During his absence, Dowlut Khan Lody found
means to seize his son, Dilawur Khan, who
had betrayed him, and put him in chains; he then
marched to Depalpoor, and attacked the Prince
Alla-ood-Deen Lody, brother of the King Ibrahim
Lody, and defeating him, occupied his country.
Alla-ood-Deen fled to Kabul, and Baba Kushka,
the Mogul general, retreated to Lahore. Dowlut
Khan Lody now sent 5000 Afghans to recover Seal-
Meanwhile Ibrahim Lody, King of Dehly,
proceeded against Dowlut Khan and his son;
but such was the influence of these officers,
that they contrived to sow dissensions in the
King's camp at Bejwara, and gained over a part
of the troops: the remainder were compelled to
return to Ibrahim Lody without risking a battle.
Alla-ood-Deen Lody, who, having lost Depal-
Alla-ood-Deen, with the aid of Dowlut Khan
and his son, Ghazy Khan, accordingly marched
to Dehly, and invested that city with 40,000
horse. His brother, the King Ibrahim Lody,
advanced to oppose him from Agra, where his
army was surprised in the night, and dispersed;
but owing to the irregular conduct of the troops
of Alla-ood-Deen after the action, they were
attacked again by Ibrahim Lody, and defeated.
Alla-ood-Deen retreated in great distress to Pun-
Suffur 1.
A. H. 932.
Nov. 15.
A. D. 1525.
1st of Suffur of the year 932, marched the fifth time towards Hindoostan. He was joined on this occasion by his son Hoomayoon from Budukhshan, and Khwaja Kullan from Ghizny. On the route to Lahore he amused himself by hunting rhinoceroses, with which that country abounded; and thus had an opportunity of putting the personal courage of most of his chiefs to trial. Many of those animals were killed, and some taken alive.
Rubbee-ool-
Awul 1.
A. H. 932.
Dec. 15.
A. D. 1525.
On the 1st of Rubbee-ool-Awul,
Babur crossed the Indus, and having
mustered his army on the banks of
that river, he found it to consist of
only 10,000 chosen horse. Proceeding
thence across the Behut, he advanced to Sealkote,
where he was met by Alla-ood-Deen Lody, as also
by Mahomed Ally, governor of Kulanore, and
Khwaja Hoossein, collector of the revenues.
Dowlut Khan and his son, Ghazy Khan Lody,
who considered themselves in the service of the
King Ibrahim, were at this time encamped on the
banks of the Ravy, near Lahore, with an army of
40,000 men; but on Babur's approach they retreated,
Dowlut Khan to the fort of Mulwut, and
Ghazy Khan to the hills. Babur having invested
Mulwut, it capitulated after a few days; and
Dowlut Khan, who had some days before put on
two swords, and boasted of the manner in which
he would treat Babur, was ordered to appear with
those two swords slung round his neck. Notwithstanding
his conduct, the King subsequently
forgave him, and took him into favour. When
the gates of Mulwut were opened, the troops,
eager to plunder, rushed in without orders. Babur
was provoked at their conduct; and mounting his
horse, galloped in among them, and was under the
necessity of using violence to prevent outrage.
On the spur of the moment he killed by accident
an officer of rank, of his son Hoomayoon's retinue,
with an arrow; and though he lamented the circumstance,
it is certain his presence alone saved
the honour of Dowlut Khan's family. Babur preserved,
by his exertions on this occasion, a fine
library collected by Ghazy Khan, who was a poet,
and a man of learning.
*
On the following day he
went in pursuit of Ghazy Khan; when Dilawur
Khan, the son of Dowlut Khan, who had been confined
by his father and brother, found means to
escape, and was honourably received by Babur.
Ghazy Khan was subsequently overtaken and defeated;
and being followed very closely, was induced
to join Ibrahim Lody at Dehly. Dowlut Khan
Lody died shortly afterwards.
Babur, being fully satisfied of the dissensions
which prevailed among the Afghan chiefs, determined
to delay no longer his attack on Dehly; a
measure to which he was invited by letters received
from time to time from a few of the malecon-
Babur arrived within two stages of Shahabad when he received intelligence that Ibrahim Lody had marched out of Dehly, and that Dawood Khan and Hatim Khan, forming his vanguard, were prepared with 27,000 horse to oppose his progress, six or eight miles in advance. Babur accordingly detached Cheen Teimoor Sooltan, Mehdy Khwaja, Mahomed Sooltan, Mirza Adil, and Sooltan Mirza, with all the troops of the left wing, together with the troops of Jooneid Birlas, and Shah Hussun Birlas to meet the enemy. They encountered Dawood Khan the next morning at sunrise, and, after an obstinate conflict, put his army to flight, Hatim Khan having fallen in the pursuit. The victors took seven elephants, and a number of prisoners, whom they brought into camp; and in order to inspire terror, Babur caused them to be put to death. The main army under Babur, having arrived on the field of battle, encamped there for six days, during which he ordered his park of artillery to be linked together with leathern ropes made of raw hides, according to the practice of the armies of Asia Minor.
Ibrahim Lody's army consisted of 100,000 horse, and 100 elephants; and although that of Babur did not exceed 12,000 men, he made an attempt with 5000 horse to surprise the Indian camp by night; but finding the enemy on the alert, the enterprise failed. This circumstance encouraged Ibrahim Lody to bring on a general action, and he accordingly marched next morning to Paniput. Babur at the same time also advanced to within twelve miles of Ibrahim Lody's encamp-
Rujub 10.
A. H. 932.
April 20.
A. D. 1526.
ment. On the day after, being the
10th of Rujub, the two armies came in
sight of each other. Babur divided his
troops into two lines, composed of four
divisions, with a reserve in the rear of each, and
a few light horse to skirmish in front. In the
first division on the right, commanded by Prince
Hoomayoon, were Khwaja Kullan, Sooltan Maho-