History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c63.s10: § 16. Loot of Bahadur Khan's camp and extensive contest with the Mughals.

History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c63.s10

Language: English

§ 16. Loot of Bahadur Khan's camp and extensive contest with the Mughals.

v4.c63.s10.1

The coronation exhausted Shivaji's treasury and he was in need of money to pay his troops. It was, therefore, necessary for him to be out on raid immediately afterwards.

His first movement was against Bahadur Khan. As early as May 1674 it was the talk of the Maratha Court that Dilir Khan, whom they feared most, having been recalled by the Emperor, the Mughal forces in the Deccan were commanded by Bahadur Khan alone, whom they despised and whose "quarters they intended to beat up after the rains." The blow was struck much sooner, at the very height of the monsoons. Towards the middle of July, a body of 2,000 Maratha light cavalry, made a false demonstration and lured Bahadur Khan some 50 miles away from his cantonments at Pedgaon, when Shivaji himself with another division, 7,000 strong, swooped down by another route on his defenceless camp, carried away a krore of Rupees in booty and 200 fine horses collected for presentation to the Emperor, and burnt all his tents. In August, September and October Maratha bands spread northwards into the Koli country, giving repeated alarms to the port of Surat. But a body of three to four thousand Bhils of Ramnagar held the jungles and passes through that State and opposed the Marathas, who vainly offered them a bribe of one lakh of Rupees for a safe passage (middle of October 1674).

v4.c63.s10.3

Shortly afterwards the baffled Maratha army, after provisioning their forts in that region, marched away to join Shivaji near Aurangabad, and Surat breathed freely again. They had found an easier prey in another quarter. Late in October, a large army commanded by Shivaji in person crossed the Ghats into the Deccan plateau, skirted Bahadur Khan's camp, which was "hotly alarmed," looted several towns near Aurangabad, and then burst into Baglana and Khandesh, where they continued for more than a month (Nov. to middle of Dec.). Among other places they pillaged and burnt "Dungom" (Dharangaon, 10 m. north of Erandol) and its English factory. Qutb-ud-din Khan Kheshgi bravely opposed the raiders, but his small force was routed with the loss of 3 to 4 hundred men, and he fled to Aurangabad for refuge.

v4.c63.s10.4

It was probably on his return from this raid that Shivaji encamped near Junnar, but a shot from a 22 feet narrow-bore gun on the walls of Shivner killed a Rajah of his army* and caused the prompt retreat of the Marathas. (Fryer, i. 332.)

v4.c63.s10.5

At the end of January 1675, a band of 3,000 Maratha cavalry under Dattaji roved in the Kolhapur district, levying blackmail from the towns. In the middle of February, a Mughal force crossed the Ghats, fell on the town of Kalian, burnt the houses (including those of many Khojas) and then quickly retired, after which the Marathas re-occupied the place.