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{{Short description|1308 Khalji military campaign}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|place=[[Devagiri]]
|image=Daulatabad Fort & Monument therein 19.jpg
|caption=The Ruins of [[Daulatabad Fort|Devagiri fort]]
|date=1308
|combatant1= [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
|combatant2= [[Delhi Sultanate]]
|commander1=[[Ramachandra of Devagiri|Ramachandra]]
|commander2=[[Alauddin Khalji]]<br>[[Malik Kafur]]
|result=Khalji victory
}}
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"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "[[Devagiri]]" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [75.2131507, 19.942715] }
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The '''conquest of Devagiri''' occurred around 1308, after the [[Delhi Sultanate]] ruler [[Alauddin Khalji]] sent a large army led by his general [[Malik Kafur]] to [[Devagiri]], the capital of the [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Yadava]] king [[Ramachandra of Devagiri|Ramachandra]].

Alauddin had earlier [[Alauddin Khalji's raid on Devagiri|raided Devagiri in 1296]], and forced Ramachandra to pay him [[tributary state|tribute]]. However, Ramachandra had discontinued tribute payments, and had given asylum to the [[Vaghela dynasty|Vaghela]] king [[Karna (Vaghela dynasty)|Karna]], whom Alauddin had [[Alauddin Khalji's conquest of Gujarat|ousted from Gujarat]] in 1304.

A section of the Delhi army, commanded by [[Alp Khan]], invaded Karna's principality in the Yadava kingdom, and captured the Vaghela princess [[Devaladevi]], who later married Alauddin's son Khizr Khan. Another section, commanded by Malik Kafur captured Devagiri after a weak resistance by the defenders. Ramachandra agreed to become a [[vassal]] of Alauddin, and later, aided Malik Kafur in the Sultanate's invasions of the southern kingdoms.

== Date ==

There is some confusion over the date of Alauddin's second invasion of Devagiri. His courtier [[Amir Khusrau]] dates this invasion to March 1307, but describes it after the [[Siege of Siwana]], which occurred in 1308. The 16th century writer [[Firishta]] dates the Devagiri campaign to 1306, but states that it happened in the same year as the [[Siege of Siwana]].{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=189}}

The near-contemporary writer [[Ziauddin Barani]] dates the invasion to 1308, which according to historian [[Kishori Saran Lal]], appears to be correct.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=189}}

== Causes of 1308 invasion ==

The Yadava king [[Ramachandra of Devagiri|Ramachandra]] had agreed to pay an annual tribute after [[Alauddin Khalji's raid on Devagiri|Alauddin's 1296 raid]] of the Yadava capital Devagiri. However, in the mid-1300s, he stopped sending the tribute, as Alauddin remained occupied with his campaigns in northern India.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=188}} As a result, Alauddin sent a force led by his general [[Malik Kafur]] to subjugate Ramachandra. According to the 14th century chronicler [[Isami (historian)|Isami]], the decision of not paying the tribute was that of Ramachandra's son and his associates: Ramachandra himself remained loyal to Alauddin, and even appealed the Sultan to punish his son, resulting in Malik Kafur's invasion.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=189}} This seems true, because according to Amir Khusrau's ''Khazainul Futuh'', Alauddin ordered his army not to harm Ramachandra and his family during the invasion.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=401}}

According to some medieval writers, another reason for this campaign was the pursuit of the [[Vaghela dynasty|Vaghela]] princess [[Devaladevi]]. During his [[Alauddin Khalji's conquest of Gujarat|1299 invasion of Gujarat]], Alauddin had captured the Vaghela queen Kamaladevi, who later was forced to marry him in Delhi. In 1304, Alauddin annexed Gujatat to the Delhi Sultanate, forcing the Vaghela king [[Karna (Vaghela dynasty)|Karna]] to flee to the Yadava kingdom, where Ramachandra gave Karna the principality of [[Baglana]]. According to the 16th century historian Firishta, Kamaladevi requested Alauddin to bring her daughter Devaladevi to Delhi.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=190}}

[[Ziauddin Barani]] mentions that Malik Kafur invaded Devagiri on his way to the [[Kakatiya]] capital [[Warangal]], but this is not correct. Malik Kafur returned to Delhi after his conquest of Devagiri, and invaded the Kakatiaya kingdom at a later time.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|pp=402-405}}

== March to the Yadava kingdom ==

Alauddin had thought of selecting Malik Shahin, the former governor of [[Chittorgarh|Chittor]], as the commander of the Devagiri campaign. However, Malik Shahin had earlier fled Chittor fearing a Vaghela resurgence in the neighbouring territory of Gujarat. Therefore, Alauddin selected another general - Malik Kafur - to lead the invasion of Devagiri.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=401}}

