South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c10.5.3

c10.5.3

On hearing this Ram Deo considered it prudent to come to terms, and on his side commissioned agents to make Alau-d-din understand that it was time that his son should return at the head of the whole army of Deogir, and that it would be prudent for Alau-d-din to accept such terms as he offered. He also pointed out to him the dangers of a retreat in the face of a hostile force, as his retreat would lie through Khandesh, Malva and Gondwana, the Rajas of which would certainly cut off his retreat. Alau-d-din understood the dangers of his position better than Ram Deo, and agreed to depart from Deogir in a fortnight if Ram Deo guaranteed to him a ‘ransom of fifty maunds of gold, seven maunds of pearls and some valuable stuffs in addition to forty elephants, some thousands of horses and the plunder which he had already collected from the city.’ In the meantime Shankar Deo hearing of the approach of the Muhammadans returned to the city by forced marches. Ram Deo sent word to him of the conclusion of the treaty, ordering him at the same time not to attack ‘the Turks.’ The prince, however, finding that his army was twice as strong as that of the Muhammadans, disregarded the father’s orders, threatened to annihilate the Muhammadan army unless Alau-d-din restored all the plunder that he had taken, and left the kingdom immediately. Alau-d-din disgraced the messengers by parading them through the camp with their faces blackened, and prepared to fight Shankar Deo.