New History of the Marathas v2.c24.53

v2.c24.53

Bahadur Shah’s first concern after his coronation was the recovery of the southern Mughal dominions which his brother Kam Baksh had seized. He immediately started from Agra and arrived on the Godavari in June 1708 when Shahu was conducting operations against his aunt Tarabai. Bahadur Shah called upon Shahu to join him with his forces. Shahu sent excuses for his absence. Kam Baksh prepared for the contest and in a sanguinary fight met his death near Haidarabad on 3 January 1709. After arranging the administrative affairs of the conquered territory, Bahadur Shah started back from the Deccan, and reached Ahmadnagar in May, where Shahu’s Pratinidhi Gadadhar Pralhad and Raybhanji Bhosle offered him obeisance and begged for sanads or written undertakings, confirming the grants of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi for their master Shahu in order to have his position legalized. Tarabai too was not inactive in this respect. Through her agents she made a similar request for the grants, contending that Shahu was not the rightful heir to the Maratha throne.