Travels in India (Tavernier) 29.2

29.2

Kareputtun is only five days journey from Goa to the north, and Raibagh, where the King of Bijapur disposes of his pepper, is distant from Kareputtun about the same to the east. The King of Bijapur, like the King of Golconda, was a tributary of the Great Mogul, but is so no longer. This kingdom has been in trouble for some time on account of the rebellion of Nair Sivaji, who was, on the establishment of the King of Bijapur, what we call in France, Captain of the Guards. He had been guilty of misconduct, for which the King arrested him and put him in prison, where he remained for a long time till he died. The young Sivaji, his son, thereupon conceived such a strong hatred against the King that he became a chief of bandits, and as he was both courteous and liberal he had as many supporters as he wished for, both cavalry and infantry, and in a short time he got together an army, the soldiers, on the report of his liberality, coming to seek him from all sides. He was in a position to undertake some enterprise, when the King of Bijapur died without children, and it was thus that, without any great difficulty, he became master of a portion of the Malabar coast, including Rajapur, Rasigar, Kareputtun, Dabhol, and other places. It is said that during the demolition of the fortifications of Rasigar he found immense treasure, and that it was with this that he supported his forces, by whom he was well served because they were always very well paid.