Sambhaji Kavji . Sambhaji eventually killed Afzal Khan by decapitating him . Shivaji then reached the Pratapgad Fort , and signaled his waiting forces hiding in surrounding forest , to launch a surprise attack . Afzal Khan ' s army was routed in subsequent Battle of Pratapgad , though his son managed to escape . Later , severed head of Afzal Khan was sent to Rajgad as exhibit to Jijabai , Shivaji ' s mother . The story of the encounter between Afzal Khan and Shivaji is the subject of several films , plays , school textbooks and village ballads in Maharashtra . Personality . Afzal Khan was a powerful man of Afghan descent and was an experienced warrior . He was much taller and strongly - built than Shivaji . Afzal Khan was known for his physical strength . During his campaign against Shivaji , one of his cannon s fell into a narrow ditch near Wai . Eight of his soldiers could not get it out ( lack of manoeuvrable space was one of the causes ) . It is said that Afzal Khan got the cannon out single - handed . Another instance of Afzal Khan ' s strength is when he held Shivaji ' s head in his grip while trying to stab him . Shivaji almost lost consciousness because of the power of the grip . Aftermath . Shivaji had Afzal Khan buried with full military honors , as befitting his stature and reputation at the foot of the Pratapgad fort . An annual " urs " is held at Afzal Khan ' s mausoleum . Afzal Khan was succeeded by the inexperienced Rustam Zaman and Siddi Masud . The Bijapuri forces had been completely weakened , and eventually sought the assistance of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb . The Adilshahi dynasty of Bijapur did not last long after the killing of Afzal Khan and was eventually annexed during the Siege of Bijapur in 1686 . His servicemen included : Fazal Khan ( his son ) , Musa Khan , Manoji Jagdale , Sardar Pandhare , Ambar Khan , the Abyssinian Rustam - i - Zaman II and even Bari Sahiba the wife of the ruler of Bijapur .