Draft:Battle of Upparapalli

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Battle of Upparapalli
Part of Prataparudra's Campaigns
Date 1303 AD Location Upparapalli, Telangana, India Result Kakatiya Victory
Belligerents
Kakatiya Dynasty	Delhi Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Vennama Potuganti Malli	Malik Fakhruddin Juna Malik Jhaju

The Battle of Upparapalli was a significant conflict between the forces of the Delhi Sultanate and the Kakatiya Dynasty. Led by the courageous commanders Vennama, and Potuganti Malli, the Kakatiya forces successfully repelled the invading army of the Delhi Sultanate, which was commanded by Malik Fakhr-ud-Din Juna (later Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq). Taking place near Upparapalli in the Karimnagar district, the battle resulted in a defeat for the Delhi forces.

Background

The first expedition that Sultan Alauddin Khalji dispatched to the South after ascending to the throne of Delhi ended in failure, a fact largely overlooked by most Muslim historians. Those who do mention it, such as Barani, do so only briefly, as it does little to glorify the armies of Islam. Barani, the only historian to give even a brief account, refers to it not to highlight the defeat itself but rather to explain why the Mongol chief Targhi was able to march toward Delhi without resistance. According to Barani, during this time, Sultan Alauddin was preoccupied with the siege of Chittorgarh. Simultaneously, Malik Fakhr-ud-Din Juna and Malik Jhaju of Kara, the nephew of Nusrat Khan, had been sent with a large force from Hindustan on a campaign against Warangal.

Battle

Delhi Sultanate Sources

The first expedition that Sultan Alauddin Khalji sent to the South after his accession to the throne ended in failure, a fact that Muslim historians scarcely mention. Those who do acknowledge it, like Barani, mention it only briefly. Barani, who gives the most detail, refers to it incidentally while discussing the Mongol chief Targhi's march to Delhi. He explains that at the time, Alauddin was besieging Chittor, and Malik Fakhr-ud-Din Juna (later Muhammad bin Tughlaq) and Malik Jhaju of Kara had been dispatched with the forces of Hindustan to Warangal. However, the rainy season severely hampered the expedition's progress, and the army was forced to retreat in the winter, significantly reduced in numbers. Though Yahya bin Ahmad and Badauni mention similar expeditions, they confound the timeline and commanders. Ferishta's account aligns best with Barani’s, dating the expedition to 703 A.H. (1303-04 A.D.). The army, which took an unusual route through Bengal, suffered greatly, likely due to the weather and other unforeseen challenges, though the rains alone could not have caused such a catastrophic outcome without additional factors contributing to the disaster.

Kakatiya Sources

There is evidence to suggest that Malik Fakhr-ud-Din's expedition did indeed reach Telingana and suffered a defeat in 1303 Ad. The Velama chronicles, particularly the Velugotivari-Vanshavali, recount a victory over the Muslim invaders of Delhi before the arrival of Malik Kafur. Potuganti Malli, a Nayak in Prataparudra's court, claimed to have humiliated the Turushkas (Muslims) of Delhi in a battle near Upparapalli, in present-day Karimnagar district. Malli, who later visited Alauddin's court, likely defeated the army commanded by Malik Fakhr-ud-Din. Additionally, Venna, son of Queen Kudrambu’s minister Recherla Prasaditya, is credited with a victory over the Turushkas at Upparapalli, suggesting that the Delhi army had penetrated deep into Telingana, near Warangal, before being repelled by the Telinga forces. This disastrous defeat forced Malik Fakhr-ud-Din’s army into a hasty retreat, frustrating Alauddin’s ambitions and compelling him to wait for another opportunity to conquer the region.

Historians Conclusion

Towards the end of 1302 or the beginning of 1303, Ala-ud-din Khalji dispatched an expedition to Warangal, led by Fakhr-ud-din Jauna and Chhajju, Nusrat Khan's nephew. Instead of taking the shorter route through Ellichpur, the army took an unusual eastern path through Bengal and Orissa. Historians speculate, as K. S. Lai suggests, that Ala-ud-din may have aimed to both subdue Shams-ud-din Firuz of Bengal, who had declared independence, and challenge the Kakatiya Dynasty. Although Muslim chronicles provide scant details of the campaign, South Indian sources indicate that the Muslim forces reached the outskirts of Warangal but were decisively defeated by the Telingana army.

Aftermath

Seven years after Alauddin Khalji's forces first attempted to invade Warangal, a second and more formidable invasion was launched under the command of Malik Kafur. In this campaign, the Kakatiya ruler Prataparudra faced a devastating defeat. Despite offering strong resistance, Prataparudra was ultimately forced to capitulate. To secure peace and avoid further destruction of his kingdom, he had to pay a massive ransom, including wealth, jewels, and elephants, as tribute to Alauddin. This marked a significant turning point for the Kakatiya dynasty, as Prataparudra was compelled to acknowledge the supremacy of the Delhi Sultanate, while Malik Kafur returned to Delhi with enormous plunder, further strengthening Alauddin's hold over the Deccan.

See Also

• Siege of Warangal (1310)
• Siege of Warangal (1318)
• Siege of Warangal (1323)