A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c16.56

c16.56

Meanwhile Devarāya II had reorganized his army and made it an efficient striking force of all arms. In 1443, he invaded the Raichur doab, captured Mudgal, besieged Raichur and Bankapur, and laid waste the country up to Bijapur and Sagar. On the approach of Ala-ud-din, he withdrew to Mudgal, and Malik-ut-Tujjar was able to raise the sieges of Raichur and Bankapur. Three battles between the two armies followed in as many months. In the first, the Hindus won the day, while the Muslims won the second; in the third, Devarāya’s elder son was killed and his troops driven headlong back to Mudgal. Two important Muslim officers of the Bāhmanī army were captured and imprisoned; but when the sultan sent word that the lives of 200,000 Hindus would be the price of these officers, Devarāya agreed to make peace and to pay tribute regularly in future.