History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c42.s8: §11. The Feringis of Chatgaon come over to the Mughals.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c42.s8
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§11. The Feringis of Chatgaon come over to the Mughals.
v3.c42.s8.1
Meantime Shaista Khan had been trying hard to cut off the right arm of the enemy, by winning the Feringis of Chatgaon over. He had sent them tempting offers of service under the Mughals, by means of their brethren trading at Larikol, Tamluk and Hughli. At this time there was some friction between them and their Arrakanese masters. The story of Shaista Khan's intrigue with them* had reached the ears of the Mag king and he planned to lure their families to his capital and massacre the Feringi men at Chatgaon. Just then, some of the Feringis assassinated a great prince of Arrakan, and in fear of punishment the whole colony hurriedly fled from Chatgaon with their families and property in 42 *jalia* boats, and sailed to Farhad Khan, the Mughal commandant of Noakhali (December, 1665), who sent their Chief Captain to Shaista Khan at Dacca. A bounty of Rs. 2,000 and a monthly pay of Rs. 500 were given to the Chief Captain,† and their other leaders were rewarded with similar liberality and enrolled in the imperial service.
v3.c42.s8.2
∗ Sondip : Fathiyah, Cont., 142 b-145 a (description of island), 147 a-150 a (conquest); A.N. 944-946 (conquest). Traditions about Dilawwar, Journal of the Moslem Institute (Calcutta), vol. iii, No. 1 (July, 1907.)
v3.c42.s8.3
† *Fathiyah*, Continuation, 153 *a*. Manucci says that Rs. 50,000 had been paid in advance to the captain through his brother, a merchant of Hughli, named Antonio de Rego, as a bribe for desertion. (ii. 118). The Persian histories call him *Capitao mor*, which is a Portuguese title meaning 'chief captain' and is not a family name.
v3.c42.s8.4
"The coming over of the Feringis gave composure to the hearts of the people of Bengal......The viceroy regarded this event as the commencement of victory." The Chief Captain informed him that the Arrakanese king, secure in the strength of the Feringis, had hitherto neglected the defence and provisioning of Chatgaon and that the place could be easily taken if the Mughals attacked it immediately without giving him time to wake up and send reinforcements from his capital.
v3.c42.s8.5
∗ Winning over of the Feringis.—*Fathiyah*, Cont. 116 *b*, 150 *b*—152 *a*; Bernier, 180—181; *Storia*, ii. 118; *A. N.* 946—947.