The town & fortress of Gariah… Vijaydurg Geriah Maharashtra. GENTS MAG 1756 map

CAPTION PRINTED BELOW PICTURE: 'A plan of the town & fortress of Gariah belonging to Angria the Admiral to the Rajah on the Coast of Mallabar'

Vijaydurg fort (sometimes written as Viziadurg), the oldest fort on the Sindhudurg coast.  The Capture of Geriah, February 1756. Geriah was a stronghold of the notorious and formidable Maratha pirate Tulagee Angria. One of a family of Indian pirates plundering the trade carried in East India Company ships, he operated off India’s Malabar coast between Bombay and Goa, known as the Pirate Coast. Angria had strongholds on the little island of Severndroog, which had been captured by Commodore James in 1755, south of Bankote, or Fort Victoria, and at Geriah, south of Ratnagiri. Late in 1755 an expedition consisting of Royal, Company and Mahrattan ships was organised to destroy it, together with a contingent of Company troops under Lieutenant Colonel Clive. The expedition was commanded by Rear-Admiral Watson with Rear-Admiral Pocock as his second in command. In anticipation of an attack, Angria made a deal with the Mahrattans to give them Geriah, if the attack was called off. Although they agreed, Watson was determined to destroy it, and carried out a bombardment on 12 February 1756. Although he silenced the defence batteries, it was necessary to open fire again on 13 February before the final surrender the next day. Apart from the destruction of Angria’s arsenal and fleet, £130,000 of spices and valuables were found. Angria’s wife and family were spared and Angria himself escaped and fled.

DATE PRINTED: 1756    

IMAGE SIZE: Approx 27.5 x 46.0cm, 11 x 18 inches (Large); Please note that this is a folding map.

TYPE: Antique copperplate map

CONDITION: Fair: No right margin (image incomplete: a small part of the print may be missing compared to that shown in the scan); The map has been trimmed along the right edge and is incomplete. Tight left margin; The image shown may have been taken from a different example of this map than that which is offered for sale. Any flaws described in this statement may not be visible on the image but will be present on the map you receive. Please note any other blemishes on the scan prior to purchasing this picture. Virtually all antiquarian maps and prints are subject to some normal aging due to use and time which is not obtrusive unless otherwise stated. We offer a no questions asked return policy.

AUTHENTICITY: This is an authentic historic print, published at the date stated above. It is not a modern copy.

VERSO: There is nothing printed on the reverse side, which is plain

FOLDING: This is a folding print.

ARTIST/CARTOGRAPHER/ENGRAVER: Unattributed

PROVENANCE: "Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Chronicle", by Sylvanus Urban, Gent. London: Printed for D. Henry & R. Cave, at St. John's Gate