New History of the Marathas v1.c7.30

v1.c7.30

Muhammad Adil Shah was at this time bed-ridden, having been weakened by an attack of paralysis, and well realizing the consequences of alienating a powerful Maratha captain of Shahji's status, ordered Mustafa Khan to send Shahji at once to the Court and despatched his own sober and trusted minister Muhammad Khan to take charge of the situation before Jinji in preference to the irascible Mustafa. The Shah also deputed Afzul Khan to take charge of Shahji and bring him to Court. But before the Vazir arrived on the scene, Mustafa Khan had died on 9th November 1648. Muhammad Khan continued the siege and captured Jinji on 28th December following, from its defender Rupa Nayak. Jinji's immense wealth hoarded through seven centuries of continuous rule by Rupa Nayak's ancestors, was loaded on 89 strong elephants and the caravan wended its way slowly to Bijapur under Afzul Khan's vigilant eye, along with the captive Shahji. The party arrived at their destination during the following summer months. Next year the Bijapur forces raided and plundered Tanjore, Madura and other important places; and the Vazir Muhammad Khan returned to the capital after having completed the conquest of the whole of the Karnatak except Bangalore. Srirang Rai, however, was not finally crushed. The general impression at the Shah's Court was that this conquest would not have taken so long had Shahji not interfered by shielding the Hindu princes.