The rebellion of Tughril was a sore trouble to Balban, for the rebel had been one of his cherished slaves (banda). In his anger and sorrow he lost his rest and appetite; and as the news of Tughril's introducing his name into the khutba, his striking of coins, and his largesses reached Dehli, he became more and more incensed. He was so engrossed with this rebellion that no other business received any attention; night and day he was on the alert for further news about it. At first he sent against the rebel Abtagín, “the long haired,” who was known as Amír Khán. This chief was an old slave of Balban; he had re­ceived his training among military men, and had for many years held the fief of Oudh. He was named Commander-in-chief, and along with him were sent Tamar Khán Shamsí, Malik Táju-d dín, son of Katlagh Khán Shamsí, and other nobles of Hindustán.

Amír Khán, with the army of Hindustán, crossed the Saráú,* and marched towards Lakhnautí; and Tughril, with a large force numbering many elephants, advanced to meet him. The two armies came in sight of each other, and a number of people as­sembled to support the traitor Tughril. His profuse liberality had induced many of the inhabitants of that country to assist him, and had won over also a large number of the troops sent from Dehli against him. He attacked Amír Khán and defeated him. The troops of Dehli fled, and were cruelly treated by the Hindús. The victorious troops of Tughril pursued, and many of the de­feated force, being poor and greedy, and unmindful of the Sultán's chastisement, deserted the army of Amír Khán, and joined Tughril. When the news of this defeat reached the Sultán, his rage and shame increased a hundred-fold. All fear of the anger of God left his bosom, and he gave way to needless severity. He ordered Amír Khán to be hanged over the gate of Oudh. This condign punishment excited a strong feeling of opposition among the wise men of the day, who looked upon it as a token that the reign of Balban was drawing to an end.

Next year the Sultán sent another army against Lakhnautí, under a new commander. The defeat of Amír Khán had made Tughril bolder, and his power and state had greatly increased. He marched out of Lakhnautí, attacked the army of Dehli, and totally defeated it. Many of this force also deserted to Tughril, allured by his gold. The news of this second defeat over­whelmed the Sultán with shame and anger, his life was em­bittered, and he devoted all his attention and energy to effect the defeat of Tughril. He resolved to march against the rebel in person, and ordered a large number of boats to be collected on the Ganges and the Jumna. He then set forth, as if for a hunting excursion to Sámána and Sannám (the fiefs of his son Bughrá Khán), and, dividing these districts, he placed them under the charge of the chiefs and troops of those districts. Malik Súnj Sarjándár was made Náíb of Sámána, and commander of its forces. Bughrá Khán was directed to collect his own forces, and to follow in the rear of his father's army. The Sultán then left Sámána, and, proceeding into the Doáb, he crossed the Ganges, and took his course to Lakhnautí. He wrote to his son at Multán, directing him to be careful of his country, and to give a good account of the Mughals, adding that he had placed the forces of Sámána at his disposal. The Sultán wrote also to Maliku-l umará Kotwál of Dehli, one of his most trusty ad­herents, appointing him to act as his lieutenant at Dehli during his absence, and placing the whole business of the State and the various officials under his charge. In announcing this appoint­ment the Sultán told him that he had marched against Tughril, and that he was fully resolved to pursue him, and never turn back until he had exacted vengeance.

The Sultán summoned all the forces of the neighbourhood where he was, and marched for Lakhnautí, his rage and shame causing him to disregard the rainy season. Proceeding into Oudh he ordered a general levy, and two lakhs of men of all classes were enrolled. An immense fleet of boats was collected, and in these he passed his army over the Saráú. The rains now came on, and although he had plenty of boats the passage through the low-lying country was difficult, and the army was delayed ten or twelve days, toiling through the water and mud, and the pour­ing rain. Meantime Tughril had received intelligence of the ad­vance of the Sultán. He then said to his friends and supporters, “If any one besides the Sultán had come against me, I would have faced him, and fought it out. But as the Sultán has left his duties at Dehli, and has come against me in person, I cannot withstand him.” When intelligence of the passage of the Saráú reached Tughril, he immediately prepared for flight, and as the Sultán's march was retarded by the rains he had plenty of time. Many people joined him through fear of the Sultán's vengeance; and he carried off with him treasure and elephants, a picked body of troops, his officers, relations, and adherents, with their wives and children. He also worked upon many people by holding out to them the terrors of the Sultán's vengeance, so that they collected their money and followed him. He took the road to Jájnagar, and halted at a dry place, one day's journey from Lakhnautí. Few persons of importance were left in the city, and the people were all well disposed to him, having the fear of the Sultán on the one hand, and the hope of Tughril's favour on the other. The Sultán was thirty or forty kos from Lakhnautí, and Tughril continued his march to Jájnagar. He deluded the people who accompanied him by telling them that he would stay for a time at Jájnagar, but that the Sultán would be unable to remain long at Lakhnautí. As soon as he should hear of the Sultán's departure they would plunder Jájnagar, and return rich and safe to Lakhnautí, for no one whom the Sultán could leave there would be able to oppose their return. On their approaching the place the Sultán's deputy would retire.

Several days were passed by the Sultán at Lakhnautí in arming and newly organizing his forces; but he set off with all possible speed towards Jájnagar in pursuit of the rebel. The author's maternal grandfather, Sipáh-sálár Hisámu-d dín, wakíl-dar of Malik Bár-bak, was made governor of Lakhnautí, with directions to send on to the army, three or four times every week, full particulars of the news which might arrive from Dehli. Balban marched with all speed, and in a few days arrived at Sunár-gánw. The Ráí of that place, by name Danúj Ráí, met the Sultán, and an agreement was made with him that he should guard against the escape of Tughril by water.