After the retreat of Mahomed Ghoory, the allied rajas continued their march to Bituhnda, which they besieged for one year and one month, and at last were obliged to grant favourable terms to the garrison. Mahomed remained a few months with his brother at Ghoor, who still retained the title of king, and then returning to Ghizny, spent the en­suing year in pleasure and festivity. At length, having recruited an army, consisting of 120,000 chosen horse, composed of Toorks, Tajeeks, and Afghans, many of whom had their helmets orna­mented with jewels, and their armour inlaid with silver and gold, he marched from Ghizny towards India, without disclosing his intentions.

When he had advanced as far as Pishawur, an old sage of Ghoor, prostrating himself before him, said,—“O King, we trust in thy conduct and “wisdom, but as yet thy design has been a subject “of much speculation among us.” Mahomed Ghoory replied,—“Know, old man, that since “the time of my defeat in Hindoostan, notwith-“standing external appearances, I have never “slumbered in ease, or waked, but in sorrow and “anxiety. I have, therefore, determined, with “this army, to recover my lost honour from those “idolaters, or die in the attempt.” The sage, kissing the ground, said,—“Victory and triumph “be thy attendants, and fortune be the guide of “thy paths. But, O King, let the petition of “thy slave find favour in thy ears, and let those “chiefs you have so justly disgraced be permitted “to take the same opportunity of wiping away the “stain on their character.” The prince listened to his request, and sent an order to Ghizny to re­lease the disgraced officers from confinement, com­manding such of them as were desirous of recover­ing their character to attend him. They all accord­ingly joined the camp, and each received a robe of honour, according to his rank. The next day, the royal standard was put in motion, and the army advanced to Mooltan, where Mahomed conferred titles and offices on all who had been firm to his interest. He then proceeded to Lahore, from whence he despatched Kowam-ool-Moolk Humzvy, one of his principal chiefs, ambassador to Ajmeer, with a declaration of war, should the Indians refuse to embrace the true faith.

Pithow Ray sent a haughty answer, and imme­diately wrote for succours to all the neighbouring princes. Nor did his allies refuse their aid, so that he was soon enabled to meet Mahomed Ghoory with an army, consisting (according to the most authentic accounts) of 300,000 horse, besides above 3000 elephants, and a body of infantry. The Hin-doos waited to receive the Mahomedans on the former field of battle. The two armies encamped in sight of each other, with the river Soorsutty between them.

The Rajpoot princes, * to the number of 150, had assembled in this vast camp, having sworn by the water of the Ganges, that they would conquer their enemies, or die martyrs to their faith. They then wrote a letter to Mahomed in these terms:— “To the bravery of our soldiers we know you are “no stranger; and to our great superiority in “number, which daily increases, your eyes bear “testimony. If you are wearied of your own exist-“ence, yet have pity upon your troops, who may “still think it a happiness to live. It were better, “then, you should repent in time of the rash re-“solution you have taken, and we shall permit you “to retreat in safety; but if you have determined “to brave your evil destiny, we have sworn by “our gods to advance upon you with our rank-“breaking elephants, our plain-trampling horses, “and blood-thirsting soldiers, early in the morning, “to crush the army which your ambition has led “to ruin.”

Mahomed returned them this politic answer:— “I have marched into India at the command of “my brother, whose general only I am. Both “honour and duty bind me to exert myself to the “utmost in his service; I cannot retreat, therefore, “without orders; but I shall be glad to obtain a “truce till he is informed of the situation of “affairs, and till I have received his answer.” This letter produced the intended effect; for the enemy conceiving that Mahomed was intimidated, spent the night in riot and revelry, while he was preparing to surprise them. He accordingly forded the river a little before the dawn of the morning, drew up his army on the sands, and had entered part of the Indian camp before the alarm was spread. Notwithstanding the confusion which naturally ensued on this occasion, the Hindoo line was of such extent that they had sufficient time to draw out their cavalry, which served to check the approach of the Mahomedans, until they themselves were able to advance, which they did with great resolution and some order, in four lines.

