Malik Kafur

Malik Kafur
Born	Unknown
Died	1316 C.E.
Other names	Thousand Dinar Kafur
Occupation	General
Era	Medieval India

Malik Kafur (died 1316) was a prominent general of Alauddin Khilji. He was a handsome Hindu wrestler in Gujarat named Manik, but was captured and later converted to Islam. After being captured, he became the favourite of Alauddin Khilji. He led three campaigns in Southern India from 1294 to 1316 AD, and set the stage for the consequent arrival of the Madurai Sultanate.

Malik Kafur was a eunuch slave who became a general in the army of Alauddin Khilji, ruler of the Delhi Sultanate from 1296 to 1316 A.D. He was originally seized by Alauddin’s army after the army conquered the city of Khambhat. It is theorized that Alauddin Khilji fell in love with the effeminate beauty of Malik Kafur, castrated him and converted him to Islam. Kafur was also called "Thousand Dinar Kafur", probably the amount paid by sultan for his possession. The sultan allegedly had homosexual relation with Kafur.

Kafur quickly came to play an important role in the Khilji dynasty, and was consequently made a general, earning the title "Malik Naib" —an honorific title for a military commander as noted by Ziauddin Barani. In 1294, Kafur led the Sultan's army for attacking the capital city of the Yadava kingdom of Devagiri, which was ruled by Ramdeva. The king's son Sankardeva was slain in the battle. In 1305, Kafur defeated the Mongols at the Battle of Amroha.

Between 1309 and 1311 Malik Kafur has led two successful campaigns in South India. The first was against the Kakatiyas of Warangal and the second against the Hoysalas of Halebidu. Kafur defeated the Kakatiyas, winning an indemnity and making the Kakatiya a vassal of the Sultanate. The booty from Warangal included the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond. During the course of the attack on Halebid, he laid siege to the famous Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebidu and defeated Veera Ballala III.

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