Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c7.s1.53

v1.c7.s1.53

The Muhammadans at this time were beset with tremendous difficulties. The seeds of disunion were already sown in the later years of 'Alā-ud-din Khilji. The rise of Mālik Kāfūr, the consequent split among the Muhammadans into the rival camps of the "Amirs of the New Mussulmans", and "Amirs of the Old", the revolt of Mālik Yakkhahi against the Sultan, the plots of Khusrau Khān, leading to the Darwari revolt,² the failure of the Prince 'Aluf Khān to capture Warangal for the first time,³—ali these showed the danger that was ahead, when the air was suddenly lit up with the flames of widespread revolt in the Empire of Muhammad Tughlaq.⁴ The career of conquest of the Muhammadans was suddenly stopped by the Muhammadans themselves, who offered to the north Indian power insurmountable barriers firstly in the kingdom of the Sultanate of Gulbārga; and when it fell, in the four principalities into which it was broken up.⁵ Thus the centrai authority at Delhi was hindered from coming to the rescue of the southern Sultanate of Madura in times of dire need.