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History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c63.s12: § 18. Shivaji's war with the Mughals renewed; his union with Bijapur.

History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c63.s12

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§ 18. Shivaji's war with the Mughals renewed; his union with Bijapur.

v4.c63.s12.1

In November, Bahadur Khan, on being sharply censured by Aurangzib, marched to Kalian, and pressed Shivaji hard in North Konkan. In January next (1676), a Maratha band spread near Aurangabad, but Bahadur with light equipment and no tent, made a rapid march from Pedgaon, defeated the rovers near Lasur, 28 miles from the capital, and drove them back towards Junnar.

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At this time Shivaji was taken severely ill, and passed the next three months on the sick-bed at Satara. His perfect recovery was announced at the end of March. The Marathas looted Athni, 43 m. west of Bijapur, in April. The civil war that had broken out between the Deccani and Afghan parties at Bijapur, was Shivaji's opportunity. Early in May we hear of his having sent out "4,000 horse that ranges up and down, plunders and robs without any hindrance or danger."

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In May, his prime minister Moro Trimbak drove the Rajah of Ramnagar out of his country and took Pindol* and Painecah within three days' march of Surat. But the monsoons being at hand, he left 4,000 men to garrison the district and retired with the rest of his army to Raigarh at the end of the month.

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On 31st May Bahadur Khan opened a vigorous and long campaign against Bijapur, where the Afghan faction had seized the Government. The consequence was to drive the new regent Bahlol Khan into the arms of Shivaji, and in July we have the report of a peace between the two having been concluded through the mediation of the Golkonda minister Madanna. The terms of this treaty were that the Adil-Shahi Government would pay Shivaji 3 lakhs of Rupees down as a gift and one lakh of hun annually as subsidy for protection against the Mughals, and confirm him in the possession of the country bounded on the east by the Krishna, including the Kolhapur district. But the union was shortlived, as no policy could be durable in a State ravaged by civil war and subject to almost daily changes of authority. Shivaji hardly minded the rupture of this subsidiary alliance; his eyes were fixed elsewhere; and in January next (1677), he set out on the greatest expedition of his life, the invasion of the Karnatak.

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∗ Pindval 11 m s e of Dharampur in the Dharampur State south of Surat. Painecah is probably either Panva 5 m w of Pindval or Pana, 9 m n of Dharampur (Ind At, 24 N E)