A History of the Mahrattas v1.c23.55

v1.c23.55

The nominal Raja of Tanjore was the grandson of Sivajee’s brother Venkajee. Tookajee, the youngest of Venkajee’s three sons, was the only one who had issue; and at this period, two sons of Tookajee remained alive; the one, Syajee, was legitimate, the other, Pertaub Sing, was the son of a concubine. The government was administered under the name of the former, but the power was held by a Mahomedan officer, who since the time of Tookajee, had been vested with the command of the fort of Tanjore. Syajee, who some years afterwards placed himself under the protection of the English at Madras, was dispossessed by this officer, who raised Pertaub Sing to the head of the government in 1741; but the new Raja would not submit to the control of his minister, and freed himself from a state of tutelage by assassination.