Chap. TV.] IIEIGN OF AURUNGZEBE. 301
close to Madras, and finally turning south-west, presented himself before the ad. loso. strong fort of Gingee, belonging to Bejapoor. He could not have taken it by- force ; but had previously made secure of it by bribing its commander. The heavy part of his army left beliind succeeded in capturing Vellore. On arriving at his father's jaghire, his brother refused to resign it ; but ultimately, after he had taken forcible possession, lie entered into an arrangement by which he restored it to his brother on condition of receiving half the revenue.
The alliance with Golconda had been short-lived ; for the king, shortly after rroceeaings
_ ill (iolcoiula
Sevajee's departure, arranged with the Moguls, and consequently forfeited im.i Ueja- all claim to any share in the conquests which had been made. The inunediate inducement to abandon the alliance was an inva.^ion of Golconda by the Moguls under a celebrated leader of the name of Dilir Khan. This chief, after his attack on Golconda, entered the territory of Bejapoor, and, though his force was small, so dexterously availed himself of internal di.ssensions that lie was able to lay siege to the capital itself In this extremity, the King of Bejapoor earnestly applied for assistance to Sevajee, who was advancing for this purpose wlien he was astonislied to learn that his son Sambajee had deserted to the Moguls. His father had imprisoned him in a hill-fort for gross misconduct, and the youth having made his escape fled to Dilir, who received him with open arms. Notwithstanding this domestic calamity, Sevajee continued his exertions with so much vigour that all Dilir Khan's efforts were baftted, and Bejapoor was saved. As the price of this service, Sevajee obtained a large accession of territory, all the Bejapoor districts between the Toongabudiu and the Kistna being ceded to liiin.
Amid all these successes, Sevajee was seized with an illness which carried '^^'nth of him off on the 5th of April, 1680. In the coui-se of nature, he might still have had a considerable care6r to run, as he had only attained his fifty-third year ; but he had lived long enough to produce great political changes, and become the founder of an empire. Originally little better than a marauding adventurer, he displayed wonderful sagacity in profiting by every opening that presented itself; and when brought face to face with the most powerful monarch of the East, not only maintained an equal contest but often gained decided advantages. When Aurungzebe entered upon his ilahometan crusade, Sevajee met him on his own ground; and taking Hiiidooism under his protection, gave it once more a national ascendency. It is not to be denied, that in pursuing his objects he was unscrupulous, and committed several atrocious crimes; but it may be pleaded for liim in mitigation, that his enemies were in these respects still worse than himself, and that while their crimes were often the effect of mere bar- barism delighting in deeds of blood for their own sake, he w<is never wantonly cruel, and threw honoiir and humanity aside only when he imagined, of course
IeiToneouslv, that sound policv required it.
