Page:Historic Landmarks of the Deccan.djvu/105

93 had fallen. For some reason this plan was not followed, and Muham- mad Quli joined Murtaza at Naldrug without attacking Gulbarga. The allies were, however, unable to reduce this fortress and left it, proceeding at once to the siege of Bijapur. As they advanced the Bijapur amirs who had remained loyal to the young king, but who had withdrawn to their jagirs disgusted with the dissensions in the capital, collected their forces, and in conjunction with the Bargis of the Carnatic attacked the invaders, who now relinquished the task which they had deemed so easy and retired in the direction of their own dominions. Muhammad Quli returned to Golconda, but left his army in the field at Gulbarga where it was attacked by an army from Bijapur under the command of Dilawar Khan the African. A fiercely contested battle resulted in the defeat of the Golconda army, which fled, leaving in the hands of the victors much spoil, including 150 elephants.

Henceforward Gulbarga remained undisturbed by war's alarms until the tide of Mughal conquest advanced into the southern Deccan. In 1631, in the reign of Shah Jahan, Yamin-ud-Daulah invaded the Adil Shahi dominions. After capturing Bhalgi he continued his advance southwards to Sultanpur, near Gulbarga. Most of the inhabitants fled for refuge to Gulbarga, which was well stored with arms and provisions. A force was sent to attack the place and entered the city, which was plundered, but Yamin-ud-Daulah did not care to attempt a siege of the fort and pressed on with his army towards Bijapur. His attempts to capture the city were fruitless, and, after ravaging the surrounding country, he retired to Sholapur. In 1636 the imperial troops again invaded the territory of Bijapur and ravaged the country about Gulbarga, but could not obtain a foothold in the country sufficiently firm to enable them to lay siege to the fortress.

In 1686 Aurangzib carried into execution his long-cherished design of adding Bijapur to his empire and laid siege to the place. In October of that year Sikandar Adil Shah, the last of his line, surrendered and was sent into captivity at Daulatabad. In December Aurangzib marched to Gulbarga, where he halted for some time, engaged in devotions at the shrine of Gisu Daraz, and in attempting to induce Abul Hasan to surrender Golconda without a siege. His diplomacy was unsuccessful and he was compelled to attack the place, which fell after a siege of