Travels in India (Tavernier) 24.2.6

24.2.6

He was, as I have said, the most powerful of all ; and a few days after the death of the Raja of Narsingha they achieved a notable victory over the Mogul, after which there was nothing to prevent them from making themselves sovereigns. But since that time Jahangir, son of Akbar, conquered the kingdom of the new King of Burhanpur ; Shah Jahan, son of Jahangir, that of the King of Daulatabad ; and Aurangzeb, son of Shah Jahan, a part of the territory of Bijapur. As for the King of Golconda, neither Jahangir nor Shah Jahan made war upon him, and they left him undisturbed, on the condition that he should pay to the Moguls an annual tribute of 200,000 pagodas. These pagodas are gold pieces which are worth from 6 to 7½ francs of our money, sometimes more and sometimes less. To-day the most powerful of the Rajas of this great peninsula south of the Ganges is the Raja of Velow, who extends his authority as far as Cape Comorin, and who has succeeded to a part of the states of the Raja of Narsingha; but, as there is no trade in his country, this Prince makes but little noise, and strangers hardly ever go to it. The present King of Golconda has no son; he has only three daughters, who are all married.