Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 116.3.2

116.3.2

Sudr-i-Jehan, the author of the Murghoob-ool-Koolloob, says, he himself heard Sooltan Koolly Kootb-ool-Moolk state, that although invited by Kasim Bereed and Futteh Oolla Imad-ool-Moolk to seize by violence the Bahmuny districts in the vicinity of his government, he always refused to do so, contenting himself with the estates conferred on him, and aggrandising his power by the reduction of the Hindoo zemindars alone, who were the enemies of the true faith. "It is now (said that King one day "to Sudr-i-Jehan) nearly sixty years since I "was first engaged in spreading the banners of "the faithful, and reducing the infidels of Tulingana from the borders of Wurungole to Masulipatam and Rajmundry, having taken between "sixty and seventy forts by force of arms, such as Rajconda, Kovilconda, Dewurconda, Pangul, Gunpoora, Jirconda, Yelgundel, Mulungoor, Etgeer, Meduk, Bhowungeer, Belumconda, Wurungole, Cumamett, Indraconda, Ramgeer, Condapilly, Ellore, and Chitcole. I also swore by the Prophet and his descendant Ally, that if I ever succeeded in establishing my independence, I would promote the faith of the followers of the twelve Imams, in parts where the banners of the faithful had never before waved; but let it not be supposed that I took up the idea from Shah Ismael of Persia; for be it known I before professed the religion of the twelve (on whom be the peace of God!) from the period of the reign of Sooltan Yakoob, as being the faith of my ancestors.