The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c27.25

v3.c27.25

The rajas of Vijayanagar and Warangal feigned to regard Muhammad’s determination to establish his own gold currency as an assertion of suzerainty, and, knowing that his treasury had been depleted by the profusion customary at the beginning of a new reign, addressed arrogant and provocative messages to him. Bukka demanded the cession of the Rāichūr Doāb, and threatened, failing compliance, to concert measures with the king of Delhi for a combined attack on the Deccan. Kānhayya of Warangal demanded the retrocession of Kaulās, and threatened war. Muhammad, on one pretext and another, detained the bearers of these insolent demands for eighteen months, by which time his preparations were complete, and, with an effrontery surpassing that of his enemies, haughtily inquired why his vassals, the rajas of Vijayanagar and Warangal, had not made the customary offerings on his accession, and demanded that they should atone for their negligence by immediately sending to him all the elephants fit for work in their dominions, laden with gold, jewels, and precious stuffs. Kānhayya's reply to this insult was the dispatch of an army under his son Venāyek Deva against Kaulās, and Bukka supplied a contingent of 20,000 horse for the enterprise. The armies of Berar and Bīdar under Bahādur Khān defeated and dispersed the invaders, and while Bukka's contingent fled southwards Venāyek Deva took refuge in his fief of Vailampallam, on the sea coast. Bahādur Khān marched to the gates of Warangal, forced Kānhayya to ransom his capital by the payment of 100,000 gold *hūns*¹ and the surrender of twenty-six elephants, and returned to Gulbarga.