A History of the Mahrattas v1.c10.67

v1.c10.67

Whilst these disputes were pending, Sivajee at a fit time, giving out that he was on his route towards Sopa, encamped under Poorundhur, and was, as he had hoped, invited into the fort with a few attendants. When the eldest of the three had retired to rest, Sivajee, in conversation with the other two, represented that the best expedient for inducing their brother to submit to a fair arbitration was to make him prisoner; to which the young men eagerly acceded. Sivajee, on pretence of granting them means of completely overawing every attempt at resistance, despatched a messenger to his troops below, and long before morning had a band of Mawulees in possession of the upper and lower forts, the eldest brother a prisoner, and the younger, with the whole garrison, completely in his power. Sivajee attempted to excuse this treachery by avowing his designs of independence¹; and although he removed the whole from Poorundhur, he had the address to reconcile them by grants of Enam villages, and to persuade all the brothers to enter his service; in which they afterwards attained some distinction.