Shivaji and His Times c9.s2.24

c9.s2.24

In another direction, however, a wide door for conquest was now opened to the Marathas. Ali Adil Shah II. died on 24th Nov., 1672, and was succeeded on the throne of Bijapur by Sikandar, a boy of four years. Khawas Khan (an Abyssinian general) became regent and monopolized all the power in the State, thus breaking his former agreement to share the government of the realm with the other three leading nobles,—by which Abdul Muhammad (ex-wazir) was to hold the eastern province, Bahlol Khan the western (with Panhala fort), Muzaffar Khan the Kanara districts, and the regent the capital. He refused to hand over to them the royal forts in their respective districts, and they therefore left him. "Disturbances broke out on all sides," and the Government was weakened by this internal discord.