It was, therefore, the Emperor's interest not to molest Shivaji at such a time.
§2. Shivaji's peace with the Mughals, 1668.
The Maratha chief, on his part, was not eager for a war with the imperialists. For some years after his return home from Agra, he lived very quietly,! and avoided giving any fresh provocation to the I Mughals. He wanted peace *[1] for a time to organise his Government, repair and provision his forts, and consolidate and extend his power on the western coast at the expense of Bijapur and the Siddis of Janjira. As early as April 1667 he had sent a letter to the Emperor professing terror of the imperial army which was reported to have been despatched against him, and offering to make his submission again and send a contingent of 400 men under his son to fight under the Mughal banners. (Akhbarat, 10-9.)
Aurangzib had taken no notice of this letter. Some months later Shivaji made another attempt. He entreated Jaswant Singh to be his intermediary in making peace with the empire. He wrote to the
- ↑ * Shivaji's two years' peace with the Mughals 1668-1669 and the causes of rupture: Sabh. 59-62; Chit. 121-124; Dil. 69-71. The terms of this treaty are nowhere given in detail. F. R. Surat, 105. Zedhe Chron., p. 188, tells us that the peace was made and Shambhuji was sent to Muazzam in Oct. 1667, and the Maratha contingent under Pratap Rao went to Aurangabad in August 1668 and fled from it in December 1669.
