South India lay prostrate before Kafur. Mighty kingdoms such as the Hoysalas, the Yadavas, the Kakatiyas and the Pandyas had fallen without offering a tough resistance. Their temples were destroyed; idols were broken and desecrated, and plundered.

The huge treasures accumulated in the forts for many generations were taken away by the invaders. Their flourishing towns were looted and inhabitants deprived of their riches and killed. South India was thus denuded of its incalculable wealth. The causes for the success of the Imperial army in the South are not far to seek.

The first and foremost was the disunity and discord among the southern kingdoms of Devagiri, Hoysalas, the Yadavas and the Kakatiyas. Their internecine wars and inability to unite against a common foe made them an easy prey to a powerful invader with a disciplined army under one unified command.

We have already referred to the constant infighting in which they were engaged completely unmindful of the outside world. For example, when Ala-ud-din marched to Devagiri in 1296, Singhana had left for Hoysala frontier with his forces; when Malik Kafur invaded the Hoysala country; its ruler had gone further south with his army to seize a part of the Pandya kingdom; the two princes Sundara Pandya and Vira Pandya were sworn enemies.

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Far from helping each other the southern rulers helped the invaders against their neighbors. Sundara Pandya had begged assistance from the Delhi sultan against his brother. Ramachandradeva gave all possible help to Kafur in the conquest of Dwarasamudra and even deputed his commander-in-chief Parasuram Dalavay to escort the Imperial army.

Vira Ballala guided the Imperial army to Mabar. He also seemed to have provided interpreters which enabled the spies of the Imperial army to get invaluable strategic information. Without local help, Kafur would have found it extremely difficult to march forward in this hilly country with impossible terrain.

There were, however, other important factors which contributed to the success of the Delhi sultan. The Imperial army was much better equipped and was highly efficient and disciplined. Their fast cavalry and expert marksmanship struck terror in the rank of their enemies.

Physically also the southern soldier was no comparison to his northern counter-part who was more aggressive and had greater power of endurance. Marco Polo who visited South India in A.D. 1293-1294 observes: “The people of the country go to the battle all naked, with only a lance and a shield, and are the most wretched soldiers….

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They were more particular about regular baths and untouchability than about fighting”. Moreover, the Turkish soldier was fired with zeal to annihilate the infidels to which was combined the greed for plunder.