Manaji Angre used to always remain in the Peshwa’s party and Sambhaji as well as Tulaji would oppose them. Bajirao met a sudden death. It is important to understand the activities of this Angre family around that time so that the context is set.
Leaving Aurangabad on 13 March, Chimaji Appa, exhausted by the rigours of war and enfeebled by a chronic chest ailment, had stopped at Parner near Ahmednagar on his way back to Pune around 10 April 1740. Here he received an urgent message, “Rajashree Sambhajiraje Angre Sarkhel has suddenly entered Alibaug and taken Hirakot, Sagargad (forty-six miles east of Alibaug), forts of Chaul and Thal, and cut the water supply to the fort of Colaba. Manaji Angre has urged Nanasaheb to protect him during this difficult time.”
On receiving this message, Nanasaheb sent his chiefs Vitthal Shivdeo, Antaji Narayan and Vasudev Joshi with five hundred Rauts to the Konkan. Manaji had written a letter to Chimaji, which was forwarded to him, which he received on the way. Chimaji travelled by long marches and after stopping at Ghod River in early April 1740. He first sent a letter of assurance to Manaji. The next day, Chimaji’s convoy covered six Kos and arrived at Lohagaon. He dispatched some letters to the British to provide some help to Manaji. The same night, Chimaji called Nanasaheb from Pune, and Chimaji’s entire army accompanied Nanasaheb to the fort of Colaba. Nanasaheb reached Colaba on the fifth day. The British took supplies to Colaba and anchored off the coast with their ships. Sambhaji was at Colaba with his navy. From their ships they fired at Alibaug from Colaba. The British fire forced Sambhaji’s men to leave Alibaug and move to Hirakot’s north for shelter from the shelling.
Chimaji stopped at Pune for three days to recover, and after meeting his mother left for Colaba, reaching there on 9 April 1740. The same day, the army captured Sambhaji Angre’s post at Hirakot, killing about thirty of his men. Tulaji Angre, his brother, was injured and brought prisoner. Nanasaheb went along the creek beneath Sagargad and encountered around twenty-five men of Sambhaji with their Sardar. Five to seven out of them were killed, the rest ran away. Six or seven of them were captured alive. Chimaji wrote to Brahmendra Swami about how the two Angre brothers’ quarrel and Manaji’s ingratitude had been a source of trouble to him, “If Sambhaji sees this outcome and retreats to save his life, it will be good. Fearing the British, he has already sent away his grabs and big ships to Suvarnadurg. Small boats are here. If he stays holding onto his siege positions, we will lay siege and bring him to submission through the strength of the Swami’s blessings. Sambhaji asked the British to give him safe passage, but they refused. Seeing I am away in Aurangabad province, and are not focussing on this province, Sambhaji attacked here. We had established Manaji’s rule here, but he too seems to have forgotten that and has misbehaved with us in many ways. You won’t understand it in detail even if we write it down here. Whenever we look at your sacred feet, we will relate. He grabbed Uran from the Firangis. I wrote about money and other affairs to him, but he does not take cognizance of it. For the last five years he has not paid any of our dues. This was utter disrespect. His eyes need to be opened. Therefore, two of his places that Sambhaji had taken – Paal and Mirgad – for which we made efforts to defend them, took them under our control and unfurled our flags there. Uran had been strengthened which also was captured. Just today, we received a letter that Uran has been captured. In summary, now his eyes have opened. We have saved his life from Sambhaji too. Tomorrow and day-after we also plan to get down the Ghats and up to Colaba. If we don’t find him there, and Sambhaji matter is resolved before, then good. Whatever happens, we will write back.”
On the other hand, Sambhaji’s side of the story is available as documented in one of his letters dated just two days after the above letter, on 12 April from Alibaug, addressed to Brahmendra Swami. “We entered the Sakariya creek along with the navy, and captured Alibaug, Hirakot, Thal fortress, Rajkot, Sagargad, etc. stations, through the Swami’s grace. We had kept our standards flying over Pali, but Rajashree Bajirao Pradhan’s forces came there, and mounted their own standard. All the Rauts and forces have gathered beneath the Ghats at Pali. They plan to help Manaji at Alibaug and fight with us. The British have also come. This is a difficult time. We will not leave from here. If Rajashree Swami deems fit to come here and provide his protection, it will be good. Please do whatever you feel is appropriate. Please yourself go to Rajashree Swami and get orders issued for Rajashree Chimaji Appa, the British, and Manaji. You must do this.”
To be continued…
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