[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [General histories](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general) › [Tārīkh-i Firishta](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta) › [History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs) › 119.4 # Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 119.4 History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 119.4 - **Language:** English ### [119.4.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4.1) After halting for six months at Beejanuggur, the three sovereigns returned to their respective capitals; and all the districts which had been taken from Ibrahim Kootb Shah in the reign of Ramraj were now recovered. On the following year, 973, on Friday the 14th of Rumzan, the King had a son presented to him, called Mahomed Koolly. Upon the return of Hoossein Nizam Shah to his capital he was taken dangerously ill, and died on Wednesday the 7th of Zeekad, A. H. 972, and was succeeded by his son Moortuza, who assumed the title of Moortuza Nizam Shah. This Prince was devoted to excesses, and left the affairs of his government in the hands of Khonza Hoomayoon, the Dowager-queen, who in a short time becoming very unpopular, Kishwur Khan the peshwa wrote privately to Ally Adil Shah, inviting him to march and attack Ahmudnuggur, where there was a strong party in his favour. On obtaining information of this intrigue, Moortuza Nizam Shah, roused from his lethargy, called together his council. They recommended that an envoy should be forthwith sent to Ibrahim Kootb Shah, the old ally of the house of Nizam Shah, for assistance; but before any aid could arrive from Golconda, Ally Adil Shah had already reached the frontier, and Moortuza Nizam Shah was compelled to quit Ahmudnuggur. He retreated to Berar, where he formed an alliance with Toofal Khan, the ruler of that province, who had usurped the government, and confined the princes of the blood-royal of the Imad Shahy dynasty. ### [119.4.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4.2) With the aid of the Berar troops, Moortuza Nizam Shah marched to Kowlas, by which time the troops of Ibrahim Kootb Shah had also moved, and a junction was effected between the towns of Kand'har and Kowlas, where a treaty was formed. It was resolved that the united forces of Ahmudnuggur, Berar, and Golconda, should march direct to the attack of Beejapoor. Ally Adil Shah, deserting his capital in his turn, retreated to the Concan, leaving a considerable army for the defence of the city, while the allies laid siege to Beejapoor, and laid waste the surrounding country. Ibrahim Kootb Shah, perceiving that Ally Adil Shah was driven from one spot to another, and unwilling that he should be reduced to cede any large tract of country to Moortuza Nizam Shah, contrived to persuade the other allies to raise the siege, and to return to their own capitals. After this event, Ally Adil Shah made secret overtures of alliance to Moortuza Nizam Shah, and proposed they should meet at the fort of Owsa. Here they entered into a compact, by which it was agreed that Moortuza Nizam Shah should reduce the kingdom of Berar, and Ally Adil Shah those of Bidur and Tulingana. ### [119.4.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4.3) In the first place, however, the combined forces marched to the northward against Toofal Khan, who, unable to resist them, fled to Gavulgur, which after a considerable time was on the point of surrendering, when Toofal Khan paid two lacks of hoons, and agreed to present fifty elephants to Ally Adil Shah, in order to induce him to raise the siege. In consequence of this secret engagement, Ally Adil Shah sent a person to Moortuza Nizam Shah, saying, that it was shameful for two armies like theirs to throw away their time in the reduction of a fortress, and that it would be more profitable for them both to march and reduce Tulingana. On which Moortuza Nizam Shah raised the siege, and went southward; having, in the first instance, detached a force under Yekhlas Khan on his own part, and another under Ein-ool-Moolk on the part of Ally Adil Shah, to reduce Kowlas; but on the road an accident occurred which saved the kingdom of Tulingana from destruction. One day six thousand Marratta cavalry belonging to the Beejapoor army made a sudden attack on the rear-guard of the Nizam Shahy troops, in order to plunder the baggage. Munsoor Khan, the commander of the rear-guard, opposed them, and many troops on both sides were killed, among whom was Munsoor Khan himself. This circumstance caused a dispute between the monarchs, and brought on the dissolution of the alliance; when each returned to his own capital. ### [119.4.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4.4) Upon the arrival of Moortuza Nizam Shah at Ahmudnuggur, he, in order to be revenged on Ally Adil Shah, sent an envoy to Golconda, inviting Ibrahim Kootb Shah to form an alliance against the King of Beejapoor; while at the same time an envoy had been previously despatched for the same purpose to Ahmudnuggur, by the King of Golconda, proposing that they should march to the river Krishna, when Yeltumraj, the brother of the late Ramraj, might be invited to join with his forces, when they could all proceed to the reduction of Beejapoor. After reaching the Krishna, the kings of Golconda and Ahmudnuggur wrote to Yeltumraj, requiring him to become a member of the confederacy; but a circumstance occurred, which tended to dissolve this union as suddenly as it had been formed. On the accession of Moortuza Nizam Shah to the throne, he had scarcely attained his twelfth year; and the affairs of his government were conducted by his mother, the Queen-dowager, Khonza Hoomayoon. At that time she had been induced by ill-advised persons about her to demand from Yeltumraj two lacks of hoons for aid to be afforded to him by the allies against the encroachments of the King of Beejapoor. Yeltumraj, who rather expected that the allies would restore the countries taken by Ally Adil Shah from Ramraj instead of applying to him for money, sent a message to Ibrahim Kootb Shah, informing him of the circumstance. ### [119.4.