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Malik Kafur

Malik Kafur (died 1316), his real name was Sabour bhai son of Jera bhai, who was a rajput landlord of solankis family, was a slave who accepted Islam and became a head general in the army of Alauddin Khilji, ruler of the Delhi sultanate from 1296 to 1316 AD. Kafur was originally seized by Alauddin's army after the army conquered the city of Khambhat.[1][2] Kafur was castrated and made a eunuch. Malik Kafur was also called Hazar Dinari as he was bought by Sultan Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan for a thousand (hazar) dinars. Kafur rose quickly in the army. In 1305 Kafur defeated the Mongols at the Battle of Amroha and led two campaigns in south India between 1309 and 1311 - the first against Warangal and the second against Dwar Samudra, Mabar and Madurai. Kafur was made malik naib, the senior commander of the army after its southern campaigns.[3] In 1294 Kafur led the sultan's army against the capital city of the Yadava kingdom, Devagiri. Kafur led further invasions southward into the Kakatiya dynasty, winning immense riches for the sultanate and sacking many Hindu temples.[4][5]

The booty from Warangal included the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond.[6] During the course of the attack he sacked and plundered many Hindu temples including the famous Hoyasaleshwara temple in Halebidu.

According to Muslim historian Ziauddin Barani, Kafur came back to Delhi with 241 tonnes of gold, 20,000 horses and 612 elephants laden with the looted treasure.[7]


References

  1. ^ Keay, J. India, 2001, p. 257, Grove Press, ISBN 0-8021-3797-0
  2. ^ The history of India, By John McLeod, pg. 36
  3. ^ *Khilji's Commander: http://www.indhistory.com/khalji-dynasty.html
  4. ^ Studies in Islamic History and Civilizaion, David Ayalon, BRILL, 1986, p.271; ISBN 965-264-014-X
  5. ^ "Halebidu – Temples of Karnataka". TempleNet.com. Retrieved 2006-08-17. 
  6. ^ A History of India, Hermann Kulke and Dietmar Rothermund, Edition: 3, Routledge, 1998, p. 160; ISBN 0-415-15482-0
  7. ^ Keay, J. India, 2001, Grove Press; ISBN 0-8021-3797-0
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