The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c7.s6.99

c7.s6.99

The Bijápur state was now for a few years the paramount power in the Konkan, and in 1648 before the assaults of the Maráthás had weakened it its government was thus provided for. The forts of Dábhol, Anjanvel, Ratnágiri, and Rájápur, with the districts dependent on them, were held direct from the crown.⁵ In Sir Henry Middleton's time the governor of Dábhol was a Persian and a great merchant owning many slaves. In 1612 Sir Henry Middleton stayed there with his ships for twelve days, got as much provisions as he wanted, and an eighteen-inch cable ninety-six fathoms long of Indian make for £8, but he obtained little trade owing to the duplicity of the governor.⁶ The remainder of the Southern Konkan was farmed to the hereditary Deshmukhs, of whom the Sávants of Kudál were the chief. As mentioned the Dábhol subhedári was very extensive, and it is stated that its capital was for some time at Prabánváli.⁶ This place, now almost entirely deserted and with no ruins to tell of its former importance, lies at the foot of the great Ghát fortress of Vishálgad, and it is allowable to conjecture that the government of the subhedári was fixed in that secure but retired position in consequence of the ruin brought on Dábhol by the frequent attacks of the Portuguese, who in these later days never mention any Musalmán officer of high rank as commanding at Dábhol.⁷ About 1540 the governor of the Konkan under Bijápur, Asad Khán, is said to have had his head-quarters at Sangameshvar⁸ and to have made