I now return to my narrative of the events of Jalálu-d dín's reign. In the year 689 H. (1290 A.D.), the Sultán led an army to Rantambhor. Khán-i Jahán his eldest son was then dead, and he appointed his second son Arkalí Khán to be his vicegerent at Kílu-gharí in his absence. He took the * of Jháín, destroyed the idol temples, and broke and burned the idols. He plundered Jháín and Málwa, and obtained great booty, after which his army rested. The Ráí of Rantambhor, with his Ráwats and followers, together with their wives and children, all took refuge in the fort of Rantambhor. The Sultán wished to invest and take the fort. He ordered manjaníks* to be erected, tunnels (sábát) to be sunk, and redoubts (gargach) to be constructed, and the siege to be pressed. He arrived from Jháín, carefully reconnoitred the fort, and on the same day returned to Jháín. Next day he called together his ministers and officers, and said that he had intended to invest the fort, to bring up another army, and to levy forces from Hindustán. But after reconnoitring the fort, he found that it could not be taken without sacrificing the lives of many Musulmáns * * * and that he did not value the fort so much as the hair of one Musulmán. If he took the place and plundered it after the fall of many Muhammadans, the widows and orphans of the slain would stand before him and turn its spoils into bitterness. So he raised the siege, and next day departed for Dehlí. When he announced his intention of retreating, Ahmad Chap protested and said. * * * * The Sultán replied at length. * * * He concluded by saying “I am an old man. I have reached the age of eighty years, and ought to prepare for death. My only concern should be with matters that may be beneficial after my decease.” * * *

In the year 691 H. (1292 A.D.), 'Abdu-llah, grandson of the accursed Halú (Hulákú), invaded Hindustán with fifteen tumáns of Mughals (150,000!). The Sultán assembled his forces, and marched from Dehlí to meet them, with a large and splendid army. When he reached Bar-rám,* the outposts of the Mughals were descried, and the two armies drew up in face of each other with a river between them. Some few days were passed in arraying their forces, and the advanced parties of the opposing forces had several skirmishes in which the Musulmáns were victorious, and made some prisoners, who were conducted to the Sultán. Shortly after the van of the Mughal army crossed the river. The van of the Musulmáns hastened to meet them, and a sharp conflict ensued, in which the Musulmán forces were victorious. Many Mughals were put to the sword, and one or two commanders of thousands, and several centurious were made prisoners. Negotiations followed, and it was agreed that war was a great evil, and that hostilities should cease. The Sultán and 'Abdu-llah, grandson of Halú the accursed, had an interview. The Sultán called him son, and he addressed the Sultán as father. Presents were exchanged, and after hostilities had ceased, buying and selling went on between the two armies. 'Abdu-llah departed with the Mughal army, but Ulghú, grandson of Changíz Khán, the accursed, with several nobles, commanders of thousands and centurions, resolved to stay in India. They said the creed and became Muhammadans, and a daughter of the Sultán was given in marriage to Ulghú. The Mughals who followed Ulghú, were brought into the city with their wives and children. Provision was made for their support, and houses were provided for them in Kílú-gharí, Ghiyáspur, Indarpat, and Talúka. Their abodes were called Mughalpúr. The Sultán continued their allowances for a year or two, but the climate and their city homes did not please them, so they departed with their families to their own country. Some of their principal men remained in India, and received allowances and villages. They mixed with and formed alliances with the Musulmáns, and were called “New Musulmáns.”

Towards the end of the year, the Sultán went to Mandúr, re­duced it to subjection, plundered the neighbourhood, and returned home. Afterwards he marched a second time to Jháín, and after once more plundering the country, he returned in triumph.

'Aláu-d dín at this time held the territory of Karra, and with permission of the Sultán he marched to Bhailasán (Bhílsa). He captured some bronze idols which the Hindus worshipped, and sent them on cars with a variety of rich booty as presents to the Sultán. The idols were laid down before the Badáún gate for true believers to tread upon. 'Aláu-d dín, nephew and son in-law of the Sultán, had been brought up by him. After sending the spoils of Bhailasán to the Sultán, he was made 'Ariz-i mamálik, and received the territory of Oudh in addition to that of Karra. When 'Aláu-d dín went to Bhailasán (Bhílsa), he heard much of the wealth and elephants of Deogír. He in­quired about the approaches to that place, and resolved upon marching thither from Karra with a large force, but without informing the Sultán. He proceeded to Dehlí and found the Sultán more kind and generous than ever. He asked for some delay in the payment of the tribute for his territories of Karra and Oudh, saying that he had heard there were countries about Chanderí where peace and security reigned, and where no appre­hension of the forces of Dehlí was felt. If the Sultán would grant him permission he would march thither, and would acquire great spoil, which he would pay into the royal exchequer, together with the revenues of his territories. The Sultán, in the innocence and trust of his heart, thought that 'Aláu-d dín was so troubled by his wife and mother-in-law that he wanted to conquer some country wherein he might stay and never return home. In the hope of receiving a rich booty, the Sultán granted the required permission, and postponed the time for the payment of the revenues of Karra and Oudh.

'Aláu-d dín was on bad terms with his mother in law, Malika-i Jahán, wife of the Sultán, and with his wife, the daughter of the Sultán. He was afraid of the intrigues of the Malika-i Jahán, who had a great ascendancy over her father. He was averse to bringing the disobedience of his wife before the Sultán, and he could not brook the disgrace which would arise from his deroga­tory position being made public. It greatly distressed him, and he often consulted with his intimates at Karra about going out into the world to make a position for himself. When he made the campaign to Bhailasán, he heard much about the wealth of Deogír. * * * He collected three or four thousand horse, and two thousand infantry, whom he fitted out from the revenues of Karra, which had been remitted for a time by the Sultán, and with this force he marched for Deogír. Though he had secretly resolved upon attacking Deogír, he studiously concealed the fact, and represented that he intended to attack Chanderí. Malik 'Aláu-l mulk, uncle of the author, and one of the favoured followers of 'Aláu-d dín, was made deputy of Karra and Oudh in his absence.

'Alau-d dín marched to Elichpur, and thence to Ghati-lájaura. Here all intelligence of him was lost. Accounts were sent regularly from Karra to the Sultán with vague state­ments, * saying that he was engaged in chastising and plundering rebels, and that circumstantial accounts would be forwarded in a day or two. The Sultán never suspected him of any evil designs, and the great men and wise men of the city thought that the dissensions with his wife had driven him to seek his fortune in a distant land. This opinion soon spread. When 'Aláu-d dín arrived at Ghati-lájaura, the army of Rám-deo, under the command of his son, had gone to a distance. The people of that country had never heard of the Musulmáns; the Mahratta land had never been punished by their armies; no Musulmán king or prince had penetrated so far. Deogír was exceedingly rich in gold and silver, jewels and pearls, and other valuables. When Rám-deo heard of the approach of the Mu-hammadans, he collected what forces he could, and sent them under one of his ránas to Ghati-lájaura. They were defeated and dispersed by 'Aláu-d dín, who then entered Deogír. On the first day he took thirty elephants and some thousand horses. Rám deo came in and made his submission. 'Aláu-d dín carried off an unprecedented amount of booty. * * *