Question map
Malik Kafur was whose General?
Explanation
Malik Kafur was a prominent general and confidant of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji [1][t2]. Originally a slave captured during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, he rose through the military ranks to become the Sultan's most powerful lieutenant and 'Vazir' [t2][t7][t9]. Kafur is most famous for leading Alauddin's ambitious southern campaigns between 1308 and 1311, where he successfully defeated the Yadavas of Devagiri, the Kakatiyas of Warangal, the Hoysalas of Dwarasamudra, and the Pandyas of Madurai [c2][t2][t6]. These expeditions brought immense wealth and booty back to Delhi, solidifying Alauddin's hegemony over the Deccan [c2][t7]. Following Alauddin's death in 1316, Kafur briefly assumed authority as a regent for the Sultan's minor son, Shihab-ud-Din Umar, before being assassinated by rival nobles after a rule of only thirty-five days [c1][t7].
Sources
- [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Advent of Arabs and Turks > Ala-ud-din's Successors > p. 144