Mahomed Ghoory, on seeing this, ordered his troops to halt, and commanded his army, com­posed of four divisions, to charge in succes­sion on the centre, and to renew the attack by turns, wheeling to the rear after they had dis­charged their arrows. If hard pressed, they had orders to give ground gradually as the enemy advanced with their elephants. In this manner he fought, retreating in good order till sun-set, when, thinking he had sufficiently worn out the enemy and deluded them with a hope of victory, he put himself at the head of 12,000 of his best horse, whose riders were covered with steel armour, and making one desperate charge, carried death and destruction throughout the Hindoo ranks. The disorder increased every where, till at length the panic became general. The Moslems, as if they now only began to be in earnest, committed such havoc, that this prodigious army once shaken, like a great building tottered to its fall, and was lost in its own ruins.

Chawund Ray, King of Dehly, and many other princes, were slain on the field, while Pithow Ray, * King of Ajmeer, being taken in the neighbourhood of the Soorsutty, was afterwards put to death. The whole of the camp-equipage, and wealth of the several princes, fell into the hands of the con­querors; and the forts of Soorsutty, Samana, Koh-ram, and Hansy, surrendered after the victory. Mahomed Ghoory in person went to Ajmeer, of which he also took possession, after having put some thousands of the inhabitants, who opposed him, to the sword, reserving the rest for slavery. Afterwards, on a promise of a punctual payment of a large tribute, he delivered over the country of Ajmeer to the Gola, or natural son, of Pithow Ray. He now turned his arms towards Dehly; but was prevailed on by the new king, with great presents, not to prosecute the war further. On this occasion he left his faithful slave and friend, Mullik Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, in the town of Kohram, with a considerable detachment, and marched himself with the body of his army towards the mountains of Sewalik, which lie to the north of India, destroying and plundering the countries on his retreat towards Ghizny. After the return of Mahomed Ghoory, his General, Mullik Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, took the fort of Merut and the city of Dehly from the family of Chawund Ray; and it is owing to this circumstance that foreign nations say, “The empire of Dehly was founded by a

A. H. 589.
A. D. 1193.

“slave.” In the year 589 he also took the fort of Kole; and making Dehly the seat of his government, established him­self there, and compelled all the districts around to acknowledge the faith of Islam.

Mahomed Ghoory, in the mean time returning from Ghizny, marched towards Kunowj, and engaged Jye-chund Ray, the Prince of Kunowj and Benares, who was at the head of a numerous army of horse, besides upwards of 300 elephants. This prince led his forces into the field, between Chundwar and Etawa, where he sustained a signal defeat from the vanguard of the Ghiznevide army, led by Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, and lost the whole of his baggage and elephants. Mahomed Ghoory then marched to the fort of Asny, where Jye-chund Ray had laid up his treasure, which in a few days he also took, and found there gold, silver, and precious stones, to a large amount. He marched from thence to Benares, where, having broken the idols in above 1000 temples, he purified and consecrated the latter to the worship of the true God. From thence he re­turned to the fort of Kole, where he confirmed Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk in the vice-regency of India. After this, the King's army, laden with treasure, took the route of Ghizny.

Meanwhile, one of the relations of Pithow Ray, whose name was Hemraj, expelled the Gola, or natural son, of Pithow Ray, from Ajmeer. The latter had immediate recourse for assistance to Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, who accordingly marched,

A. H. 591.
A. D. 1194.

in the year 591, from Dehly, against Hemraj. This prince gave the Ma-homedans battle, in which he lost both the victory and his life. Kootb-ood-Deen, after this event, appointed a governor of his own faith to control the Raja, and led his army to Nehrwala, the capital of the province of Guzerat, where, having defeated Bheem Dew, he took ample revenge for the overthrow formerly sustained by his master. He remained some time plunder­ing that rich country, but was recalled by orders from Ghizny, and commanded to repair instantly to Dehly.