Shivaji Bhonsle carved the Maratha Empire out of Mughal-controlled India through guerrilla warfare, naval innovation, and a flair for the dramatic that included escaping a besieged fortress in a basket and killing a general with tiger claws concealed in his hand.

This episode tells the story of how a regional chieftain defied the Mughal Empire and founded a Hindu state that would eventually stretch across the subcontinent.

• The killing of Afzal Khan with the hidden wagh nakh tiger claws
• His escape from Mughal detention in Agra
• The coronation that established the Maratha kingdom as a sovereign state
• How his guerrilla tactics and naval strategy challenged Mughal dominance