Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 116.5.5

116.5.5

After this long campaign Sooltan Koolly marched towards his capital; but heard on the road that his neighbour Ismael Adil Shah, the King of Beejapoor, at the instance of the Raja of Beejanuggur, was at that period besieging the fort of Kovilconda. For this service Ismael had already received two hundred thousand hoons; and the Hindoo envoys were then in his camp, negotiating for the payment of fifty thousand hoons for each march the Beejapoor troops should advance into the Kootb Shahy dominions. At this period Jafur Beg, a cousin-german of the King, held the government of the fort and district of Kovilconda; and having been upwards of a month closely besieged by the Adil Shahy troops, consisting of twenty thousand men, he wrote to the King that his resources were much reduced, and he feared, without assistance, the place must shortly fall into the hands of the enemy. Sooltan Koolly Kootb Shah immediately made arrangements for moving to the relief of the garrison; but his ministers remonstrated against the measure, representing that he had now only three thousand cavalry fit for duty; that all his troops were harassed, and that his elephants were weak and reduced after a campaign of upwards of two years in Tulingana. Sooltan Koolly replied, that he had not been accustomed to be alarmed at the numbers of his enemies, as was apparent in the battle with Ramchundur Raja.