‘Alauddin, the governor of Karra, marched out of that place to Bhilsan with his uncle’s permission. Here an enormous booty fell into his hands; and he brought it, together with a bronze idol worshipped by the Hindus of that place, to the Sultan at Delhi. The idol was buried beneath the road under the Badaun Gate; and Jalaluddin, well-pleased with his nephew, appointed him Arz-i Mumalik and bestowed on him the governorship of Oudh in addition to the governor­ship of Karra. At Bhilsan ‘Alauddin had heard of the elephants and wealth of Deogir and enquired about the routes to that place. He had resolved to collect a large army at Karra for an attack on Deogir without informing the Sultan. Find­ing the Sultan more kind and affectionate than ever, he applied for some delay in paying the dues (fawazil) of Karra and Oudh. ‘I have heard,’ he represented, ‘that within the boundaries of Chanderi and many regions adjoining it, the people are free and ignorant and entertain no apprehension of the army of Delhi. If I am allowed, I will invest the money due from me (fawazil) to the Diwan in enlisting new horse and foot. With these I will march to those territories and bring the enor­mous spoils that I win, together with dues of which I am postponing the payment, to the Sultan’s Diwan.’ The Sultan, owing to his simple and trustful heart, did not see that ‘Alauddin was so worried by his wife and mother-in-law that he wanted to conquer some distant territory where he might settle permanently without returning home. He allowed ‘Alauddin to postpone the payment of the revenues due and to increase his army. The latter returned to his governorship with his object achieved.

‘Alauddin’s feelings had been embittered against his mother-in-law, the Mala­ka-i Jahan, while the disobedience of his wife, the Sultan’s daughter, had made him sick of life. Fear of the Malaka-i Jahan, who had a great influence with the Sultan, as well as the dignity of the Sultan himself, prevented ‘Alauddin from complaining of his wife’s disobedience to Jalaluddin; and fear of public disgrace prevented him from speaking of his troubles to anyone else. He passed his days in sorrow and distress and often consulted his friends at Karra about his plan of going out in to the world to win a position for himself.

With the dues (fawazil) remitted to him by the Sultan and the income of his own governorship (mahsul) ‘Alauddin fitted out three or four thousand foot-soldiers (payaks) with whom he set out from Karra on an expedition to Deogir. Publicly, however, he gave out that he was going to plunder Chanderi and kept his plans about Deogir secret. He appointed as his deputy (naib) for Karra and Oudh my uncle Alaul Mulk, one of his chief associates. He marched by stages to Elichpur and thence to Ghati Lajura. Here all intelligence of him was lost. But Alaul Mulk kept on sending the Sultan regular reports from Karra. These contained vague statements that ‘Alauddin was busy in chastising and plundering rebels, and that he would send his own reports in a day or two. The Sultan, who had brought up ‘Alauddin (as a son), suspected no evil. But discerning men in the City and the Court concluded from ‘Alauddin’s continued absence, that he had gone out to seek his fortune in a distant land. This news, born of guess-work, soon spread among the people.

When ‘Alauddin arrived at Ghati Lajura, the army of Ram Deo under the command of his son, had gone on a distant expedition. The people of Deogir had never heard of Islam before this time, for the land of the Mahrattas had never been invaded by any (Muslim) king, khan or malik. And yet Deogir con­tained an enormous quantity of gold, silver, jewels, pearls and other valuables. When Ram Deo heard of the approach of the Muslim army, he collected together such troops as he could and sent them under one of his ranas to Ghati Lajura. It was defeated by ‘Alauddin, who entered Deogir. On the first day he captured thirty elephants and several thousand horses. Ram Deo then came and offered his submission. ‘Alauddin brought with him such enormous quantities of gold and silver, jewels and pearls, that though more than two generations have passed since then and much has been spent in every reign at the devolution of the Crown, a large part of those elephants, jewels, pearls and other goods is still left in the Treasury of Delhi.