According to [[Firishta]], Alauddin took special care to ensure that all the officers participating in the campaign obeyed Malik Kafur. He sent his royal canopy and pavilion with Kafur, and ordered his officers to pay respects to him daily. These officers included Sirajuddin Khwaja Haji, the minister of war, who held immediate charge of the army. The [[Malwa]] governor Ainul Mulk Multani and the Gujarat governor [[Alp Khan]] were ordered to extend all possible support to Kafur.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=401}}

Malik Kafur assembled a 30,000-strong cavalry at [[Tilpat]] near Delhi, and then marched towards Devagiri via [[Dhar]].{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=401}} His army was reinforced by the forces of Khavaja Haji, Ainul Mulk Multani and Alp Khan.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=190}} After crossing [[Malwa]], Malik Kafur sent Alp Khan to Baglana to capture Devaladevi forcefully, while he himself marched to Devagiri.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=191}}

== Baglana ==

In the past, Ramachandra's son Simhana had offered to marry Karna's daughter Devaladevi, but Karna had refused this proposal.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=191}} As Alp Khan invaded [[Baglana]], Karna found himself in a difficult situation, and agreed to marry his daughter to Simhana. Devaladevi was sent on a journey to Devagiri, escorted by a small party under Simhana's brother Bhillama.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=191}}

According to one account, soon after Devaladevi's departure, Alp Khan defeated Karna in a battle. Karna fled towards Devagiri, pursued by the Delhi forces.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=192}} He was denied asylum at Devagiri, and ultimately, had to seek shelter from the Kakatiyas in Warangal.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=400}} Meanwhile, Bhillama's party was intercepted by a contingent of Alp Khan's army. Devaladevi's horse was wounded by arrow, and she was captured by Dilawar Panchami, an officer of Alp Khan. She was taken to Alp Khan, who sent her to Delhi.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=402}}

[[Firishta]] offers a slightly different account of Devaladevi's capture. According to him, Simhana had sent Bhillama to escort Devaladevi without Ramachandra's permission. Alp Khan was unable to find Karna in Baglana, and retired to a [[bank (geography)|riverbank]], where his army rested for two days. There, around 300-400 of his soldiers took his permission to visit the famous [[Ellora Caves]]. During this journey, these soldiers encountered Bhima's party escorting Devaladevi to Devagiri. They defeated Bhillama, captured Devaladevi, and took her to Alp Khan.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=403}}

== Devagiri ==
[[File:Region of the Yadavas, with the city of Diogil (Deogil. Dwaigir. Daulatabad) in the Catalan Atlas (1375).jpg|thumb|upright=2|Western coast of India, with the traditional Yadava capital of ''Diogil'' ("Deogiri", or [[Devagiri]] [[File:Diogil_(Deogil._Dwaigir._Daulatabad)_in_the_Catalan_Atlas_(1375).jpg|15px]]) at the center, in the [[Catalan Atlas]] (1375). On top of the city of ''Diogil'' floats a peculiar flag ([[File:Flag of Diogil, Catalan Atlas 1375.png|20px]]), while coastal cities are under the black flag of the [[Delhi Sultanate]] ([[File:Sultan of Delhi Flag according to the Catalan Atlas (1375).png|20px]]).<ref>{{cite book |title=Antiquities from San Thomé and Mylapore |date=1936 |pages=264–265 |url=https://archive.org/details/AntiquitiesFromSanThomeAndMylaporeHenriHosten1936/page/n319/mode/2up?q=diogil}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kadoi |first1=Yuka |title=On the Timurid Flag |journal=Beiträge zur Islamischen Kunst und Archäologie |date=2010 |volume=2 |page=148 |doi=10.29091/9783954909537/009 |s2cid=263250872 |url=https://www.academia.edu/17410816|quote="...helps identify another curious flag found in northern India – a brown or originally silver flag with a vertical black line – as the flag of the Delhi Sultanate (602-962/1206-1555)."}}</ref> Devagiri was ultimately captured by Alauddin Khalji in 1307.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Beaujard |first1=Philippe |title=The worlds of the Indian Ocean : a global history : a revised and updated translation |date=2019 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-42456-1 |page=Chapter 8 |url=|id=978-1108424653|quote="The sultan captured the Rajput fort of Chitor, in Rājasthān, and in 1310 he subjected most of the Deccan to his power. He took Devagiri – the capital of the Yādava – in 1307"}}</ref> The trading ship raises the flag of the [[Ilkhanate]] ([[File:Flag_of_the_Ilkhanate.svg|20px]]).]]
Meanwhile, at Devagiri, the defenders offered a weak resistance, and Malik Kafur achieved an easy victory. According to [[Isami (historian)|Isami]], Kafur plundered Devagiri, but [[Firishta]] states that Kafur did not harm the general public. Historian [[Banarsi Prasad Saksena]] believes Isami to be incorrect.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=401}}

