The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c15.75

v1.c15.75

The allies likewise drew up their army in order of battle. Ali Adil Shah took over the command of the right wing to oppose Venkatadri; the left was entrusted to Ibrahim Qutb Shah and Ali Barid Shah, in front of Tirumala's wing, while the centre was led by Husain Nizam Shah. Each of these three divisions erected twelve standards, in honour of the twelve Imams, before proceeding to the attack. Ikhas Khan, an officer of Ahmadnagar, was posted with a force of mounted Khurasani archers in advance of the centre. The gun-carriages, fastened together by strong chains and ropes, were drawn up in front of the line of Husain Nizam Shah; there were altogether six hundred pieces of ordnance of different calibre, placed in three lines of two hundred each. In the first line were the heavy guns, the smaller were in the second, while the third line consisted of swivels; the whole was commanded by Chalabi Rumi Khan, distinguished officer from Asia Minor, who had served in Europe. The elephants were placed at intervals in the main line of battle, their tusks being armed with sharp sword blades 2.