Page:Historic Landmarks of the Deccan.djvu/17

 foreigners ranged themselves on the side of the Deccanis. These were the Africans of whom large numbers were employed. They were, with few exceptions, Sunnis, and it may be surmised that the dark-skinned, unlettered, and unprepossessing African was at a disadvantage beside the fair, handsome, and cultured man of the north, and that this cause, as well as difference of religion, had the effect of throwing the Africans and the Deccanis together. When, therefore, the feuds between the Deccanis and the foreigners are mentioned, it must be understood that the parties consisted of the Deccanis and the Africans on the one side and the Turks, Arabs and Persians on the other. Ill-feeling between the two parties probably existed from the earliest days of the Bahmani kingdom, but it was not until a century had elapsed that it led to open violence.

When Berar was invaded in 1437-38 by Nasir Khan of Khandesh the foreigners under Khalaf Hasan Basri were employed in the field against the invader, the Deccanis being relegated to garrison duty. The foreigners drove Nasir Khan out of Berar, invaded Khandesh, and plundered its capital, and were received, on their return, with great honour. Khalaf Hasan received the title of Malik-ut-Tujjar, or "chief of the merchants" which was highly esteemed by the foreigners, whose first visit to the Deccan was usually in the capacity of merchants ; another foreign noble. Shah Quli Sultan, received the king's daughter in marriage, and it was ordered that the foreigners should thenceforward ride on the King's right in royal progresses, and stand on his right in Darbar, the place on the left being assigned to the Deccanis and Africans. These orders caused grave discontent and the Deccanis sought occasion to overthrow the foreigners. Their opportunity came in 1546, when Khalaf Hasan was sent with an expeditionary force consisting of 7,000 Deccani and 3,000 Arab horse into the Konkan. There he trusted too readily to the promises of a petty chief named Sirka, who feigned submission and professed himself ready to accept Islam. Sirka then proffered his services as a guide in the difficult passes of the Western Ghats and offered to conduct the army in safety to the stronghold of the contumacious raja of Sangameshwar. The offer was accepted, and Sirka treacherously led the force into an ambush, where Khalaf Hasan and most of the foreign officers and troops with him were