History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c74.s14.30

v5.c74.s14.30

Dhana Jadav arrived near Vellore at the end of December. Zulfiqar immediately raised the siege, sent off his camp baggage and family to Arcot, and prepared for action. The Maratha general had turned aside towards Jinji, and then roving further south had besieged the Mughal faujdar in Tiru-vadi. Zulfiqar, coming up promptly in pursuit, relieved the outpost, drove Dhana away,* and fell back on Arcot. But the situation changed entirely against the Mughals in March, when Santa Ghorpare arrived on the scene. The Maratha bands spread to several parts of the country, the imperialists with their depleted numbers could not defend so many places. [Mad. Diary, 20 Jan. 1696.] Zulfiqar wisely concentrated his forces; but throughout this year 1696 he was hampered by his extreme want of money, "having received no supply from the Emperor." He vainly begged the English merchants of Madras for a loan of one lakh of *hun*, for which he offered to mortgage to them any part of the country. [*Mad. Diary*, 3 March.] In October he became exasperated by their persistent refusal, and threatened an attack on their city.