New History of the Marathas v1.c11.55

v1.c11.55

On 5 August 1668 Sambhājī came back to serve in the Mughal Camp with his contingent headed by Pratāprāo Gujar and Niraji Rāoji. Sambhājī was created a commander of five thousand, and presented with a jewelled sword and an elephant. Jagirs for his expenses were assigned to him in Berar. This was Shivaji’s peculiar method of securing substantial interests, practically losing nothing by his submission according to the treaty of Purandar. He soon got most of his forts also back as we shall see shortly. He was Aurangzeb’s vassal in name. His relations with Bijapur also remained pacific. The European powers on the west coast sought his friendship. The Portuguese sent their agents to Shivaji and concluded a treaty of peace with him (11 December 1667). When the Mughal Emperor acknowledged him as a Raja, Bijapur and Golkonda began to deal with him as an independent king. Through Muazzam Shivaji secured the right of exacting *Chauthai* dues from those two States, thus treating them as his vassal territories. In order to avoid annual Maratha incursions for the exaction of these dues, they agreed to pay him a lump sum annually, Bijapur three and Golkonda five lacs. The year 1668 thus marks a rapid increase towards fullness of the last lunar phase of Shivaji’s life.