Shivaji and His Times c11.s2.1

c11.s2.1

After the disastrous failure of Afzal Khan, Rustam-i-Zaman had marched against Shivaji (December, 1659) with 3,000 horse, but this show of hostility was made simply to save his credit with his king. The queenregent, Bari Sahiba, being his enemy, he had made a secret alliance with Shivaji for self-protection. This fact was well known to the country around, and the English factors had found proofs of it. But even if Rustam had been in earnest, he could have done little with his small army.