Palamu Fort is in Latehar district of Jharkhand in India. It is worth mentioning here that Latehar district was carved out of old Palamu district. Palamau was a state which found mention even in the Alamgirnama. It was the seat of the Chero Raja. It was in fact a village with the name of Palamu where the fort was built. It was fairly well populated with many bazars and protected by two strong Forts, one on the summit of neighbouring hill, the other on the plain. There are two extensive forts of bricks and stones. The walls, which are in fair preservation, are about 5 feet in thickness, and that the old fort bears marks of canon balls and bullets in many places. There is a gate leading to the old fort, a court room, a temple and Zanana quarters of the Raja. There are also two deep but silted up wells in the old fort. The stone gate ‘The Nagpuri gate’ in the new fort was extensively and beautifully carved. There is a round room, in which a well had been dug to provide a supply of drinking water incase of a siege of the fort. The Auranga river flows close by. There are high hills and dense forests all around. On the frontier, there were three great Forts - Kothi, Kunda and Devagan. Daud khan proceeded to invade this fort from Patna with a strong force on April 3, 1660. He reached Kothi, 6 miles south of Imamganj in the south of Gaya district on May 5, only to find that enemy had abandoned it. He than moved on to Kunda, a strong hill fort, 14 miles south - south east, but this short distance took his army just a month to traverse. He set his army to clear the jungle and make a road. On June 3, he reached Kunda and found that this fort was also abandoned. He completely razed the fort to the ground. On October 25, at the end of the rains, the army 6,400 strong, resumed its march. In nine days the army had only advanced twenty miles, reaching Lohersi near Amanat river on November 3. Here some time was spent in fruitless negotiations but by December 9, Daud khan had penetrated within two miles of Palamu. The Cheroes, advancing from the forts , then threw up entrenchments and prepared to make a final stand. Daud khan then offered the Chero Raja the final terms of the Emperor, viz. that he should submit, embrace Islam and hold his state as a tributary chief. However, impatient captains of Daud Khan attacked on December 17 even before they could get any reply. Daud Khan, hearing of the engagement, pushed forward with the rest of his force, threw up entrenchments within the enemy's fire, and commenced a bombardment, which lasted till sunset and put an end to the fighting. In the night, the Cheros brought two large canons from the fort, and mounting them on their bastions completely dominated Daud Khans trenches which were on a lower level. However, Daud Khan's army spotted a hill overlooking enemy's position and dragged their guns up the hill, opened fire and quickly silenced the Chero's army. The fighting lasted three days. The Cheros retreated to the banks of the river. After two or three days Daud again ordered a general to advance. After a stubborn fight of six hours the Cheros fled into the fort. Daud's army rushed to the river and crossed it, and attacked the fortifications which surrounded the town at the foot of the fort. The Cheros withdrew to the higher fort, where the Raja, who had sent his whole family and valuables away to the jungles, continued the defence. However, at the end, the Raja fled to the jungle and the whole fort was occupied by Daud’s army. The Cheros succeed in maintaining the fort of Devgan for some time longer. However, they were quickly expelled by a force sent by Daud khan. After some time Daud left Palamu after making Mankali Khan, a Fauzdar, in charge of the state. He was later removed in 1666 and Palamau was placed under the direct control of the Viceroy of Bihar, Lasker khan, the new Bihar Governor. Since 1666 came under the direct control of the Viceroy of the Emperor in Bihar. There is a controvery regarding this history which the present administration puts like this in their official website - "Muslim historians have made an error in supposing that these invasions were in the time of Pratap Ray Instead of Anant Ray. Bradley –Birt also followed the foot steps of the Muslim historians, as he had also mentioned Pratap Ray and not Anant Ray. The error was due to the fact that Pratap Ray took the leading part in opposing the imperial forces and in offering the Peshkash (tribute). During the Muslim rule was there was practically no interference. There were only some occasional risings. Bhupal Ray came to the throne in 1661 only for four months. Many historians have missed him. Nothing untoward appears to have occurred during his short reign."