Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c15.s10.5

v1.c15.s10.5

The Hindus could not expect a humane treatment at the hands of their enemy after their atrocities of A.D. 1366. And so we find that Muhammad Shāh I, on hearing the sad fate of his soldiers, took a solemn oath "that he would not sheath the sword till he had put to death one hundred thousand infidels, in revenge for the massacre of the faithful".² He soon realized his ambition; that part of the Hindus which was made up of their market and baggage fell into his hands, and the Sultan "put to death, without distinction, men, women and children, free and slave, to the number of seventy thousand souls".³ This did not quench his thirst for blood: on his soldiers winning another victory, this time near the Hindu capital itself, he himself gave orders for a general massacre. Firishtah continues thus: ".... when the King appearing, the massacre of the unbelievers was renewed in so relentless a manner, that pregnant women, and children at the breast even, did not escape the sword".⁴