Vusnad (properly Veija Nat) Dew, commonly called Gujputty, who possessed the countries of Bengal along the sea-coast as far as the confines of Tulingana, hearing of the discomfiture of Raja Ramchundur, sent ambassadors to Sooltan Koolly. A treaty was forthwith concluded, by which it was agreed that the river Godavery should be the boundary between the Mahomedan kingdom of Tulingana and the Hindoo territory of Orissa; after which the seals of the King and Vusnad Dew were affixed, and the district of Ellore was made over to the Mahomedans.

Upon the return of the army to Golconda, the King heard that during his absence Krishn Ray of Beejanuggur had invaded some of his frontier districts. Sooltan Koolly, therefore, im­mediately prepared for war, and in the first instance marched against Condbeer. On his arrival there the fort was invested; but the enemy's troops from the two hill-forts of Belumconda and Inaconda (each situated about two gows * distant from Cond-beer) came to the assistance of the garrison, and made several successful night-attacks on the be­siegers. This mode of warfare so much annoyed the King that he quitted Condbeer, and proceeded to reduce the other two forts. In the first instance he surrounded Belumconda; but the garrison de­fended itself with great obstinacy, while the army of the Hindoos in the field did not cease to make night-attacks. In these assaults the Mahomedans lost several of their best officers and many soldiers. The King at length resolved to try his ultimate and favourite expedient of a general assault. At the concerted signal the walls were escaladed on all sides, and the place was carried, not without heavy loss. Having distributed the property obtained in the fort among his troops, he left Soheil Khan, an eunuch, in the command, and proceeded towards Condapilly. During these operations many of the Hindoo officers of the King's army, left with the Prince Heidur Khan before Condbeer, went into open mutiny, and the King was obliged to return, in order to support his son's authority. Meanwhile Krishn Ray of Beejanuggur, on finding the Maho-medan army had marched towards Condbeer, col­lected a force also, and deputed his nephew with five thousand horse, and fifty thousand foot, to en­gage the Mahomedans in the field. This army had now reached its destination, and proceeded to attack Soheil Khan in Belumconda. This wily chieftain required three days to give it up; acknowledging that it was now not in a con­dition to stand a siege against so large a force. In the mean time he sent a messenger to the King, informing him of his situation. Sooltan Koolly Kootb Shah no sooner obtained this information than he suddenly counter-marched, with all his cavalry, and coming unexpectedly upon the enemy, who anxiously awaited the surrender of the fort, dispersed his troops, taking their baggage, and sixty elephants laden with treasure, which was sent to pay the troops for the defence of Belum-conda and Condapilly. Having thus raised the siege of Belumconda, the King returned to Cond-beer. The walls of this fort were shortly after battered down by the artillery in several places, and the lower fort taken, the garrison evacuating it, and retiring to the hill-fort; this also capitu­lated on the next day, and was given over to be plundered by the victorious army by the permis­sion of the King; but the lives of the inhabitants were spared.

When news of the reduction of Condbeer reached Krishn Ray of Beejanuggur, he immediately de­tached his general and son-in-law, Seeva Ray, with a force of one hundred thousand foot, and eight thousand horse, to march against the Mahomedans. The King resolved not to weaken his army by leaving any troops in Condbeer: he therefore distributed the provisions among them, burned the gates of the fort, and partially destroyed the works, and retreating towards Condapilly, encamped on the banks of the Krishna. The Hindoos, sur­prised at this sudden retreat of the Mahomedans, repaired the walls of Condbeer, and left a garrison therein, making it a depôt for their treasure and heavy baggage. They then proceeded in pursuit of the Kootb Shahy army. Sooltan Koolly per­mitted them to approach within a few miles of his encampment, when, like the hawk pouncing on his prey, he moved out with five thousand cavalry, and fell on the Hindoos at daylight. The action lasted till noon, with equal ardour on both sides, when the enemy's troops retreated to the fort of Condbeer, to which place the King, on the fol­lowing day, followed them, and closely invested the fort a second time. Finding the place unten­able, the Hindoos agreed to become tributary, and to pay annually three lacks of hoons. * At the same time they paid down two lacks, and gave three or four young rajas as hostages for the re­mainder. During these actions between the Hin-doos and Mahomedans near Condbeer, the garrison of Condapilly, chiefly composed of a tribe of Hin-doos called Naigwaries, refused to obey the orders of the King's son, Heidur Khan, and had been in a state of open mutiny for four months, when they heard of the defeat of Seeva Ray, and the recapture of Condbeer. Seeing there was now little chance of holding out with success, they begged their lives, and offered to deliver up the place to the King's troops. The Naigwaries were pardoned by Sooltan Koolly, who directed that the mutinous troops of Condapilly should be sent to garrison Gunpoora, and those of Gunpoora be marched to Condapilly.

