For the next 7 years, Devaraya enjoyed peace and there were no serious internal or external troubles. With death of Ahmad Shah I in 1436 and accession of his eldest son Al-ud-din II, this period of tranquility came to end. Ala-ud-din deputed his brother Muhammad Khan to realize the arrears tributed from the Vijayanagar ruler.
According to Firishta, Devaraya purchased peace by offering a considerable amount of money, elephants, and female dancers. Another war broke out in 1443-44. Firishta holds Devaraya responsible for this war. He particularly refers to the recruitment of Muslim archers and cavalry to strengthen his military and conquer the Bahmani kingdom.
However, the contemporary Persian ambassador Abdur Razzak who visited Calicut in 1443 attributes the war to the desire of the Sultan to take advantage of the difficulties of the Raya and take possession of his territories. Abdur Razzak was an eye witness of the conspiracy by one of the brothers of the Raya to capture the throne after killing him.
He invited the king, the nobles and other important officers to a feast in his palace and got them beheaded. The king, however, did not accept the invitation due to indisposition. The brother visited the royal palace on the pretext of persuading him to join the feast and finding him alone stabbed him.
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The Raya miraculously escaped death and the traitor was killed by the people. But he was able to kill the entire flower of the army and the court which naturally weakened the state. Taking advantage of this situation, the Bahmani king demanded huge payment of seven lakhs of varahas from the Raya.
On the latter’s refusal, war broke out. In the first battle Devaraya was victorious while in the third Devaraya lost his son, but he still held on to fort of Mudgal and the Sultan had to withdraw. Even it is doubtful, if Devaraya lost his son in the war.