New History of the Marathas v1.c17.88

v1.c17.88

The conquest of the two remaining Muslim kingdoms of the Deccan at once increased the Emperor's prestige and resources. He obtained enormous hoards of money, bodies of trained troops and stocks of arms and provisions that had been long accumulated in those two capitals. Aurangzeb could employ all these against the declining fortunes of Sambhājī, who had exhausted all his father's treasure and added little new income during his seven years of mis-government and war. When he was deserted by Akbar, he had no comrade left to share his misfortunes. Aurangzeb retired from Bijapur and encamped at Akluj¹¹ on the Bhīma near Pandharpur, in order to concentrate all his power and energy against the hapless Sambhājī. One of the Bijapur generals named Sharza Khan, a clever and watchful man conversant with the terrain of the Maratha country, invaded the Satara district. Sambhājī's Senapati Hambir Rao Mohite came to oppose him. An action was fought between them near Wai towards the end of 1687, in which Hambir Rao lost his life on the battle-field. He was the last of Sambhājī's supporters and his loss sealed the Raja's fate. A kind of encircling movement was started against him in all directions. Sambhājī was deserted by most of his followers and came to be surrounded by swarms of Mughal parties, occupying the difficult passes and stopping communication between Panhālā and Raigad, where Sambhājī was known to be moving.