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1647] same spur of hills, he built a new fort named Rajgarh, with three walled redoubts (machi) on the successive terraces of the hill-side. (Chit. 30; Dig. 117; T. S. 126.)*

These acts of aggression were reported to Bijapur. But Shivaji secured friends at Court by bribing the ministers, and they sided with him against the local jagirdars whom he had dispossessed. (K. K. ii. 114.) Shahji also is said to have turned away the king's wrath by similar assertions of Shivaji 's loyal intentions and the negligent administration of the former owner of Torna. At the same time he sent a secret letter of reprimand to his son and warned Dadaji to keep better control over him. (Chit. 31.)

Shivaji 's first act after the death of Dadaji was to bring all parts of Shahji's western jagir under his own control, so as to form one compact State ruled by one authority. Shambhuji Mohite, the brother of Shahji's second wife, had been left by that chief as his agent in the Supa subdivision. On the death of Dadaji, he refused to obey his young nephew and wanted to take his orders direct from Shahji. But Shivaji imprisoned him during a holiday visit, attached all his property, and, on his persisting in his refusal