The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c15.s2.t5.27

v2.c15.s2.t5.27

The circumstances in which the Sulṭān issued his command to Pratāparudra to proceed to the South call for explanation. On the death of the Pāṇḍyan king Māravarman Kulaśēkhara in A.D. 1310, a civil war had broken out for the possession of the throne between his two sons Sundara Pāṇḍya and Vīra Pāṇḍya. While the struggle between the brothers was still in progress and the issue as yet undecided, Malik Nā’ib Kāfūr invaded the Pāṇḍyan kingdom in A.D. 1311 at the instance of his master, 'Alā-ud-Dīn Khaljī. Owing to the confusion caused by the intestine conflict, he was able to overrun the country without opposition as far south as the Pāṇḍyan capital Madura. But though at first he swept everything before him, he was ultimately overcome, and had to retreat homewards, carrying with him whatever booty he could lay hands on. The civil war, which had been interrupted for the time being by Malik Nā’ib’s invasion, was resumed after his defeat. And soon the situation was further complicated by the rise of Ravivarman Kulaśēkhara of Quilon, a subordinate of Sundara Pāṇḍya, who rose against his master and drove him out of the kingdom; he next attacked Vīra Pāṇḍya, and having put him to flight in a pitched battle, had himself crowned at Kāñchī in A.D. 1313. Sundara Pāṇḍya, thus dispossessed of his kingdom, fled to the Court of Delhi and solicited the help of 'Alā-ud-Dīn. 'Alā-ud-Dīn, who was eager to bring the Pāṇḍyan kingdom under his suzerainty, readily undertook to restore him to his throne; but he was unable, owing to the outbreak of a rebellion at Dēvagiri after the death of Rāmadēva in A.D. 1312-13, and the fact that the major part of his forces under Malik Nā’ib were engaged in warfare in Mahārāshṭra, to send a fully fledged expedition for this purpose. Therefore, while dispatching a contingent to accompany Sundara Pāṇḍya, the Sulṭān, in order to ensure the success of the enterprise, also, as we have mentioned above, instructed Pratāparudra to co-operate with the imperial troops in their effort to reinstate the Pāṇḍyan king as ruler over his lost territories.