“On the southern border of Hindústán, Ráí Mahlak Deo, of Málwa, and Koká, his Pardhán, who had under their command a select body of thirty or forty thousand cavalry, and infantry without number, boasting of their large force, had rubbed their eyes with the antimony of pride, and, according to the verse, ‘When fate decrees the sight is blinded,’ had forsaken the path of obedience. A select army of royal troops was appointed, and suddenly fell on those blind and bewildered men. Victory itself preceded them, and had her eyes fixed upon the road to see when the triumphant army would arrive. Until the dust of the army of Islám arose, the vision of their eyes was closed. The blows of the sword then descended upon them, their heads were cut off, and the earth was moistened with Hindú blood.”
The accursed Koká, also, was slain, and his head was sent to the Sultán. His confidential chamberlain, 'Ainu-l Mulk, was appointed to the Government of Málwa, and directed to expel Mahlak Deo from Mándú, “and to cleanse that old Gabristán from the odour of infidelity.” A spy showed him a way secretly into the fort, and he advanced upon Mahlak Deo “before even his household gods were aware of it.” The Ráí was slain while attempting to fly. This event occurred on Thursday, the 5th of Jumáda-l awwal, A.H. 705* (Nov. 1305 A.D.). 'Ainu-l Mulk sent a chamberlain to the Sultán with a despatch announcing this event. The Sultán returned thanks to God for the victory, and added Mándú to the Government of 'Ainu-l Mulk.
On Monday, the 8th Jumáda-s sání, A.H. 702, the loud drums proclaimed the royal march from Dehli, undertaken with a view to the capture of Chitor. The author accompanied the expedition. The fort was taken on Monday, the 11th of Muharram, A.H. 703 (August, 1303 A.D.). The Ráí fled, but afterwards surrendered himself, “and was secured against the lightning of the scimetar. The Hindús say that lightning falls wherever there is a brazen vessel, and the face of the Ráí had become as yellow as one, through the effect of fear.”
After ordering a massacre of thirty thousand Hindús, he bestowed the Government of Chitor upon his son, Khizr Khán, and named the place Khizrábád. He bestowed on him a red canopy, a robe embroidered with gold, and two standards—one green, and the other black—and threw upon him rubies and emeralds. He then returned towards Dehli. “Praise be to God! that he so ordered the massacre of all the chiefs of Hind out of the pale of Islám, by his infidel-smiting sword, that if in this time it should by chance happen that a schismatic should claim his right, the pure Sunnis would swear in the name of this Khalífa of God, that heterodoxy has no rights.”
Ráí Rám Deo, of Deogír, having swerved from his allegiance, an expedition of thirty-thousand horse was fitted out against him, and Malik Náib Bárbak* was appointed to the command. “He accomplished with ease a march of three hundred parasangs over stones and hills, without drawing rein,” “and arrived there on Saturday, the 19th of Ramazán, A.H. 706 (March, 1307 A.D.). The son of the Ráí fled at once, and most of the army of the Hindús was sent to hell by the spears and arrows. Half of the rest fled away, and the other half received quarter.”
After the victory, the general ordered that the soldiers should retain the booty they had acquired, with the exception of horses, elephants, and treasure, which were to be reserved for the king. The Ráí was taken prisoner and sent to the king, by whom he was detained for six months, and then released with all honour, and a red umbrella was bestowed upon him.
On Wednesday, the 13th of Muharram, A.H. 708 (July, 1308 A.D.), the king set out on his expedition against Siwána, “a fort situated on an eminence, one hundred parasangs from Dehli, and surrounded by a forest occupied by wild men, who committed highway robberies. Sutal Deo, a Gabr, sat on the summit of the hill-fort, like the Simurgh upon Caucasus, and several thousand other Gabrs, were also present, like so many mountain vultures.” “The Western mangonels were placed under the orders of Malik Kamálu-d dín Garg (the wolf);
“For in slaying lions he excelled
As much as the wolf in killing sheep.”
Some of the garrison, in attempting to escape to the jungles, were pursued and killed. “On Tuesday, the 23rd of Rabí'u-l awwal, Sutal Deo, the Savage, was slain. When the affair with those savages was brought to completion, the great king left Malik Kamálu-d dín Garg, to hunt the hogs of that desert,” and he himself returned to Dehli.
On the 25th of Jumáda-l awwal, A.H. 709, Malik Náib Káfúr, the minister, was despatched on an expedition to Tilang, and “accompanied by the royal red canopy, through the kindness of the Sun of Sultáns, he departed towards the sea and Ma'bar.” “The army marched stage by stage for nine days, when the lucky star of the chief of Wazírs, at a fortunate moment, arrived at Mas'údpúr, so called after the son of King Mas'úd. There the army halted for two days, and, on the 6th of the second Jumád, he took his departure with all the chiefs.” The difficulties of the road described, through hills and ravines and forests. “The obedient army went through this inhospitable tract, file after file, and regarded this dreadful wilderness as the razor-bridge of hell.
“In six days the army crossed five rivers, the Jún, the
Chambal, the Kunwárí, the Niyás,*
and Bahújí, which were
all crossed by fords, and arrived at Sultánpúr, commonly called
Írijpúr, where the army halted four days.” “After thirteen
days, on the first of the month of Rajab, they arrived at Khan-
“The army again advanced, and, like a raging deluge, passed through torrents and water courses—now up, now down. Every day it arrived at a new river.” “There were means of crossing all the rivers, but the Nerbadda was such that you might say it was a remnant of the universal deluge. As the miraculous power of the saintly Sultán accompanied the army, all the whirlpools and depths became of themselves immediately dry on the arrival of the army, and the Musulmáns passed over with ease, so that in the space of eight days after crossing that Tigris they arrived at Nílkanth.” “As Nílkanth was on the borders of Deogír, and included in the country of the Ráí Ráyán, Rám Deo, the minister, acting under the orders of his Majesty, directed that it should be secured against being plundered by the army, which was as destructive as ants and locusts. No one, therefore, was able to carry off doors, enclosures, dwellings, and grain stores, or to cut down the growing crops. The drums which sounded to march were detained here two days, while enquiries were made about the stages in advance, and on Tuesday, the 26th of Rajab, the army again moved forward.”
The difficulties of the next sixteen marches described.—Stones,
hills, streams, ravines, and pathways “narrower than a guitar-