Shivaji and His Times c13.s13: §17. Struggle with Vyankoji renewed; final settlement
Shivaji and His Times c13.s13
- Language
- English
§17. Struggle with Vyankoji renewed; final settlement
c13.s13.1
But the new conquest was not to enjoy peace in the absence of the master's eye. Vyankoji set on foot intrigues with the Nayaks of Madura and Mysore and the poligars, and even appealed to the Court of Bijapur and the Muslim nobles in his neighbourhood to organize "a confederacy for regaining their own." But no help came to him except from some petty chiefs.
c13.s13.2
∗ "With a success as happy as Cæsar's in Spain, he came, saw and overcame, and reported so vast a treasure in gold, diamonds, emeralds, rubies and wrought coral that have strengthened his arms with very able sinews to prosecute his further victorious designs." (H. Gary to Co., dated Bombay, 16 Jan., 1678, O.C. 4314.) "Peeled to the bones" in Madras records of Oct. 1677. "Organized pillage" in Martin, Kaep. 164.
c13.s13.3
In November 1677, Shivaji's troops showed a disposition to cross the Kolerun river and enter the territory of Tanjore. Vyankoji opposed them. The two armies stood facing each other across the Kolerun for some days, without any action. Envoys from the two parties tried to effect a compromise, but without success. Vyankoji delayed giving battle, because for some days in succession vultures had been flying into his camp, which was a bad omen.
c13.s13.4
At last, on 16th November, Vyankoji crossed the Kolerun at the head of 4,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry, and attacked Shivaji's army of 12,000 men, led by Shantaji Bhonsle.[*] Shantaji boldly resisted from morning to nightfall, though his cavalry was of inferior quality. The contest was very severe, and many were slain or wounded, including several persons of note. In the end, Shantaji was worsted and fled for two miles. The Tanjore horsemen, after pursuing him for a mile, returned to their tents to rest from the day's fatigue. But Shantaji, on reaching his camp, "consulting with his captains what the importance and shame [of the defeat] would be, resolved to dress and saddle their horses again, and so immediately rode away by other ways, and in the dead of night surprised them fast at rest after so hard labour, their horses unsaddled, and made a great slaughter of them, taking nigh 1,000 horse, the three chief commanders, the tents and all their baggage, and 100 horses more taken by woodmen who fell to share the plunder. The rest fled over the river Kolerun for Tanjore."*
c13.s13.5
∗ The Maratha accounts say that Hambir Rao commanded Shivaji's troops in this battle, the Madras Factory Records and the Jesuit missionary say it was Shantaji. There is no real conflict; both were present, the viceroy and the c.-in-c.
c13.s13.6
Skirmishes continued between detachments of the two armies throughout December, and they pillaged and ruined the country with equal violence. Shivaji soon afterwards found it necessary to recall much of his army from the Karnatak as he was threatened with an attack in his homeland. So, peace was made between the two brothers, Shivaji retaining the Jinji territory, some other forts, and for a time the Mysore tableland (Kolar &c.) which had once belonged to his father, while Vyankoji was left in undisturbed possession of his dominions south of the Kolerun and some portion of the country north of it, in return for a payment of 3 lakhs of pardoes (Rs. 6 lakhs) in cash. The army of occupation under Hambir Rao was recalled to Maharashtra, and
c13.s13.7
* F. R. Surat, Vol. 107, Madras letters of 20 and 29 Nov. 1677. Father Andre Freire wrote from a town of Jinji district in 1678, "The soldiers of Vyankoji, transported by fury, fell on the enemy's army like lions, broke the ranks, &c...... Shantaji, obliged to flee, preserved enough coolness to place a large detachment in ambush; the victors, carried away by the ardour of success, fell into the trap; taken in the rear by the detachment, they saw in an instant the fugitives returning against them with irresistible impetuosity. After some hours of fierce combat, they were crushed and left the field of battle.... Shantaji's losses were, nevertheless, very much more considerable than those of the vanquished." [Mission, iii. 270.]
c13.s13.8
Sabhasad, 91, describes the battle thus: "Vyankoji's army was four times as large as that of Hambir Rao, but the latter defeated the former, capturing 4,000 of his horses, besides elephants, jewels, ordinary officers, and Vikaji and Pratapji (two natural sons of Shahji) and other officers of high rank." Jedhe S. says that the battle took place near Ahiri, and that Hambir Rao captured 3,000 horses and several elephants and sardars of Vyankoji.
c13.s13.9
Raghunath organized a local force of 10,000 horse (both paga and silahdar) for the defence of the new province.*