After this long campaign Sooltan Koolly marched towards his capital; but heard on the road that his neighbour Ismael Adil Shah, the King of Beeja-poor, at the instance of the Raja of Beejanuggur, was at that period besieging the fort of Kovil-conda. For this service Ismael had already re­ceived two hundred thousand hoons; * and the Hindoo envoys were then in his camp, negotiating for the payment of fifty thousand hoons for each march the Beejapoor troops should advance into the Kootb Shahy dominions.

At this period Jafur Beg, a cousin-german of the King, held the government of the fort and district of Kovilconda; and having been upwards of a month closely besieged by the Adil Shahy troops, consisting of twenty thousand men, he wrote to the King that his resources were much reduced, and he feared, without assistance, the place must shortly fall into the hands of the enemy. Sooltan Koolly Kootb Shah immediately made arrangements for moving to the relief of the garrison; but his ministers remonstrated against the measure, repre­senting that he had now only three thousand ca­valry fit for duty; that all his troops were harassed, and that his elephants were weak and reduced after a campaign of upwards of two years in Tulingana. Sooltan Koolly replied, that he had not been accus­tomed to be alarmed at the numbers of his enemies, as was apparent in the battle with Ramchundur Raja. His officers recommended him at all events to wait till he could receive aid from Boorhan Nizam Shah of Ahmudnuggur, to whom it was proposed he should make overtures; but he insisted on marching im­mediately against his Mahomedan neighbour, who had attacked him without provocation. Information was accordingly given to the garrison of Kovil-conda, that the King was marching to its relief. On reaching Gunpoora he sent an envoy to wait on Ismael Adil Shah, reprobating the system of the faithful attacking each other at the instigation of infidels; on which, Ismael Adil Shah, leaving a force to prosecute the siege of Kovilconda, advanced with the rest of his army to attack Sooltan Koolly.

Sooltan Koolly now called a meeting of all the holy and learned men in his camp, and asked them if it were not lawful, by the tenets of the faith, to oppose any Mahomedan prince, who, unmindful of the principles of his religion, submitted to be bribed by an infidel to attack a Mahomedan neighbour for his sake? The council was of opinion that such an enemy ought himself to be treated as an infidel. Accordingly, having harangued his small body of troops, he marched to oppose the invader. On the right he placed Ein-ool-Moolk, on the left his general Futtehy Khan, and in the centre the Prince Heidur Khan, while himself remained in the reserve with a body of select cavalry at his own disposal.

Ismael Adil Shah, also, having drawn out his army, the two forces engaged. The action lasted during the whole day, and night closed the scene without either having gained an advantage. Three days passed in continual skirmishes, till on the third night Ismael Adil Shah detached three thou­sand cavalry to make forced marches and plunder Golconda. The fourth day passed in skirmishing, and the two armies, as before, retired to their respective camps. At length his spies informed Sooltan Koolly of the detachment of three thousand Adil Shahy troops which had marched to Golconda, on which he caused all his heavy baggage to be thrown into the fort of Gunpoora, and resolved to attack the enemy's detachment. After making two forced marches, he overtook the enemy, and cut them off to a man. When Ismael Adil Shah heard of this event, he fell back on Kovilconda, which he continued to besiege with renewed vigour. Sooltan Koolly Kootb Shah, finding that Ismael Adil Shah had only retreated for the purpose of resuming his attacks, returned with three thou­sand cavalry, and encamping in the suburbs, made night-attacks, and dispersed light troops to cut off the enemy's supplies. In an action which after­wards took place near the town of Gunpoora, Sooltan Koolly Kootb Shah received a sabre wound on the face, which disfigured him for life, the weapon having taken off a part of his nose and cheek. * During eleven months a succession of skirmishes took place between the two armies in the suburbs of Kovilconda; the garrison of which fort also made frequent sallies on the be­siegers. The attacks had not been carried on with much success, when Ismael Adil Shah was taken