Shivaji and His Times c6.s5.9

c6.s5.9

he had been jagirdar and governor for the last ten or twelve years. At Wai he halted for several months, maturing his plan of campaign. As early as April, the Bijapur Government had sent a circular letter to all the deshmukhs of Maval to join Afzal Khan with their contingents and help him in subduing Shivaji. As vassals of Adil Shah, they were bound in law to obey his orders, if they did not wish their hereditary land (watan) and office to be forfeited. The letter had some effect. Khandoji Khopde, the deshmukh of Utroli and the rival of Kanhoji Jedhe (of Bhor) for the deshmukhi of Rohidkhore, waited on Afzal at Wai and gave him a written undertaking to arrest Shiva on condition of being granted the coveted deshmukhi. He was placed with his strong Mavle contingent in command of Afzal's vanguard. [Raj. xvii. 31, xv. 393 and 317; Jedhe S; T. S. 16a.] The other Maval deshmukhs were frightened and perplexed as to what they should do. But Shivaji won seven of them over to his side with solemn promises of protection and reward.