New History of the Marathas v1.c14.11

v1.c14.11

While Golkonda was thus dragging on its wearisome existence, Shivaji stepped in to work out his policy of expansion. In this undertaking he had to deal with his own step-brother Ekoji who had just captured Tanjore and had himself crowned there on 17 March 1675 (the Hindu New Year's Day of Shak 1597 Rakshasa Samvatsar), probably in imitation of Shivaji's similar action in Mahārāshtra. This development requires a little more elucidation for which we must first study the relations existing between Ekoji and the Hanumante family who had long and loyally served Shahji in the Karnatak.