A History of the Mahrattas v2.c35.60

v2.c35.60

Sumbhajee, Raja of Kolapoor, the last of the lineal descendants of the great Sivajee, died in December, 1760, without issue. About two years afterwards his widow, Jeejee Bye, adopted as her husband’s heir a boy named Sivajee, the son of Shahjee Bhonslay, Patell of the village of Kanwut in the district of Indapoor, and having placed him on the musnud, conducted the affairs of the principality in his name. Great irregularities took place during the minority of Sivajee, both by sea and land. Piracy prevailed to an extent before unknown on the coast, which induced the English to send an expedition in 1765, and reduce both Malwan and Rairee, the former belonging to Kolapoor and the latter to Sawuntwaree. The reigning Peishwa, Mahdoo Rao Bullal, was exasperated against Kolapoor, both on account of plundering incursions into his territories and the hereditary connexion which the Kolapoor state maintained with the Nizam. In order to circumscribe its power and punish its aggressions, Mahdoo Rao dispossessed the Raja of several districts, and added them to the Jagheer of his own relations, the family of Putwurdhun; but during the late disturbances the Kolapoor state, having embraced the cause of Rugonath Rao, recovered the districts, and one of the ministerial officers named Ramchundur Hurry, in attempting to re-occupy them, was defeated by Yessajee Sindia, an officer of the Raja. Mahadajee Sindia was therefore sent to support Ramchundur Hurry, and succeeded in restoring order.