The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c15.s2.t5.22

v2.c15.s2.t5.22

Malik Nā’ib Kāfūr met with no serious opposition on his way. On his arrival near the Kākatīya capital on 20 January, A.D. 1310, he seized the hill of Aanumakoṇḍa, and having erected a *katkhar* or wooden palisade to protect his camp he established himself there. The city of Warangal had two forts, one within the other, and both were surrounded by a deep ditch; the outer fort was built of mud and was protected, according to the *Pratāpacharitra*, by seventy-seven bastions, the defence of each of which was entrusted to a *nāyak*. All the fighting men of the kingdom were assembled in it; the subordinate chiefs and the distinguished nobles with their treasures and elephants took up their residence with the king in the inner citadel, built of stone. The siege began on 19 January, A.D. 1310. Notwithstanding a counter-attack by the Hindus on the Muslim camp, it continued with unabated vigour for a period of twenty-five days when on 12 February, A.D. 1310, the mud fort was taken by storm, and the defenders who survived the fight retired into the inner fort. Pratāparudra, however, refused to surrender, and Malik Nā’ib Kāfūr had to lay siege to the stone fort. His attention was much distracted by the activities of Hindu soldiers who were operating in the countryside around him. The postal system, by means of which news passed between his army headquarters and Delhi, had been put out of action, and it was even apprehended that the communications might be entirely cut off. Nevertheless, Malik Nā’ib did not relax the vigour of his operations. He sent parties of soldiers out into the country to devastate it and to terrify the inhabitants. The condition of the besieged in the inner fort became increasingly difficult owing to lack of accommodation, and at last Pratāparudra could hold out no longer. Thereupon he sued for peace and Malik Nā’ib agreed to raise the siege and to return to his own country on the condition that Pratāparudra should hand over all his accumulated wealth and should further promise to pay the Sulṭān annually a stipulated sum of money and send a contingent of elephants as tribute. Pratāparudra accepted these conditions and surrendered all his treasure and his elephants and horses. The Malik Nā’ib, who was now satisfied that he had fully carried out the instructions of the Sulṭān, set out for Delhi and arrived safely at the capital on 10 June, A.D. 1310.¹