The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c15.s2.t4.28.2

v2.c15.s2.t4.28.2

it was an attack which, though successful at first, seems to have ended, entirely contrary to the statement in the Sēuṇa records, in utter failure; for according to the *Pratāpa-* charitra Mahādēvarāja did indeed invade the Kākatīya kingdom and laid siege to the capital, Warangal; but Queen Rudrāmbā fought him valiantly for fifteen days during which she destroyed three lakhs of the Sēuṇa infantry and a lakh of cavalry. In the end she completely defeated him in a battle fought under the walls of the fort and put him to flight, pursuing the retreating Sēuṇa forces up to the walls of their capital Dēvagiri. Unable to oppose her advance, Mahādēva sued for peace and, agreeing to pay a crore of gold coins as war indemnity, he concluded a treaty with her. Rudrāmbā distributed the money thus obtained among the commanders of her army, and after setting up a pillar of victory returned to her own kingdom.¹ This account of the Sēuṇa invasion seems at any rate to embody substantial elements of fact. The vast numbers of Sēuṇa infantry and cavalry said to have been slain by Rudrāmbā in the battle may doubtless be dismissed as exaggeration; but the epigraphic and numismatic evidence available bears witness to the essentially authentic character of the narrative of the Pratāpacharitra. Two interesting facts so far ignored by scholars may be taken into consideration in this context. An inscription found at Pānugal in the Nalgonda district of the old Hyderabad State and dated Ś. 1189 (A.D.