New History of the Marathas v1.c18.65

v1.c18.65

9. Santāji's tragic end.—As these developments were being reported to the Emperor, he had already despatched another brave general Hamid-ud-din Khan with a full fighting train to the relief of the first two forces. Another Mughal officer Himmat Khan Bahadur who was not far off, also came in hurriedly to pounce upon the Marathas. Santāji encountered Himmat Khan and his son in a sanguinary action near Basawa-Pattan in which both the father and the son were routed and killed (20 January 1696). Then came Hamid-ud-din Khan who was able with his fresh troops to inflict a defeat upon Santāji and put him to flight (26 February), as his men were already fully exhausted and wearied after months of severe fighting. The story of these wonderful achievements of Santāji reverberated throughout the land causing high admiration in Maratha hearts and extreme depression in those of the Mughals. But Santāji was now to experience a sudden fall. Providence had not provided him with a suave tongue or an agreeable temper. There was only one person whom Santāji respected and obeyed, and that was Rāmchandra Pant who was far away in Mahārāshtra.