New History of the Marathas v1.c9.50

v1.c9.50

The Siddis purchased Shivaji’s friendship by handing over to him their posts of Tala, Ghosala and Rairi, of which Shivaji personally took possession during his southern tour early in 1658. Thereupon Shivaji visited the shrine of Hareshvar and proceeded to Rājāpur with a view to helping the Sāvant of Kudal whom Rustam-i-Zaman had attacked during the summer of 1658. This Sāvant was also a scion of the Bhosle family and in his extremity had appealed to Shivaji for help. Shivaji then personally toured the whole region of south Konkan and established his post at Rājāpur. Friendly negotiations took place between Shivaji and the Sāvant, whose envoy Pitāmbar Shenvi visited Shivaji and concluded with him a formal treaty of mutual friendship and help on 5th March 1659. The Sāvant from now onward practically remained a faithful ally of the Chhatrapatis, although their relations were occasionally disturbed by extraneous circumstances. During these negotiations Shivaji visited Kudal, where he purchased a fine sword of European make for 300 hons and named it the ‘*Bhavani*’. He successfully used it in many an encounter. It was with this sword that he killed Afzal Khan a few months later.³