After an interval,enraged at an insult offered or supposed to have been offered by the Rajah of Warangal,Muhammad made a rapid advance to the former's city of "Vellunputtun,"as it is spelt by Firishtah,or "Filampatan,"according to the author of the BURHAN-I-MAASIR.He seized it,slaughtered the inhabitants without mercy,and captured the unfortunate prince Vinayaka Deva.[41]The Sultan "commanded a pile of wood to be lighted before the citadel,and putting Nagdeo in an engine (catapult),had him shot from the walls into the flames,in which he was consumed."After a few days'rest the Sultan retired,but was followed and harassed by large bodies of Hindus and completely routed.Only 1500men returned to Kulbarga,and the Sultan himself received a severe wound in his arm.
This was followed by a joint embassy from Bukka of Vijayanagar and the prince of Warangal to the Sultan of Delhi,in which they offered to act in conjunction with him should an army be sent southwards by that monarch in order to regain his lost power in the Dakhan;"but Feroze Shah,being too much employed with domestic commotions to assist them,did not attend to their representations."Thus encouraged,Muhammad assembled fresh forces and despatched them in two divisions against Warangal and Golkonda.The expedition was successful and the Rajah submitted,the Sultan receiving Golkonda,an immense treasure,and a magnificent throne as the price of peace.The throne was set with precious stones of great value,and being still further enriched by subsequent sovereigns was at one time valued at four millions sterling.[42]Warangal finally fell in A.D.1424,and was annexed to the Bahmani kingdom,thus bringing the Muhammadans down to the River Krishna all along its length except in the neighbourhood of the east coast.
Now for the principal events of Bukka's reign and the affairs of Vijayanagar.The story deepens in interest from about the year 1365,and for two centuries we can follow the fortunes of the Hindu kingdom without much difficulty.
Early in A.D.1366[43]the Sultan opened his first regular campaign against Vijayanagar.Originating in an after-dinner jest,it ended only after such slaughter that Firishtah computes the victims on the Hindu side alone as numbering no less than half a million.The story is told us by an eye-witness,one Mullah Daud of Bidar,who was seal-bearer to Sultan Muhammad.[44]
"One evening,when the spring of the garden of mirth had infused the cheek of Mahummud Shaw with the rosy tinge of delight,a band of musicians sung two verses of Ameer Khoossroo in praise of kings,festivity,and music.The Sultan was delighted beyond measure,and commanded Mallek Syef ad Dien Ghoree to give the three hundred performers a draft for a gratuity on the treasury of the roy of Beejanuggur.The minister,though he judged the order the effect of wine,in compliance with the humour of the Sultan wrote it,but did not despatch it.However,Mahummud Shaw penetrated his thoughts.The next day he inquired if the draft had been sent to the roy,and being answered,not,exclaimed,'Think you a word without meaning could escape my lips?I did not give the order in intoxication,but serious design.'Mallek Syef ad Dien upon this,affixed the royal seal to the draft,and despatched it by express messenger to the roy of Beejanuggur.The roy,haughty and proud of his independence,placed the presenter of the draft on an ass's back,and,parading him through all the quarters of Beejanuggur,sent him back with every mark of contempt and derision.He also gave immediate orders for assembling his troops,and prepared to attack the dominions of the house of Bhamenee.With this intent he marched with thirty thousand horse,three thousand elephants,and one hundred thousand foot to the vicinity of the fortress of Oodnee;[45]from whence he sent detachments to destroy and lay waste the country of the faithful."The Raya,in spite of the season being that of the rains,pressed forward to Mudkal,an important city in the Raichur Doab,or the large triangle of country lying west of the junction of the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers,a territory which was ever a debatable ground between the Hindus and Mussulmans,and the scene of constant warfare for the next 200years.Mudkal was captured,and all the inhabitants,men,women,and children,put to the sword.One man only escaped and carried the news to Kulbarga.
