A History of the Mahrattas v2.c35.68

v2.c35.68

Ram Raja, a short time before his death, had adopted the son of Trimbukjee Raja Bhonslay, a Patell of the village of Wawee and a descendant of Witoojee, the brother of Mallojee and uncle of Shahjee, the father of the great Sivajee. Trimbukjee Raja commanded a body of two hundred horse, with which his son served as a Sillidar, when selected as heir to a throne and tenant of a prison. He was styled Shao Maharaj. During the time of Ballajee Bajee Rao it had been artfully contrived that there were only a few families, old but of no power, with whom the Raja of the Mahrattas could intermarry. To this day the Raja of Satara would think himself degraded by a marriage with the daughter of Nimbalkur and of Jadow, although from them Sivajee was descended in the maternal line. This artifice, which may have been managed by bribing the Oopadheeas and Shastrees, explains the reason why it is scarcely known that Shao was married in Aurungzebe’s camp to a daughter of Sindia of Kunneirkheir.