A born leader, a fearless warrior and a shrewd military strategist, Shivaji resorted to guerilla warfare techniques to outmaneuver his formidable adversaries, the Mughal masters of the North and the Bahmani sultans of the South. His exploits hastened the decline of Mughal power and gave rise to a new power in India, the Marathas. His love for freedom has made him a national icon of India.