1838.] 



Hindu Inscripdons, 



221 



Other authorities quoted by Ferishta offer a somewhat different 

 account, stating that when the Muliammedans arrived at Devagiri, the 

 Raja himself was there, but his wife and son were absent on a pil- 

 grimage. The Raja hastily collected a few followers, and, after vain- 

 ly trying to oppose the enemy near the city, retired into the fort, 

 carrying in a great quantity of sacks belonging to passing traders, 

 believed to contain grain, but in reality filled with salt. Allaood Deen 

 took the town and levied heavy contributions on the merchants, while 

 he vigorously pressed the siege of the fort. RamaDeva at last offer- 

 ed to buy off the enemy, and agreed to pay him fifty maunds of gold 

 on condition of his raising the siege. But in the meantime Shenkul 

 Dev (Shenkar Deva ?) who had been collecting troops in the provinces, 

 approached to attack the Muhammedans ; and, in spite of his father's 

 orders to the contrary, who wished to maintain faith, he attacked 

 Allaood Deen, and, though successful at the commencement of the 

 action, suffered a ct)mplete defeat. 



Rama Deva then again offered terms, and was the more urgent that 

 he only now found his provision was salt instead of grain, and it was 

 finally agreed that the enemy should retire on receipt of 600 maunds 

 of pearls, two of jewels, 1000 of silver, 4000 pieces of silk, and " a 

 long list of other precious commodities to which reason forbids us to 

 give credit,"* and that an annual tribute should be sent to Dehli. 



The last condition, however, seems to have been irregularly per- 

 formed, for in A. H. 706, Saka 1228 (a. d. 1306), an army of 100,000 

 horse, under MulJik Kafoor, surnamed Hazar Dinari, was dispatched 

 to collect the arrears then due for three years. He was likewise 

 ordered, at the instance of Kowla Devi, one of Allaood Deen's (now 

 king) wives, to secure and bring to Dehli a daughter named Dewal 

 Devi, by her former husband, Kurrun Raj, Raja of Kandeish, or some 

 neighbouring country. This princess had been long sought in marri- 

 age by Shenkul Dev, of Devgur, but he being a Mahratta and she 

 a Rajput, her father refused his consent. In his present extremity, 

 however, after bravely defending his country, he agreed to the alliance, 

 and Dewal Devi, then thirteen years of age, was dispatched to Deva- 

 giri, under the escort of Bherm Dev, Shenkul Dev's brother. 



Kurrun Raj soon after was totally defeated, and fled to Devagiri» 

 pursued by the enemy. When close to that city Dewal Devi acci- 

 dentally fell into the hands of a Muhammedan detachment. She 



* Briggs, Ferishta, vol. i., p., 304-8. 



