Shivaji and His Times c13.s2.4

c13.s2.4

The suicidal wars among the Hindus still continued. The new Nayak of Madura at last seized the kingdom of Tanjore and beheaded its perpetually faithless ruler Vishwaray (1674.) Adil Shah was appealed to by the son of the murdered king, and he ordered Vyankoji to invade Tanjore and restore it to its old dynasty. After a year of patient waiting and plotting, and more by sowing dissension among the enemy than by superior force, Vyankoji took the capital, conquered the country, and usurped the throne of Tanjore with the title and authority of an independent king! He still held his father's jagirs north of the Kolerun, in the province of Jinji. Adil Shah sent an army to punish this audacious rebellion of his general, and the Nayak of Madura sent his forces to assist the Bijapuris, and Mysore also assembled its troops, seemingly in order to attack Madura when its Nayak would be entangled with Vyankoji (1676.)