New History of the Marathas v2.c24.s1.4

v2.c24.s1.4

In 1719 Bajirao’s father had reconquered the district of Kalyan and gradually extended his conquest to Jawhar and Ramnagar. During 1730 Pilaji Jadhav carried war into the Portuguese territory. He took Kamba, a Portuguese outpost near Bhivandi. A new Portuguese Governor Count de Sandomille, a man of a strong and stern character arrived from Europe and took charge of the Portuguese possessions in India in April 1732. He continued to hold the office for nine years, and assumed such a high handed irritating attitude towards the Marathas that they were compelled to open immediate hostilities. The two important posts which the Portuguese held in their government of the north were Bassein and Thana, the former already strongly fortified but the latter was vulnerable. Apprehending trouble from the Marathas of Kalyan, the new Viceroy hurriedly started to build a strong fort at Thana, a threat directly aimed at the Maratha possessions of Kalyan and the north Konkan districts, which they could not ignore. Before the fortifications of Thana were completed, the Marathas opened hostilities against that place in the summer of 1737. Chimnaji Appa sent bands of selected men and captured Thana on 26 March. The Marathas quickly completed the fortifications and organized the defence of the place so that it might serve as a strong base for operations against Bassein. Several other places in the island of Salsette surrendered to them in April; Dharavi was secured in May and Santa Cruz in June. There was, however, no naval action so far.