Draft:Siege of Penukonda (1597)

Background
Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah Appointed Ali Khan Lur incharge of the Kondavidu Fort when Ali Khan reached the fort he found that Rai Rao the brahmin commander of the fort would not quit his charge instead of appealing to sultan to resolve the dispute Ali Khan sent appeals to Vijayanagar Emperor Venkatapati Raya for help the emperor sent his son in law Mekuri Timma to proceed to Kondavidu with three thousand cavalry and 50 war elephants. the Vijaynagar army first besieged Cumbum which lay on the way but they were beaten back by Golconda troops under Rai Rao. To punish Venkatapati Raya for aiding Ali Khan's rebellion the Golconda sultan lead an army along with Mir Jumla Amin-Ul-Mulk to the south to conquer the Vijayanagar Empire. Golconda Army conquered Musalimudugu,Gutti,Kurnool,Gandikota Forts without any resistance from Vijaynagar army. Golconda army then proceeded to Vijayanagar capital Penukonda and laid siege to it.

Siege
Venkatapati Raya Was not prepared for this sudden golconda invasion. he devised a plan and made a submission.Venkatapati Raya sent his minister goparaju timma and his general pappiah setti with an autographed Letter and costly presents to the camp of enemy. they approached Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah and persuaded him to agree to the armistice of three days preparatory to a permanent treaty. the sultan accepted the gifts and ordered his army to raise the siege. the sultan retired with his army from the vicinity of Penukonda. Venkatapati Raya Taking advantage of this filled the city as well as citadel with provisions sufficient enough to withstand a prolonged siege. on fourth day a strong force of consisting of four thousand musketeers and thirty thousand cavalry under Jaggadeva Raya, Gulranga Setti, Manup Raj, Pappiah Samywar, Raghunatha Nayaka of Thanjavur, Matli Ananta, Velugoti Kasturi Ranga, Velugoti Chennai and his son entered into the fort. Venkata now cast of all pretensions of submissions defied the Golconda Sultan. Sultan Quli's belated realization of his error came at a steep cost, as his futile attempt to renew the siege of Penugonda only deepened his predicament. While the Anonymous Historian sought to veil the Sultan's retreat under the guise of prudent strategy, the truth, illuminated by contemporary Hindu records, revealed a different narrative. The Siddhout inscription of Matli Ananta and the evidence from Raghunathābhyudayam painted a vivid picture of Vijaynagar triumph over the Golconda forces in the battle of Penugonda. Jaggadēva Raya emerged as a formidable figure, leading a courageous charge against the Qutub Shahi army, he defeated Murtuza Khan and Nuri Khan and put Saujata Khan to death. Thus, Sultan Quli's decision to lift the siege was not dictated by concerns of the impending rainy season but rather by the resounding defeat inflicted upon his army by the valiant defenders of Penukonda.

Aftermath
After facing a resolute defense from the garrison of Penukonda, the Golkonda army found itself in a hasty retreat, pursued relentlessly by the Vijaynagar forces. As recounted in the Ramarajiyamu, Venkatapati Raya, rallying his troops, embarked on a decisive campaign against Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. Venkatapati Raya led his army and engaged the Golconda army in a fateful encounter on the banks of the Pennar river. In this clash the Vijayanagar forces emerged victorious, securing their territory and repelling the incursion of the Golkonda army with success.