I have referred to the consolidation of ‘Alauddin’s government and his freedom from administrative anxieties in order (to show) that when at last his power was permanently established and his mind relieved from the dangers that had beset him on every side, when the fort of Siri had been built and the town of Siri inhabited, the Sultan applied himself to schemes of conquest. Apart from the army which he had stationed on the route of the Mughal invasions, he organ­ized a second army to overpower the rais and zamindars of foreign lands and seize the elephants and treasures of the Deccan.

In the first expedition the Malik Naib Kafur Hazardinari was sent to Deogir with the amirs and maliks and the red canopy. Khwaja Haji, the Naib ‘Arz i Mumalik, was also sent with him to look after the administration of the army and the collection of elephants and treasures. No army had been sent from Delhi to Deogir since the time ‘Alauddin had invaded it as a mere malik; consequently, Ram Deo had rebelled and refrained from sending any tribute for years. The Malik Naib reached Deogir with a well-drilled army, plundered the territory and captured Ram Deo and his sons together with the Rai’s treasury and seven­teen elephants. Great spoils fell into the hands of the troops. A message of victory was sent from Deogir to Delhi; it was read from the top of the pulpits, and drums were beaten in joy. The Malik Naib returned to Delhi with Ram Deo and the spoils, and presented them before the throne. The Sultan treated Ram Deo with great favour and presented him with the green canopy along with the title of Rai Rayan. He was further given a lac of tankas and sent back with great honour to Deogir with his sons, family and followers. Deogir was recon­ferred on him. Thenceforth to the end of his life, Ram Deo always obeyed the Sultan; he passed his remaining days in loyal obedience, never wavered from ‘Alauddin’s orders and sent regular tribute to Delhi.

Next year, in A.H. 709 ‘Alauddin sent the Malik Naib to Arangal with the maliks, amirs and a large army accompanied by the red canopy. ‘Sacrifice your treasure, elephants and horses in capturing the fort of Arangal,’ the Sultan directed him, ‘and try to make up for the loss in future years. Be quick and do not persist in exacting too much. Do not insist on Laddar Deo’s presenting himself before you in person or on bringing him to Delhi for the sake of your fame and honour. Do not remain there long. Be moderate and polite in your dealings with the maliks and amirs. Do not undertake any venture with­out consulting Khwaja Haji and the more important officers. Be kind and gentle to the men and do not show any unnecessary irritation. You are going into a foreign country; it is a long journey from there to Delhi and you should not be guilty of any acts or words which may lead to trouble. Connive at the small speculations and faults of the men. As to the amirs, officers, generals and administrators of the army, do not treat them so mildly as to make them bold and disobedient nor so harshly as to turn them into your enemies. Keep yourself well informed of the good and bad acts of the officers and prohibit the amirs from assembling together and visiting each other’s camps. Apart from gold and silver, do not be harsh in collecting the fifth. If the amirs ask you to leave them a few slaves or horses they have captured, accede to their request. If they ask you for a loan either for themselves or their men, give them the money and take a receipt. And whenever the horse of an amir, officer or trooper is killed in battle, or stolen by a thief, or is otherwise disabled, give him from the royal stable a horse equally good or better; and ask the Khwaja to note down the loss or destruction of every horse in the Diwan-i Arz, for such a record is neces­sary for the purposes of the government.’

