The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c15.s2.t5.56

v2.c15.s2.t5.56

Second Telingāna Expedition. Ghiyās-ud-Din Tughluq was a man of strong will and firm determination. Defeat did not discourage him, but rather urged him on to make a fresh effort to achieve his purpose. He severely punished the rebel amirs, and sent reinforcements to Dēvagiri, where Ulugh Khān had taken refuge, with instructions to his son to march again into Telingāna and to subjugate the country. As soon as the reinforcements arrived in Dēvagiri, Ulugh Khān started for Telingāna, which he reached by rapid marches to the frontier post of Badrikot (Bidar?). He seized that fort and several others along his route and posted strong garrisons in them under trustworthy officers with instructions to hold them to the last. Finally he came to Bōdhan which was distant ten days' journey from Warangal. After a siege of three or four days the fort capitulated, and the governor and his followers saved themselves by embracing Islām. Ulugh Khān next proceeded to Warangal and laid siege to the city. Not much information is available about the second siege of Warangal by Ulugh Khān. It is disposed of briefly by Barani and the later Muslim historians who follow his account. It is stated that Ulugh Khān first laid siege to the mud fort and seized it; and that the inner citadel next fell into his hands. The fort was captured and Pratāparudra was taken prisoner and sent to the court of the Sulṭān at Delhi. The capture of Warangal was not so easily effected as these historians would have us believe; but for the amazing lack of foresight of Pratāparudra, it is doubtful whether Ulugh Khān would have effected its capture as quickly as he did. The siege, as a matter of fact, lasted for five months. 'Iṣāmī describes this siege and the circumstances in which the fort was captured. It appears that after the retreat of Ulugh Khān from Warangal at the end of his first expedition, Pratāparudra held a feast to celebrate his victory over the Muslims. Believing that they would not again invade his kingdom in the near future, he opened the granaries within the fort and sold the whole of the grain stored up there; he also commanded his subjects to abandon their military activities and to busy themselves with their cattle and crops. But he was soon undeceived. Within four months of his retreat Ulugh Khān returned with a fresh army to Warangal and sat down before the walls. The fort was without any proper garrison to maintain its defence, and lacked adequate stores of corn to provision the garrison during the siege. No wonder the Muslims quickly succeeded in effecting its capture. Though taken by surprise Pratāparudra put up a plucky fight; but the scanty stock of provisions which he hastily gathered together soon ran out, and the troops inside the fort began to suffer severely from hunger. Pratāparudra was obliged to surrender. He threw open the gates of the fort, and delivered himself with the other members of his family into Ulugh Khān's hands. The Muslims then entered the fort, plundered the houses, and demolished the public buildings.