History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c61.s2.1

v4.c61.s2.1

Jai Singh's clever diplomacy prepared the ground in advance of the coming struggle. His first task was to detach Shivaji from Bijapur and, indeed, to throw a bone of perpetual contention between the two. With this view, in the treaty of Purandar he offered to Shivaji the Bijapuri coast-strip and uplands of the Western Ghats for a price of 40 lakhs of hun (or 2 *krores* of Rupees). Shivaji was to wrest these tracts from the control of Bijapur, and the Emperor agreed to confirm him in possession of them for ever. A threefold gain was expected by Jai Singh from this shrewd stroke of policy: first the acquisition of two *krores* of Rupees, secondly the alienation of Shiva from Bijapur, and thirdly, relieving the imperial army of the arduous task of campaigning in these two broken and jungly regions by throwing that work on Shivaji's shoulders. In return, the Maratha chief promised to assist the Mughals in the coming war by furnishing 2,000 cavalry of his son Shambhuji's contingent and 7,000 expert infantry under his personal command.*