History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c63.s11: § 17. Shivaji's false negotiations with Bahadur Khan, 1675.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c63.s11
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§ 17. Shivaji's false negotiations with Bahadur Khan, 1675.
v4.c63.s11.1
Shivaji next opened delusive peace negotiations with Bahadur Khan, who eagerly swallowed the bait, as he was weary of the war and at his wits' end how to guard all parts of his viceroyalty against such a mobile and elusive enemy. For nearly three months (March—May) Shivaji kept the Mughals in play, by feeding false hopes of a peace. His real motives were to gain respite from Mughal attacks in order to provision his forts, to get money out of Adil Shah by the threat of an alliance with the Mughals for the invasion of Bijapur, and to secure his northern frontier during the siege of Phonda.
v4.c63.s11.2
∗ Fryer says that it happened "some four months before" 22 May, 1675.
v4.c63.s11.3
It was proposed that Shivaji should cede 17 of his forts to Aurangzib and send his son Shambhuji with a contingent to serve under the Mughal subahdar, while the Emperor would create Shambhuji a commander of 6 thousand horse, and grant Shivaji all the country on the right bank of the Bhima. The negotiations were deliberately spun out. Shivaji "demurred to sending his son to the Mughal general until he had better security for his safety." Bahadur Khan reported the terms to the Emperor, who sent in reply a farman accepting them and pardoning Shivaji's past misdeeds. Then the viceroy sent messengers to Shivaji to receive the farman and deliver the forts. But, by this time (July 1675), Phonda had been captured. Shivaji now threw off the mask and dismissed the Mughal envoys with taunts, saying, "What pressure have you succeeded in putting on me that I should seek peace with you? Go hence quickly, or you will be disgraced."
v4.c63.s11.4
Bahadur Khan, ashamed at being thus outwitted and anxious to cover his foolish credulity and diplomatic defeat by some striking success, hurriedly made an agreement with the Bijapuri wazir Khawas Khan (October) for a joint war on Shivaji. (B.S. 445.) Aurangzib approved of the idea, and is said to have offered to give up one year's tribute from Bijapur if that State heartily co-operated with his viceroy in a concerted attack on Shivaji from two sides. But the overthrow of Khawas Khan and the usurpation of the regency by Bahlol Khan (11th Nov.) spoiled this plan, and soon afterwards the Mughals were drawn into the whirlpool of faction-fights at the Adil-Shahi Court.