SAHO, son of Sumbaji, ruler of the Mahrattas, in early youth was taken prisoner, and was a cap tive in the camp of Anrang,zeb for about 17 years. He was released by prince Azim about February 1708, and in March he got possesdion of Satara, and proclaimed himself king. During his cap tivity, the Mahrattas ha.d placed his uncle Raja Ram on the throne, and on the death of Raja Ram, his widow, Tara Bai, carried on the govern ment in the name of her infant son. When Bahadur Shah returned to Dehli (1708), Daoud Khan Paimi concluded an agreement with Salm, consenting that the chouth or fourth part of the revenues should be paid, and this arrangement kept the Dekhan quiet during the brief reign of Balaadur Shah. But in the time of Ferokhsir, bands of Mahrattas ravaged the Moghul territories as before, and individuals seized on villages within its limits, and turned them into forts, from which they plundered the adjoining districts. Dabari, a chief who occupied a line of fortified villages on Kandesh, defeated a very strong detachment sent against him, and, influenced by Balaji Wiswanath, Husan Ali Khan, A.D. 1717, made peace with Saho, agreed to pay the chouth or fourth over the whole of the Dekhan, and to make a further payment of one-tenth on the remaining revenue under the name of Sir Desmukhi, and to acknowledge Saho's claim to the whole of the territory formerly pos sessed by Sivaji, with the addition of the later conquests. In return, Salto was to pay a tribute of ten lakhs of rupees, to furnish 15,000 horse, to preserve the tranquillity of the country, and to bo werable for any loss occasioned by depredations from whatever quarter. Salto would never, how.
ever, have recovered his superiority, but for the abilities of his minister &lap Wiswanath, the founder of the 13rahman dynasty of Peshwa. He was joint commander of the Maltratth troops that went to Heidi along with Bustin Ali Khan and ultiinately obtained a ratification of the trealdy by Multaminad Shah, A.D. 1720. This establishe the ascendency of Saho over his rival ; and Balaji before his death, in October 1720, had the aatis faction of seeing him placed above the assaults of enemies either foreign or dotnestic. 13alaji Wis wanath was succeeded by his son Baji Rao, the ablest of all the Brahman dynasty, and of all the Maltratta nation, except Sivaji. He pointed out the tottering state of the Moghul empire, and urged Salm to permit him to carry his standard into tho territories beyond the Nerbadda. Salto caught up his enthusiasm, awl exclaimed, You shall plant it on lihnalaya!' Saho died in 1748, after a long reign of 50 years. By the road-side near Satarn is a cenotaph with a dog carved on it in a sitting posture, said to be the burial-place of a favourite dog of raja Saho which had. once saved hint from a tiger. He was eccentric, and was called the Veda Raja. He kept a palanquin establishment for the dog, and on one occasion dressed it in gold brocade and placed it in full darbar.