New History of the Marathas v1.c10.55

v1.c10.55

Surat castle then had a fort-wall not very strong, while the town with the main populace and the business centre lay outside the walls. The Governor of the town was one Inayatulla Khan who had kept no troops for the protection of the town, although he drew cash allowance for their expense. From Gandevi Shivaji sent special agents in advance to inform the Governor and the merchants of his intended arrival and assuring them that he meant no harm to anybody, that he was at open war with the Emperor, for which he was in sore need of funds which he must obtain from those who traded under the Emperor's protection and who could pay.⁵ For years, he urged, the Emperor had driven him out of his house at Poona and appropriated all his treasure and belongings. He expected from Surat a handsome amount, about 50 lacs which could be easily subscribed by the wealthy merchants of the town. Shivaji also addressed letters of similar import to the Governor and to some particular merchants asking for contributions and warning them of the consequences of a refusal. “Tomorrow,” he said, “we shall be at Surat when you should pay me a visit and deliver the specified amount. If you fail to comply, we shall have to use severe methods of collecting money, such as plunder and arson, for which the responsibility will be yours.” The Governor sent his agent with an impertinent reply, upon which Shivaji detained the messengers and himself arrived at 11 o'clock in the morning, the next day, Wednesday 6th January camping with his followers in a garden outside the Burhanpur gate.