This led to the Vijayanagar ruler seeking peace, which he achieved by paying a large indemnity as a tribute and returning the lands taken from the Bahmanis in the war of 1420.

[3] In 1413, a great saint, Hazrat Gesu Daraz, arrived in the capital of the Bahmanis, Gulbarga from Delhi and began to attract a large following to his place of retreat near the fort on the western side.

Burhan-i Ma’asir vividly depicts the poignant scene as follows:[8] Ahmad: Your Majesty, I did all this for no other reason but to save my life.Firoz: God be praised that the Kingdom is going to the rightful man.

My last desire is that you should treat your nephew Hasan Khan with kindness as befits a man like you and regard my progeny with the love similar to that which I bear for you.Following these events, Firuz passed away within two weeks on September 28, 1422.

It is possible that Deva Raya II's return from his campaigns north of the Krishna was prompted by awareness of the impending power struggle in Vijayanagar, thereby inadvertently aiding the Bahmanis.

Additionally, Ahmad's cautious bid to seize the throne from his brother may have been influenced by the unfolding events in Vijayanagar, presenting him with an opportune moment.

In addition to bolstering the royal forces and mobilizing troops from provincial governors and local tributary chiefs, he actively recruited mercenaries from across the Islamic world.

[17] Following a display of strength towards his northern frontier, which repelled a force that had invaded the Deccan from Gujarat, Ahmad led a march with 40,000 horse to confront Vira Vijaya.

[14] Feeling the weight of his isolation, Bukka III, the ruler of Vijayanagar, wisely recognized the need for assistance and dispatched messengers to Anapota Velama of Telangana for aid.

[15] Vira Vijaya, aided by the Velamas of Telangana, commanded an army, comprising nearly a million infantry and gunners, to the southern bank of the Tungabhadra River.

[18] Ahmad advanced to the northern bank of the river and, after forty days of unsuccessful attempts to entice the enemy into crossing, decided to take the offensive.

[14][17] As the main Bahmani army commenced crossing the river, the leaderless Vijayanagar host, already under attack from the division that had captured their king, began to scatter in retreat.

[14] The Vijayanagaris now had cause to regret their violation of the humane treaty between Muhammad I and Bukka I, as never before in a long series of wars had either army exhibited the ferocity displayed by Ahmad's troops in this campaign.

Although not naturally inclined towards cruelty, Ahmad's temper was inflamed by the atrocities committed by the Vijayanagar troops following the disastrous campaign of Pangul in 1420, and he sought to exact his revenge.

Avoiding a siege of Vijayanagar, which was deemed an unprofitable endeavor, he led his forces through the kingdom, massacring men and enslaving women and children.

[19] Throughout his campaign, Ahmad engaged in the destruction of temples and the slaughter of cows, aiming to inflict maximum harm on the natural affections, patriotism, and religious sentiments of the Vijayanagaris.

However, aid arrived unexpectedly when a loyal officer, ‘Abd-ul-Qadir, led two or three thousand royal guards in search of Ahmad, and they swiftly engaged the Vijayanagar forces.

The Vijayanagar troops initially stood their ground, but after inflicting casualties on their assailants, they eventually fled, leaving a thousand of their own dead on the battlefield.

The Raya promptly complied, and when the procession reached the Sultan's camp, it was received with great pomp by the Bahmani nobles and escorted to the king's presence.

The king then adorned the Crown Prince of Vijayanagar with royal robes and a bejeweled dagger, and bestowed upon him Arab and Turkish horses, elephants, greyhounds, and three falcons.