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4.5) The King of Golconda immediately deputed a person to wait on the Queen-dowager, expressing his astonishment at this unexpected demand; and observing that it appeared very impolitic, in the present posture of affairs, to make demands of money on Yeltumraj, instead of conciliating one who was a useful ally at the head of ten thousand men, and who had reason to bear great enmity towards the powerful state which they were on the point of attacking. Instead of attending to this remonstrance, the demand was again urged by the Queen with threats; and Yeltumraj not only refused to pay the money, but prepared to treat the allies as enemies. Ibrahim Kootb Shah, finding that matters were assuming an unfavourable appearance, sent to Yeltumraj, advising him to retreat to his country, and promising that his own troops should also move at the same time. On the following day, Ibrahim Kootb Shah struck his camp and retreated to Golconda, and Yeltumraj marched to Penkonda. Moortuza Nizam Shah, thus suddenly deserted by his allies and surrounded by the Adil Shahy cavalry, who had occupied the route by which he came, commenced his retreat through the kingdom of Tulingana; and his army laid waste the districts of Kovilconda and Gunpoora. Ibrahim Kootb Shah detached Sulabut Khan, with three thousand horse, to protect the country from the depredations of the Nizam Shahies; ### [119.4.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4.6) and orders were issued to the Munewars and Havaldars to throw every obstacle in the way of their march, to shut the gates of the towns, and to secure the property of the people, as far as was practicable, from their hands. The village magistrates were very active during the nights, and kept the enemy on the alert by incessant firing in small parties all round the camp. The Nizam Shahies suffered so much from these irregular attacks, that they were induced to dig a trench round the camp for their protection, as well as to prevent the approach of the Kootb Shahy cavalry, which constantly hovered round them. The Nizam Shahies continued to plunder; and Sulabut Khan, finding remonstrances of no avail, charged the rear of their army, and completely routed them. Moortuza Nizam Shah halted his line, and sent a large body of cavalry under Moatimid Khan to attack the Kootb Shahy detachment. In this latter engagement, the Nizam Shahy commander was killed, and Kamil Khan, another general, was wounded. The Kootb Shahy army also lost one general (Mookurrib Khan). Night put an end to the contest; and on the following morning the Nizam Shahies marched, and did not halt till they arrived on the Bereed Shahy territories. Before the battle of Talikote, we have seen that Ruffut Khan Lary, entitled Mullik Naib, had marched to the south, and reduced part of the country of Rajmundry; ### [119.4.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4.7) but when the Kootb Shahy forces moved to co-operate with the Mahomedan confederated armies against Ramraj, Ruffut Khan was directed to join the grand army. Twelve months after this period, Ruffut Khan Lary was again despatched to the south, with ten thousand horse, with orders to complete the conquest of Rajmundry. On reaching Dhowleswur, he took measures to attack Rajmundry; but the towns of Pentapoor and Rajpoondy being in the possession of Seetaputty, he was in the habit of sending reinforcements and provisions into Rajmundry by night, so that Ruffut Khan first resolved to attack him, and accordingly marched towards Pentapoor. On the road he was opposed by the enemy, and a severe action took place, when the Hindoos were defeated, and fled to the fort of Pentapoor. The Mahomedan army pursued the fugitives to the walls, which they escaladed, and by that means took the place. Seetaputty and his family made their escape through the woods to the fortress of Rajpoondy, whither he was pursued by the Mahomedans on the following day; but they were detained for some time in approaching that fortress, the roads being narrow, and the woods on both sides impenetrable. Ruffut Khan, having determined to reduce it, ordered the jungles to be cut down and burnt. Each day the Mahomedans advanced only about two miles, and lost upwards of three hundred men from the enemy's light troops, which lined the woods on each side of the road. ### [119.4.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4.8) At length, after some time, they cut their way to the fort of Rajpoondy, situated on a hill; but on their arrival, Seetaputty fled through the woods to Rajmundry, and joined Vidiadry, the raja of that place, leaving the fort of Rajpoondy to be occupied by Ruffut Khan, who from thence proceeded to Rajmundry. Here the Mahomedans were opposed by the united forces of Vidiadry and the Raja of Cossimcota, consisting of thirty thousand horse and as many foot, who on the first onset broke through the right wing of the Mahomedan line; but the reserve coming to its support, the troops rallied, and defeated the Hindoos, who fled in confusion, accompanied by Vidiadry and Seetaputty, to the fort of Rajmundry. After four months the Kootb Shahy artillery began to produce some effect on the walls, and made a breach of nearly fifty paces in the curtain. In this stage of affairs, a flag of truce arrived from the fort, proposing conditional terms of surrender, which the besieged said they would communicate to Yelloo Pundit, one of the Hindoo accountants in the Mahomedan army. He accordingly proceeded to the fort; when it was agreed that Vidiadry and Seetaputty, with their families, should be permitted, after evacuating the fort, to proceed whithersoever they chose, without molestation. Yelloo Pundit returned to camp with these terms for the confirmation of Ruffut Khan. The conditions were ratified; and Vidiadry proceeded to Cossimcota, and Seetaputty to Beejanuggur. ### [119.4.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4.9) This event took place in the year 979, and the following sentence commemorates the date of its occurrence: — ## Linked texts (1) - [Tārīkh-i Firishta](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta.119.1) — Muḥammad Qāsim Hindū Shāh Firishta 1606, Persian --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.119.4) · Pramāṇa