Amir Khusrau states that the defending army split into two sections: one section led by Ramachandra surrendered, while another section led by his son Bhillama fled.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=401}} Ramachandra left his son Simhana (or Singhana) at Devagiri, and then came to meet Kafur.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=402}}

== In Delhi ==

Kafur took Ramachandra and his family to Delhi to personally acknowledge Alauddin's suzerainty. In Delhi, Alauddin treated Ramachandra well, and honoured him with the title ''Rai Rayan''. According to Barani, Alauddin gave him 100,000 gold ''tankas'' (coins), and the principality of [[Navsari]] in Gujarat. According to Haji-ud-dabir, Alauddin chided Malik Kafur for misbehaving with Ramachandra, and the Yadava king had voluntarily submitted to Alauddin.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=192}}

According to Isami, Ramachandra also gave his daughter Jhatyapali in marriage to Alauddin.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=56}} The 14th century Persian historian [[Wassaf]], in his ''Tajziyat al-amsar'', also mentions that the ruler of Devagiri gave his daughter to Alauddin to save his life.{{sfn|P. M. Joshi|1966|p=210}} Historian [[Kishori Saran Lal]] believes that Ramachandra gave his daughter to Alauddin after the [[Alauddin Khalji's raid on Devagiri|1296 raid]],{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|pp=56-57}} but historian [[Satish Chandra (historian)|Satish Chandra]] states that this probably happened after the second expedition.{{sfn|Satish Chandra|2004|p=92}} This daughter is alternatively called Chhitai, Jhitai, Jethapali or Kshetrapali in various historical texts.{{sfn|P. M. Joshi|1966|p=210}} Isami states that she was the mother of Alauddin's son and successor [[Shihab-ud-din Omar]].{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=57}} The 16th century historian [[Firishta]] claims that after Alauddin's death, his viceroy [[Malik Kafur]] married Ramachandra's daughter. ''Chhitai Varta'' (c. 1440), a Hindi poem by Narayan-das, narrates her legend.{{sfn|P. M. Joshi|1966|p=210}}

Ramachandra stayed at Delhi for six months.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=402}} By the end of 1308, he came back to Devagiri, where he ruled as a vassal of Alauddin. He remained loyal to Alauddin till his death, and helped his army carry out the subsequent southern campaigns of [[Siege of Warangal, 1310|Warangal]] and [[Siege of Dwarasamudra|Dwarasamudra]].{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=193}}

Ramachandra appears to have died sometime in 1311, although the exact date of his death is not certain.{{sfn|A. S. Altekar|1960|p=554}} The Nala inscription, his last extant inscription, is dated 1311 CE (1233 [[Shaka era|Shaka]]).{{sfn|Ramakant R. Bhoir|2002|pp=25-27}}

==1313 invasion==
In 1313, probably at his own request,{{sfn|S. Digby|1990|p=419}}{{sfn|Abraham Eraly|2015|p=177}} Malik Kafur led another expedition to Devagiri, against Ramachandra's successor Simhana III (or Shankaradeva). He defeated and killed him for unsuccessfully rebelling against [[Alauddin Khalji]].,{{sfn|T. V. Mahalingam|1957|p=155}}{{sfn|A. S. Altekar|1960|p=554}} and annexed Devagiri to the Delhi Sultanate. Kafur remained in Devagiri as governor of the newly annexed territory for two years, until he was urgently summoned to Delhi when Alauddin's health began deteriorating.{{sfn|Shanti Sadiq Ali|1996|p=38}}{{sfn|S. Digby|1990|p=419}}

==1317 invasion==
After Malik Kafur was recalled to Delhi, Ayn al-Mulk Multani acted as the governor of Devagiri, but later, he too was recalled to crush a rebellion in Gujarat.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=434}}

Taking advantage of this, the Yadavas seized Devagiri, and declared their independence. They were led by Harapaladeva (or Hirpal), who was probably a son-in-law of the former Yadava monarch [[Ramachandra of Devagiri|Ramachandra]], and his prime minister Raghava (or Raghu).{{sfn|A. S. Altekar|1960|p=556}}

In April 1317, during the second year of his reign, [[Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah]] marched to Devagiri with a large army.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=434}} When the army reached Devagiri, all the local chiefs except Raghava and Harapaladeva accepted Mubarak Shah's suzerainty without offering any resistance.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=434}}

Raghava and his nearly 10,000-strong cavalry, as well as Harapaladeva, fled to the hilly region near Devagiri. The Delhi generals [[Khusrau Khan]] and Malik Qutlugh (who held the title ''amir-i shikar'') led an army to pursue them.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=434}} The Delhi forces completely routed Raghava's army.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=329}} Khusrau Khan dispatched a force led by ''amir-i koh'' Malik Ikhtiyaruddin Talbagha (son of Yaghda) to pursue Harapaladeva, who was wounded and captured after 2-3 skirmishes. Harapaladeva was presented before Mubarak Shah, who ordered his beheading.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=435}} The body of Harapaladeva was hung at the gates of Devagiri.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=323}}