The Malik Naib and Khwaja Haji took leave of the Sultan and went to Rabri, a town in the territory of the Malik Naib, where they collected the troops. Then by continuous marches they moved towards Deogir and Arangal. At Chanderi the maliks and amirs of Hindustan joined them with their horse and foot, and a muster of the army was held. The Rai Rayan, Ram Deo, came to the frontier of Deogir to receive the army of Islam with innumerable presents for the Malik Naib and the maliks and amirs. While the army was marching across his kingdom, Ram Deo came and kissed the ground before the red canopy every day, and when it encamped in the suburbs of Deogir, he performed all the duties of a loyal chief. He provided fodder for the Malik Naib and the officers, and supplied the royal (Sultani) factories the material they required. Every day he came with his muqaddams to pay homage to the red canopy. He sent the shopkeepers of Deogir to the army and ordered them to supply everything to the soldiers at a cheap rate. After staying for a few days in the suburbs of Deogir, the army prepared to move. Ram Deo hastily sent his own men with his order to all the towns on the route to Tilang: ‘At all the stages in the Deogir territory up to the frontier of Arangal, they were to keep corn, fodder and all other necessary things in readiness; they were to obey the Malik Naib like the people of Delhi, and would be held responsible if a piece of rope was lost; they were to allow stragglers to pass through their land and look after them till they reached the army.’ He further ordered several Mahratta horsemen and footmen to accompany the army, while he himself went with the Malik Naib for several stages and then took leave and returned. The wise and experienced men of the army appreciated Ram Deo’s loyal obedience and sincerity. ‘Putting noblemen of noble birth at the head of affairs’, they said, ‘bears such fruits as we see in Ram Deo.’

When the Malik Naib reached the frontier of Tilang, he discovered that the towns and villages on his way had been laid waste. Seeing the superiority of the army of Islam, the rais and muqaddams had abandoned their own forts and fled for refuge to the fort of Arangal. The mud-fort of Arangal was very extensive and all the veterans of that region had collected there, while the Rai with his muqaddams, rais and relatives had crept into the inner fort of stone with their elephants and treasures. The Malik Naib sat down to invest the mud-fort. Every day a fierce battle took place between the besiegers and the besieged; maghrabi— stones were shot; and blows were inflicted and received by both parties. After a few days had been spent in this manner, the adventurous and desperate men of the army of Islam planted their scaling ladders and threw up their ropes; then like birds, they flew up to the towers of the fort, the mud of which was harder than stone, and with the blows of their sword, arrow, spear and axe, overpowered the defenders and made themselves masters of the mud-fort. To the garrison within the stone-fort the world now appeared smaller than the eye of an ant. Laddar Deo realized that all was lost and that his stone-fort was in imminent danger. He sent distinguished Brahmans and ambassadors (basiths) to the Malik Naib and asked for terms, promising to give up all the treasure, elephants, horses, jewels and other valuables which he possessed, and to send every year a certain amount of money and a number of elephants to the royal Treasury and stables of Delhi. The Malik Naib gave him terms and refrained from capturing the stone-fort. He took from the Rai the treasure which he (and his ancestors) had been accumulating for years—one hundred elephants, seven thousand horses, a large quantity of jewels and other valuables, and a deed promising money and elephants for future years. Towards the beginning of the year A.H. 710, the Malik Naib turned back from Arangal with his spoils and returned to Delhi by the same route through Deogir, Dhar and Jhaiun. His message of victory had reached the Sultan before him; it was read from the top of the pulpits, and drums were beaten in joy. When the Malik Naib returned ‘Alauddin granted him an audience on the Chautre-i Sultani, in the open country before the Badaun Gate. The gold, jewel, elephants, horses and other valuables brought by the Malik Naib were reviewed by the Sultan, while the people of Delhi enjoyed the display.

