Malik Kafur was originally a Hindu eunuch of Gujarat. He was very handsome and intelligent. In 1297, he was purchased for 1,000 Dinars by Nusrat Khan.

That is the reason why Malik Kafur is sometimes called Hazar-Dinari. Ala-ud-Din was very much impressed by the personality of Malik Kafur and within less than ten years he was given the rank of Naib Kafur also took up the title of Malik Taj-ul-Malik Kafuri.

Malik Kafur was responsible for the conquest of the South. Ala-ud-Din put Malik Kafur in charge of the Deccen campaigns and the latter brought him victories, wealth and reputation. In 1306-07, Kaftir brought about the subimission of Devagiri.

In 1309, he led an expedition against Telingana. Warrangal was besieged and its rulers were forced to surrender. Kafur took back to Delhi a lot of booty. In 1310, he was sent to conquer Dwarsamudra.

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Dwarsamudra was captured and Malik Kafur got lot booty. From Dwarsamudra, Kafur proceeded against the Pandy kingdom of Madura. Madura was looted and occupied and a mosque was built there.

Malik Kafur went to Rameshwarm and built a mosque there. He got so much booty that it would have made Mahmud turn in his grave with wistful eyes. Even the spoils of Devagiri could not compare with those of Madura.

Malik Kafur’s success in the Deccan made his so powerful that Ala-ud-Din became merely a puppet in his hands. This “Evil genius of the Sultan” told Ala-ud-Din that his wife and sons were conspiring against him and consequently Malik-i-Jahan and Khizr Khan and Shadi Khan were imprisoned.

While the princes were put in the Gwalior fort, Malik-i-Jahan was put in the old Delhi fort. Alp Khan was executed. The view of Elphistone is that Malik Kafur went to the extent of even poisoning Ala-ud-Din and thereby brought about his death.

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After the death of Ala-ud-Din, Kafur placed Shihab-ud-Din Umar on the throne and himself became the regent. As a regent, he was responsible for the execution of all those princes of the royal blood who had- any claim to the throne.

He ordered that the eyes of Khizr Khan and Shadi Khan be “cut out from the sockets with a razor like of melon.” All the supporters of Khizr Khan and Shadi Khan were dismissed. Although an attempt was made to kill Prince Mubarak, the latter succeeded in escaping through his own cleverness. Thirty-six days after the death of Ala-ud-Din, Malik Kafur and his associates were killed.

It goes without saying that Malik was a great military genius. He accomplished what no Muslim before him had been able to do. He was the person who paved the way for the further permanent conquest of the Deccan by the Muslims.

The misfortune was that he became over ambitious and began to dream of becoming king himself and forgot the interests of the dynasty which was responsible for his rise. While trying to dispose of his rivals, he himself was killed.