History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c75.s5: § 7. Military arrangements of the imperialists during 1696.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c75.s5
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§ 7. Military arrangements of the imperialists during 1696.
v5.c75.s5.1
Meantime, Prince Bidar Bakht had been ordered (end of January) to march from Panhala to Basavapatan, while Firuz Jang was to take his place at the siege of Panhala. The troops of Qasim and Himmat were joined to the prince's command. He proceeded first to Bankapur (some 60 miles north of Basavapatan), from which he resumed his advance on 3rd March, but by that time the siege of Basavapatan had been raised. Arriving at this place in a few weeks, he stayed there for some time, sending out detachments to punish the rebel zamindars of the district. Barmappa Nayak of Chittaldurg seems to have felt his heavy hand, as he made a humble submission and promise of loyalty. On 16th May 1696 Bidar Bakht, on behalf of the Emperor, granted him a written pardon on certain conditions.*
v5.c75.s5.2
Before the prince's arrival, Santa had left the Chittaldurg district for Jinji in the Madras Karnatak (March 1696.) In the other theatres of the war the disposition of the imperial troops in 1696 was as follows.
v5.c75.s5.3
In the Junnar district, the qiladar of Junnar had seized Kumari fort in October 1695, but the Marathas had raided Talegaon. Prince Muhammad Azam had been sent from the Emperor's camp at Islampuri to Pedgaon (Bahadurgarh) 90 miles north of it in February 1696. After a visit to the Junnar region to restore order there (April), he returned to Pedgaon, which remained his head-quarters till he was recalled to the Emperor's side at Miraj three years later. In April Firuz Jang was sent against the Berads of Wagingera; he sat down on the frontier of Sagar to guard that side. [M. A. 380, Z. S. ; *Akhbarat*, 10 May 1696.]
v5.c75.s5.4
∗ "Carnatic records" (Persian) in the Madras Record Office. The conditions are: (1) If Barmappa behaves badly again, he would be killed with his family and his country desolated; (2) he should cede to the Emperor the small fort of Dodderi with 2 elephants and the guns [? in it] and demolish the fort of Ramgiri, nor ever rebuild the latter; (3) he should agree to a tribute and fine of 8 lakhs of Rupees,—(three lakhs in cash down and five lakhs by instalments under a written bond)—and another lakh to the prince; and (4) his army under his brother should serve under the prince in the Emperor's wars. In Sep. 1700 Barmappa received a *farman* and a robe in reward of his military aid.
v5.c75.s5.5
Nothing extraordinary happened in the autumn and winter of 1696 to vary the tale of Maratha raids here and there throughout the Western Deccan. But in March 1697, Santa Ghorparé returned from the East Coast to the Satara district, and Firuz Jang was despatched against him; at the same time Bidar Bakht was sent to strengthen his father at Pedgaon. But a civil war among the Maratha generals weakened their power during the first half of this year (1697), and in order to understand its cause and course it is necessary to resume the history of Santa Ghorpare.