It was the Sultan’s habit, whenever he sent an army from Delhi, to establish posts from Tilpat, which is the first stage, to the army-camp or so far as they could be established. At every stage relays of fast horses were stationed, while runners (dhawas) sat at every half or quarter karoh throughout the way. Moreover, in every town on the way, as well as in the villages where fast horses were stationed, officers and report-writers (kaifiat-nawis) were appointed. Thus every day, or every second or third day, news of the army was brought to the Sultan and the news of the Sultan’s safety carried to the troops. Consequently, no false rumours could circulate in the City or in the army camp. This interchange of news was a great benefit to the country. On this occasion, however, while the Malik Naib was besieging the mud-fort of Arangal, some posts in the way were disestablished as the passage across Tilang was extremely dangerous, and for more than forty days no news of the army came to the Sultan. ‘Alauddin became very anxious, while the leading men of the City began to suspect that some misfortune had overtaken the army or an insurrection had broken out. On one of these anxious days, the Sultan sent Malik Qara Beg and Qazi Mughisuddin of Biana to Shaikh Nizamuddin. ‘Give my respects to the Shaikh,’ he said, ‘and tell him that the non-arrival of any intelligence from the army has made me anxious. He is more concerned for the glory of Islam than I am; if his spiritual insight has revealed anything about the army to him, let him send the news to me. Let me know everything you hear from the lips of the Shaikh, without any additions or deduc­tions.’ The two messengers went to the Shaikh, who after hearing the royal message, informed them of Sultan’s victory and triumph. ‘But what is this victory?’ he added, ‘I expect victories greater still.’ The Malik and the Qazi hastened back rejoicing to the Sultan and told him all they had heard. ‘Alauddin was extremely pleased on hearing the Shaikh’s reply; he felt certain that Arangal had been conquered and his wishes realized. He took out his handkerchief and tied a knot in a corner. ‘I take the Shaikh’s reply for a good omen,’ he said, ‘vain words do not come to his lips. Arangal has been conquered and I may expect further victories.’ As destiny would have it, runners bringing the message of victory from the Malik Naib came on that very day before the zuhr prayer. The message was read from the top of the pulpits on Friday, drums were beaten and rejoicings were held in the City. The Sultan’s faith in the Shaikh’s spiritual power increased; though he never personally met the Shaikh, yet throughout his life no words at which the Shaikh could be displeased ever came to his lips. The Shaikh’s enemies and rivals told him everything about the Shaikh’s munificence, of the large crowds that frequented his house, of his meals and his liberality, but though he was jealous by nature, ‘Alauddin never paid any attention to their reports. During the later years of his reign, he developed a great faith in the Shaikh. But the two never met.

Towards the end of the year A.H. 710 ‘Alauddin again sent the Malik Naib with a disciplined army to Dhur Samandar and Ma’bar. The Malik Naib and Khwaja Haji took leave of the Sultan at Delhi and proceeded to Rabri, where the army was collected. Then they moved on by stages to Deogir. Ram Deo had died. Continuous marches from Deogir brought the Malik Naib to the frontier of Dhur Samandar. Bilal, the Rai of Dhur Samandar, fell into the hands of the Muslim army in the first attack (?) Dhur Samandar was captured along with the treasure it contained and thrity-six elephants. A message of victory was received in Delhi.

From Dhur Samandar, the Malik Naib proceeded to Ma’bar. Ma’bar was captured without resistance; its golden temple was destroyed and the golden idols, which had for generations past been worshipped by the Hindus of the place, were broken. All the spoils of the temple—the gold from the broken idols and stones precious beyond description—were brought to the army chest. There were two Rais in Ma’bar. From both of them the Malik Naib took away their elephants and treasures. Then, having sent his message of victory before himself, he turned back victorious and triumphant. In the beginning of the year A.H. 711 he reached Delhi with six hundred and twelve elephants, twenty thousand horses, ninety-six thousand mans of gold, and many chests of jewels and pearls. On this occasion the Malik Naib presented the spoils to the Sultan at different times in the Koshak-i Siri, while the Sultan gave away half, one, two and even four mans of gold as present to various maliks and amirs. The old men of Delhi declared with one voice: ‘No one remembers, nor has it been recorded in any of the histories of Delhi, that such spoils, elephants and treasures have in any age or generation been brought to the City as after the capture of Ma’bar and Dhur Samandar.’ At the end of the same year twenty elephants reached Delhi with a letter from Laddar Deo, the Rai of Tilang. ‘I hold in readiness,’ the Rai wrote to the Sultan, ‘the money which I promised before the royal red canopy, and concerning which I have given a deed to the Malik Naib. If allowed, I will hand over the money at Deogir to anyone com­missioned to receive it. I wish to carry out the obligations of my treaty and compact.’