A History of the Mahrattas v1.c4.33

v1.c4.33

Raja Ram.—Meeting of the principal Mahratta leaders at Raigurh.—Raja Ram declared regent, during the minority of Sumbhajee’s son.—Important consultations, in which Prillhad Neerajee takes a conspicuous part.—Siege and capture of Raigurh.—The son and widow of Sumbhajee taken.—Merich and Panalla taken.—Raja Ram flees to Ginjee—narrowly escapes being intercepted—establishes the form of the Court of Sivajee—creates the rank of Pritee Needhee.—Suntajee Ghorepuray and Dhunnajee Jadow sent back to Maharashtra.—Raja Ram ascends the throne.—Zoolfikar Khan sent against Ginjee.—Siege delayed.—Aspect of affairs in the Deccan.—Proceedings of Ramchundur Punt.—Origin of Ghas-dana.—Rajgurh and Panalla retaken.—Proceedings of Suntajee and Dhunnajee—and of Aurungzebe.—Ginjee invested.—Supersession of Zoolfikar Khan by the arrival of Kaum Bukhsh.—Jealousies to which it gives rise.—Aurungzebe fixes his principal cantonment at Brimhapooree.—Portuguese and English.—Suntajee and Dhunnajee repair to the Carnatic—attack the Moghuls with great success—a truce—dissolved by the Emperor.—Siege of Ginjee renewed.—Kassim Khan, with several other officers, compelled by Suntajee to surrender, together with their troops. Himmut Khan defeated and slain.—Siege of Ginjee pressed.—Raja Ram is permitted to escape.—Ginjee taken.—Dissensions amongst the Mahrattas, which increase in consequence of the death of the Pritee Needhee.—A sedition obliges Suntajee Ghorepuray to flee from his own troops.—Satara becomes the seat of the Mahratta government.—Changes and promotions.—Kanhojee Angria, on the death of Seedojee Goojur, succeeds to the command of the fleet.—Suntajee Ghorepuray basely murdered by Nagojee Manay.—Raja Ram takes the field with a very large army—plunders the country, and imposes the Chouth in Candeish, Gung-thuree, and Berar, leaving officers to collect it.—Zoolfikar Khan recalled from the Carnatic.—New plan of operations—a pursuing and a besieging force.—Zoolfikar Khan attacks and pursues Raja Ram.—Emperor takes Wussuntgurh—invests Satara—description of its defences—its siege and surrender.—Capture of Purlee.—Distress of the Moghul army, in consequence of the setting in of the monsoon.—Death and character of Raja Ram—his widow Tara Bye assumes the regency.—Pures hram Trimbuck appointed Pritee Needhee.—Mahrattas under Dhunnajee Jadow, and minor chiefs.—Description of a body of Mahratta plunderers, contrasted with the splendour of a Moghul camp.—Great devastations.—State of the Moghuls.—Aurungzebe perseveres in his plan of reducing the forts.—General devastation and confusion.—Weakness of the Moghuls.—Power of the Mahrattas—its nature.—State of feeling in the country.—Moghuls make overtures for an accommodation—broken off.—Aurungzebe quits the neighbourhood of Poona, and moves to the eastward.—Wakinkerah besieged, and finally reduced.—Mahrattas retaking their forts—they attack the grand army on its march. Emperor in danger of being taken.—Death and character of Aurungzebe . . . . . . . . . pp. 278-311