Shivaji and His Times c13.s4: §4. Diplomatic preparations for the Karnatak expedition
Shivaji and His Times c13.s4
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§4. Diplomatic preparations for the Karnatak expedition
c13.s4.1
The political situation in the neighbouring countries was eminently favourable to the design. The Mughal Emperor had, no doubt, returned to Delhi on 27th March, after a two years' absence in the Panjab, but his best troops were still engaged in controlling the revolted hillmen of the N. W. frontier. At Bijapur the Afghan leader Bahlol Khan had seized the guardianship of the boy-king Sikandar (11th Nov., 1675) and murdered the deposed regent Khawas Khan (18th Jan., 1676.) But his favouritism to his clansmen turned the Government into "Afghan rule" and roused the antagonism of the Deccani party and its allies, the Abyssinians. The Deccanis murdered Khizr Khan, the right-hand man and ablest servant of the new regent, and civil war broke out between the Afghans and the Deccanis throughout the State (Feb.) To make matters worse, Bahlol Khan alienated Bahadur Khan, the Mughal viceroy, who openly took the side of the Deccani party and on 31st May began a campaign against Bijapur which was to continue for more than a year. The rotten and tottering Adil-Shahi Government was in no condition to trouble Shivaji at such a time.
c13.s4.2
∗ Tanjore was conquered by Vyankoji in 1675 and not by Shahji. Though the Bijapuris captured Tanjore fort (March 1659) and occupied the territory of this kingdom for two years afterwards, they were forced to vacate the country by famine pestilence and mutual dissensions (1662.) Shahji was one of the two Bijapuri generals who commanded this army, the other being Mulla. Next year he attacked Trichinopoly (with the Tanjore Nayak's help), but was driven back to Jinji by the ruler of Madura. [Mission, iii, 51, 119-123.]
c13.s4.3
Over the Mughal viceroy of the Deccan, Shivaji's clever diplomacy won a complete triumph. Bahadur Khan had now grown weary of his more than two years' war with Shivaji, which had been chequered by as many defeats as successes and which seemed to promise no decisive end as far as he could look into the future. He had already coquetted with Shiva for a friendly understanding and offered to make peace between him and the Emperor and get a command of 6,000 horse for his son Shambhuji, (June, 1675.) And now, on the eve of opening the Mughal campaign against Bijapur, (May, 1676), it was as much his interest to make friends with the Marathas on his right flank as it was Shiva's to secure Mughal neutrality in his rear during his invasion of the Karnatak. When two parties find a mutual advantage in being at peace, the terms are quickly settled.
c13.s4.4
Shiva sent his Chief Justice, Niraji Raoji, "a clever logician," to Bahadur Khan, with costly presents to induce him to promise neutrality during his projected absence in the Karnatak, the conquest of which was expected to take one year. Bahadur received a large bribe for himself in secret, and a certain sum in public as tribute for his master, and made a formal peace with the Marathas. (Sabh. 85.)
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Having thus secured his flank and rear, Shiva made preparations for starting on this his longest campaign. In June, 1676, Netaji Palkar had returned to Maharashtra, after ten years' service under the Delhi Government as a Muhammadan, and he had "now been remade a Hindu" by means of religious purification, and some important command was probably given to him, though the Maratha chroniclers are silent about the unhappy renegade. (F. R. Surat 89, Rajapur to Surat, 24 July, 1676.) The premier (Peshwa) Moro Trimbak Pingle was left as regent, assisted by Annaji Datto the superintendent of correspondence (surnis), with a portion of the army to guard the kingdom. The Konkan districts were entrusted to Annaji Datto with strong garrisons and a large body of disposable infantry. (Sabh. 85-87.)
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With Golkonda close friendship and co-operation were secured. Madanna Pandit, the all-powerful wazir of Abul Hasan Qutb Shah, had already made a subsidiary alliance with Shiva, promising him an annual tribute of one *lakh* of *hun* for the defence of the realm. Prahlad Niraji, a shrewd diplomatist, had been posted at Haidarabad as Maratha envoy. Shivaji decided to get from Golkonda the expenses of the campaign and the assistance of an auxiliary force, by promising a share of the conquest. But he was careful to avoid the least show of force, and trusted to his personal magnetism and power of persuasion in winning Qutb Shah's alliance.