A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of India c12.21

c12.21

A few years after this there was a successful invasion of the Carnatic country by Alâ-ud-Dîn; but though the army returned with some booty Firishtah does not claim for him a decisive victory. He does, however, claim that the new Sultan extended his territory as far south as the river Tungabhadra, “the vicinity of the fortress of Adoni.” Alâ-ud-dîn died at the age of sixty-seven on Sunday, February 2, A.D. 1358,¹ and was succeeded by Muhammad Shâh. The Râya of Vijayanagar had presented Alâ-ud-dîn with a ruby of inestimable price, and this, set in a bird of paradise composed of precious stones, the Sultan placed in the canopy over his throne; but some say that this was done by Muhammad, and that the ruby was placed above his umbrella of State.