Administrative System of the Marathas c7.s5.5

c7.s5.5

The late Dr. Dalgado of the Academy of Sciences, Lisbon, informed Prof. Sarkar that there are no Portuguese State papers relating to Shivaji at Lisbon.⁹ The perusal of Danvers's report also leads one to the same conclusion.¹⁰ None of these scholars make any reference to the Goa records. The courtesy of H. E. Dr. Jaime de Morais, late Governor General of Portuguese India, afforded the present writer an opportunity of going through some unpublished Portuguese records embodied in the *Livros dos Reis Visinhos*. The first volume of *Reis Visinhos* is of unique importance to the students of Shivaji's administrative institutions as we come across here some letters throwing new light on the origin of Chauth. An English translation of these letters has been for the first time published in my *Historical Records at Goa*, but the Portuguese original is not yet available to the general reader. I am inclined to think that further researches at Goa and Lisbon may be rewarded with adequate results. The Portuguese had for so many centuries to deal with the Marathas, both as friends and foes, that many contemporary events must have found place in their letters, reports and despatches.