A History of the Mahrattas v1.c11.51

v1.c11.51

A.D. 1655.—He had in vain attempted to induce the Raja of Jowlee² to unite with him against the Beejapoor government; Chunder Rao, although he carried on no war against Sivajee and received all his messengers with civility, refused to join in rebellion against the king. The permission granted to Shamraje’s party to pass through his country, and the aid which he was said to have given him, afforded Sivajee excuse for hostility; but the Raja was too powerful to be openly attacked with any certain prospect of success; he had a strong body of infantry, of nearly the same description as Sivajee’s Mawulees; his two sons, his brother, and his minister, Himmut Rao, were all esteemed good soldiers; nor did there appear any means by which Sivajee could create a division among them.