Shivaji and His Times c12.s2.10

c12.s2.10

He had very early begun to plunder Mughal ships, especially those conveying pilgrims for Mecca from the port of Surat (called *Dar-ul-hajj*, "the City of Pilgrimage.") The Emperor had no fleet of his own in the Indian Ocean able to cope with the Marathas. Early in 1665 when Jai Singh opened his campaign, in accordance with his policy of combining all possible enemies against Shivaji, he wrote to the Siddi to enter into an alliance with the Mughals. (*Haft Anj.*, Benares MS., 78a.) Late in the same year, when Jai Singh was about to begin the invasion of Bijapur, he invited these Abyssinians to join the Mughal force, promising them *mansabs*.† By the Treaty of Purandar, the Mughals left the territory of Janjira adjoining Shiva's dominions to him, if he could conquer it. (*Ibid.*) Shiva also offered to attempt the conquest of Janjira for the Emperor. (*Ibid.* 78*b*. But *Tarikh-i-Shivaji*, 22*b*, states that Jai Singh definitely refused to make the Siddis give up Janjira to Shiva.)