Shivaji and His Times c5.s8: §14. Shivaji's further gains
Shivaji and His Times c5.s8
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§14. Shivaji's further gains
c5.s8.1
The annexation of Javli not only opened to Shivaji a door for the conquest of the south and the west, but brought a very important accession to his strength, in the form of many thousands of Mavle infantrymen from among the subjects and former retainers of Chandra Rao. In short, his recruiting ground for these excellent fighters along the Sahyadri range was now doubled. The Mores had accumulated a vast treasure in eight generations of undisturbed and expanding rule, and the whole of it fell into Shivaji's hands.
c5.s8.2
Two miles west of Javli he built a new fort named Pratapgarh, and here he set up an image of his patron goddess Bhavani, as the more ancient Bhavani of Tuljapur was beyond easy reach. On her he lavished his wealth in costly ornaments and trappings and to this shrine he made repeated pilgrimages. (Sabh. 26.)
c5.s8.3
Shivaji followed up his conquest of Javli (15th January 1656), by taking from Chandra Rao More in April his last refuge, the stupendous hill-fort of Raigarh, which was destined to be the capital of the Maratha king. On 24th September of the same year he acquired Supa about 35 miles s. e. of Puna, by one of his usual coups d'etat. Shambhuji Mohité, the brother of Shahji's second wife, had been left by that chief as his agent in the Supa sub-division, in independence of the administrator of Puna. But Shivaji paid him a friendly visit on a Hindu holy day of rejoicing, and overpowered his guards by a surprise attack and attached all his property. The displaced officer was packed off to Shahji with his personal effects, as he refused to serve under his nephew. Thus, the Supa sub-district was annexed. (Sabh. 8; T. S. 12.)
c5.s8.4
The possession of Supa, Baramati and Indapur rounded off the south-eastern corner of the Puna district, while the acquisition of Purandar, Rajgarh, Kondana and Torna secured Shivaji's territory by a strong chain of hillforts on the south. Another fort in that quarter was Rohida, gained on some unknown date. North-west of Puna he acquired the forts of Tikona, Lohgarh, and Rajmachi,—the last of which stood on the Sahyadri crest (6 miles north of the Bhor pass) and overlooked the Konkan plain on the west.
c5.s8.5
On 4th November 1656, Muhammad Adil Shah died, and a new scene opened in which Shivaji greatly profited, as will be described in the next chapter.