History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c62.s5.2

v4.c62.s5.2

The departure of Bahadur Khan is a convenient point at which we can pause and look collectively at the Mughal gains in the Deccan during the first twenty years of Aurangzib's reign. As we have already seen (Vol. I. Ch. 11), he had in 1657 annexed Kaliani and Bidar in the north-eastern corner of the kingdom of Bijapur. The fort and district of Parenda in the extreme north had been gained by bribery in November 1660. Sholapur had been acquired by treaty in July 1668. And now Naldurg and Kulbarga were annexed. Thus, the vast tract of land enclosed by the Bhima and the Manjira eastwards up to an imaginary line joining Kulbarga to Bidar (77° E. longitude) passed into Mughal hands, and the imperial boundary on the south reached the north bank of the Bhima, opposite Halsangi, within striking distance of Bijapur city,—while south-eastwards it touched Malkhed, the fortress of the western border of the kingdom of Golkonda. The various Mughal gains were thus linked together into a compact unit.