History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c6.118

c6.118

Chanderi, Badaon and Malwa marched by way of Devagir towards Telingana. The disaffected provinces were laid waste and plundered and much booty and treasure fell into the hands of the conquerors. But when the Prince proceeded to lay siege to the fort of Warangal, he had to encounter a strenuous opposition. The fort of Warangal was deemed impregnable in southern India. It had been begun by Ganpatideva and completed by his talented wife Rudrāmbā Devi,⁵² a Yadava princess, who administered her realm as well as ever her husband did, or better. Amir Khusrau and Barani both dwell on the solidity and massiveness of this fortress. The imperialists besieged it, and manjniqs⁵³ and arradaas⁵⁴ were employed to batter its walls. The Hindus mustered strong from east and west to fight against the forces of Islam. When the imperialists tried to scale the walls of the fortress, fireballs were thrown from within, and all their attempts were frustrated by the enemy. The battle raged fiercely, and large numbers were slain on both sides. But the besiegers did not give way to despair, and the siege was vigorously pushed on for several days without advantage on either side. As the heat was terrible, and the siege showed no signs of termination, hundreds died and many yearned to get back to their homes. Pratap Rudra Deva sued for peace, and offered to send tribute regularly to Dihli and also to furnish elephants and treasure, as he had done before, but the Prince haughtily rejected these terms, and unwisely prolonged a siege the interminable length of which sickened the heart of the army. Just at this time a report was