Mubarak Shah spent some time consolidating his rule in Deccan. Malik Yaklakhi, who had served as Alauddin's Naib-i-Barid-i-Mumalik, was appointed as the governor of Devagiri.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=330}}

==Aftermath==
Ramachandra had two other sons, Ballala and [[Bhima of Mahikavati|Bhima]] (also called Bimba or Bhillama).{{sfn|A. S. Altekar|1960|p=555}} Of these, Bhima escaped to [[Konkan]], where he established a base at Mahikavati (modern [[Mahim]] in [[Mumbai]]).{{sfn|Stephen Meredyth Edwardes|1902|p=25}}

In 1328, Sultan [[Muhammad bin Tughlaq]] moved his capital to Devagiri and renamed it as Daulatabad. It came under the control of [[Bahmani Sultanate]] in 1347. It became the secondary capital of [[Ahmadnagar Sultanate]] in 1499. [[Mughals]] captured the region in 1632. In 1795, the region came under the Maratha rule, following the Maratha victory over the Nizam of Hyderabad in the Battle of Kharda.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{ref begin|30em}}
* {{cite book |author=A. S. Altekar |author-link=Anant Sadashiv Altekar |editor=Ghulam Yazdani |title=The Early History of the Deccan |volume=VIII: Yādavas of Seuṇadeśa |year=1960 |publisher=Oxford University Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=14DvAQAACAAJ |oclc=59001459 }}
* {{cite book |author=Abraham Eraly |author-link=Abraham Eraly |title=The Age of Wrath: A History of the Delhi Sultanate |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vyEoAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT178 |year=2015 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-93-5118-658-8 |page=178 }}
* {{cite book |author=Banarsi Prasad Saksena |chapter=The Khaljis: Alauddin Khalji |editor=Mohammad Habib and Khaliq Ahmad Nizami |title=A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206-1526) |volume=5 |edition=Second |year=1992 |orig-year=1970 |publisher=The Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9cmAQAAMAAJ |oclc=31870180 }}
* {{cite book |author=Kishori Saran Lal |author-link=K. S. Lal |title=History of the Khaljis (1290-1320) |year=1950 |publisher=The Indian Press |location=Allahabad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2XXqAQAACAAJ |oclc=685167335 }}
* {{cite book |author=P. M. Joshi |chapter=Alauddin Khalji's first campaign against Devagiri |editor=H. K. Sherwani |editor-link=Haroon Khan Sherwani |title=Dr. Ghulam Yazdani Commemoration Volume |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tK7de_DTsW8C |year=1966 |publisher=Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute |oclc=226900 }}
* {{cite journal |author=Ramakant R. Bhoir |title=Latest inscription of Ramchandra Yadava |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=63 |year=2002 |pages=247–250 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44158092 }}
* {{cite book |author=Satish Chandra |title=Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals-Delhi Sultanat (1206-1526) - Part One |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L5eFzeyjBTQC&pg=PA92 |year=2004 |publisher=Har-Anand Publications |isbn=978-81-241-1064-5 }}
* {{cite book |author=S. Digby |chapter=Kāfūr, Malik |editor1=E. Van Donzel |editor2=B. Lewis |editor3=Charles Pellat |title=Encyclopaedia of Islam |edition=2nd |year=1990 |publisher=Brill |volume=4, Iran–Kha |isbn=90-04-05745-5 |page=419 }}
* {{cite book |author=Shanti Sadiq Ali |title=The African Dispersal in the Deccan: From Medieval to Modern Times |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-3CPc22nMqIC&pg=PA35 |year=1996 |publisher=Orient Blackswan |isbn=978-81-250-0485-1 }}
* {{cite book |author=[[Stephen Meredyth Edwardes]] |title=The Rise of Bombay: A Retrospect |url=https://archive.org/stream/risebombayaretr00edwagoog#page/n38/mode/2up |year=1902 |publisher=The Times of India Press / Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-14407-0 }}
* {{cite book |author=T. V. Mahalingam |author-link=T. V. Mahalingam |chapter=The Seunas of Devagiri |editor=R. S. Sharma |title=A Comprehensive history of India: A.D. 985-1206 |volume=4 (Part 1) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ahFuAAAAMAAJ |year=1957 |publisher=Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House | isbn=978-81-7007-121-1 }}
{{ref end}}

{{Alauddin Khalji}}

[[Category:Alauddin Khalji]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Delhi Sultanate]]

Alauddin Khalji's conquest of Devagiri - Revision history

Michaelevansnet at 06:35, 12 March 2026