Throughout his reign, Deva Raya was continually at war with the Velamas of Golconda, the Bahmani Sultan of
Gulbarga, the Reddis of Kondavidu, and the traditional rivals of Vijayanagara, the Gajapatis of Kalinga. Deva Raya I was capable of managing the vast territory that he controlled by employing skilled archers of the Turkic clan and raised the fighting capacity of his bowmen. Following a confusion in the Reddi kingdom, Deva Raya I entered into an alliance with Warangal for partitioning the Reddi kingdom between them. The split of Warangal changed the balance of power in the Deccan. In c.1420, Firoz Shah invaded Pangal but the two-year siege at Pangal ended in disease and disaster for Firoz Shah's armies. Deva Raya inflicted a shattering defeat on Firoz Shah. Deva Raya's army massacred Firoz Shah's troops and created a great platform with their heads upon the field of battle. Firoz was followed deep into his own territory, which was completely devastated by the rampaging Hindu army under Deva Raya I. The Hindu army destroyed many mosques and holy places belonging to the Islamic community, and committed great carnages on the civilian Muslim population. The Sultan had to hand over the southern and eastern districts of his kingdom to Deva Raya I to secure peace. Consequently, by c.1422, Deva Raya I came to control territory up to the
Krishna River -
Tungabhadra River doab including Pangal In the following days, the distressed Sultan died after leading a life of piety after abdicating power to his brother Ahmad. Unable to accept this turnaround, the Gajapati Emperor Bhanudeva of Odisha invaded Rajamahendri. When a war with Vijayanagara seemed imminent, some skilful diplomacy by Vijayanagara chief Dodda Alla averted it. Deva Raya was to be succeeded by his sons
Ramachandra Raya and shortly thereafter by
Vijaya Raya. ==Ferishta's account==