Wherever Sultán 'Aláu-d dín looked around upon his terri­tories, peace and order prevailed. His mind was free from all anxiety. The fort of Sírí was finished, and it became a popu­lous and flourishing place. Devoting his attention to political matters, he made ready his army for the destruction of the Ráís and zamíndárs of other lands, and for the acquisition of elephants and treasure from the princes of the South. He withdrew several divisions of his army, which had been employed in guarding against the advance of the Mughals, and formed them into an army, which he sent against Deogír, under the command of Malik Náíb Káfúr Hazár-dínárí, accompanied by other maliks and amírs, and the red canopy. He also sent Khwája Háji, deputy 'áriz-i mamálik, to attend to the administration of the army, the collection of supplies, and the securing of elephants and the spoil. No army had marched from Dehlí to Deogír since the Sultán himself attacked it before he ascended the throne. Rámdeo had rebelled, and for several years had not sent his tribute to Dehlí. Malik Náíb Káfúr reached Deogír and laid the country waste. He made Rámdeo and his sons prisoners, and took his treasures, as well as seventeen elephants. Great spoil fell into his hands, * * * and he returned with it triumphant to Dehlí, carrying with him Rámdeo. The Sultán showed great favour to the Ráí, gave him a canopy, and the title of Ráí-ráyán (King of kings). He also gave him a lak of tankas, and sent him back in great honour, with his children, wives, and dependents to Deogir, which place he confirmed in his possession. The Ráí was ever afterwards obedient, and sent his tribute regu­larly as long as he lived.

Next year, in the year 709 H. (1309 A.D.), the Sultán sent Malik Náíb Káfúr with a similar force against Arangal. The Sultán gave him instructions to do his utmost to capture the fort of Arangal, and to overthrow Ráí Laddar Deo.* If the Ráí consented to surrender his treasure and jewels, elephants and horses, and also to send treasure and elephants in the following year, Malik Náíb Káfúr was to accept these terms and not press the Ráí too hard. He was to come to an arrangement and retire, without pushing matters too far, lest Ráí Laddar Deo should get the better of him. If he could not do this, he was, for the sake of his own name and fame, to bring the Ráí with him to Dehlí. * * *

Malik Náíb Káfúr and Khwája Hájí took leave of the Sultán and marched to Rábarí, a village in the fief of the Malik. There the army assembled, and marched towards Deogír and Arangal. The maliks and amírs of Hindustán, with their cavalry and infantry, joined at Chanderí, where a review was held. On ap­proaching Deogír, Ráí-ráyán Rámdeo came forth to meet the army, with respectful offerings to the Sultán and presents to the generals. While the army was marching through the territories of Deogír, Rámdeo attended every day at head quarters. So long as it remained encamped in the suburbs of the city, he showed every mark of loyalty, and to the best of his ability supplied Náíb Káfúr and his officers with fodder, and the army with matériel. Every day he and his officers went out to the camp, rendering every assistance. He made the bázár people of Deogír attend the army, and gave them strict orders to supply the wants of the soldiers at cheap rates. The army remained in the suburbs of Deogír for some days, resting from its fatigues. When it marched, Rámdeo sent men forward to all the villages on the route, as far as the borders of Arangal, with orders for the collection of fodder and provisions for the army, and giving notice that if a bit of rope* was lost they would have to answer for it. He was as dutiful as any raiyat of Dehlí. He sent on all stragglers to rejoin the army, and he added to it a force of Mahrattas, both horse and foot. He himself accompanied the march several stages, and then took leave and returned. All wise and experienced men noticed and applauded his devotion and attention.

When Malik Náíb Káfúr arrived in Tilang, he found the towns and villages in his way laid waste. The mukaddims and ráís perceived the superiority of the army of Islám, and so they abandoned their forts and went and took refuge in Arangal.

The fort of Arangal was of mud, and tolerably large. All the active men of the country had assembled there. The Ráí, with the mukaddims and (inferior) ráís and connections,* went with their elephants and treasure into the stone fort. Malik Náíb Káfúr invested the mud fort, and there were fights every day between the besiegers and the besieged. The Maghribís (western manjaníks) were played on both sides, and on both sides many were wounded. This went on for some days, till the daring and adventurous men of the army of Islám planted their scaling ladders and fixed their ropes. Then, like birds, they escaladed the towers of the mud fort, which was stronger than the stone one, and, cutting down the defenders with their swords, spears, and axes, they made themselves masters of the fort. They next invested the stone fort most closely. Laddar Deo perceived that all hope was gone, and that the fort was tottering to its fall. He therefore sent some great brahmans and distinguished basíths,* with presents to Malik Káfúr, to beg for quarter, promising to give up all the treasures and elephants and horses, jewels and valuables, that he had, and to send regularly every year a certain amount of treasure and a certain number of elephants to Dehlí. Malik Káfúr agreed to these terms, and raised the siege of the fort. He took from Laddar Deo all the treasure which he had accumulated in the course of many years,—a hundred elephants, seven thousand horse, and large quantities of jewels and valu­ables. He also took from him a writing, engaging to send annually treasure and elephants. In the early part of the year 710 he started to return, loaded with booty, and, passing through Deogír, Dhár and Jháín, he at length arrived in Dehlí. * * *

It was the practice of the Sultán, when he sent an army on an expedition, to establish posts on the road, wherever posts could be maintained, beginning from Tilpat, which is the first stage. At every post relays of horses were stationed, and at every half or quarter kos runners were posted, and in every town or place where horses were posted, officers and report writers were appointed. Every day, or every two or three days, news used to come to the Sultán reporting the progress of the army, and intelligence of the health of the sovereign was carried to the army. False news was thus prevented from being circulated in the city or in the army. The securing of accurate intelli­gence from the court on one side, and the army on the other, was a great public benefit. * * *

Towards the end of the year 710 H. (1310 A.D.) the Sultán sent an army under Malik Náíb Káfúr against Dhúr-samundar and Ma'bar. The Malik, with Khwája Hájí, Náíb-i 'áriz, took leave of the Sultán and proceeded to Rábarí, where the army collected. They then proceeded to Deogír, where they found that Rámdeo was dead, and from Deogír to the confines of Dhúr-samundar. At the first onslaught Billál Ráí fell into the hands of the Muhammadans, and Dhúr-samundar was captured. Thirty-six elephants, and all the treasures of the place, fell into the hands of the victors. A despatch of victory was then sent to Dehlí, and Malik Náíb Káfúr marched on to Ma'bar, which he also took. He destroyed the golden idol temple (but-khánah-i zarín) of Ma'bar, and the golden idols which for ages (karnhá) had been worshipped by the Hindus of that country. The fragments of the golden temple, and of the broken idols of gold and gilt, became the rich spoil of the army. In Ma'bar there were two Ráís, but all the elephants and treasure were taken from both, and the army turned home­wards flushed with victory. A despatch of victory was sent to the Sultán, and in the early part of 711 H. (1311 A.D.) the army reached Dehlí, bringing with it six hundred and twelve elephants, ninety-six thousand mans of gold, several boxes of jewels and pearls, and twenty thousand horses. Malik Náíb Káfúr pre­sented the spoil to the Sultán in the palace at Sírí on different occasions, and the Sultán made presents of four mans, or two mans, or one man, or half a man of gold to the maliks and amírs. The old inhabitants of Dehlí remarked that so many elephants and so much gold had never before been brought into Dehlí. No one could remember anything like it, nor was there anything like it recorded in history.