The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c7.s8.238

c7.s8.238

Aurangzeb now gave the Sidi a sanad for some of the territories which he had held previous to the rise of Shiváji, and armed with this authority he took the districts of Suvarndurg and Anjanvel and in 1699 the forts of Rájpuri and Ráygad.⁴ The Maráthás still retained command of many of the forts, and kept up their fleet, and so harassed the Sidi and retained some power on the coast. The Moghals did not interfere much with them in the Southern Konkan, and the most southern districts were practically independent. The province of Sálshi was divided among three different claimants, two-fifths of the revenue going to the Sávants, three-tenths to the Pant of Bávda, and three-tenths to Angria, while a payment had also to be made to the Killedár of Málvan. About 1700 Phond Sávant built the fort of Bharatgad, only three or four miles from Málvan, and immediately afterwards the Pant of Rávda built Bhagvantgad on the other side of the river.⁵ In 1698 Mánkoji Angria succeeded to the command of the Marátha fleet, and with it of the coast. The principal place of arms was Kolába, and there were depôts also at Suvarndurg and Vijaydurg⁶ and by this time the Maráthás were the strongest naval power on the coast and attacked the vessels of all nations. The only expedition which in the latter years of his life Aurangzeb appears to have sent to the Southern Konkan was