Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 23.2
History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 23.2
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23.2.1
Alla-ood-Deen was succeeded by his son Mullik Seif-ood-Deen, who on his accession released his two cousins from their confinement in Joorjistan, and again conferred on them the government of Sunja. In little more than a year, he commenced a war with the Ghiza Toorkmans, and on the day of battle fell by the hand of one of his own soldiers. He was succeeded by his eldest cousin, Gheias-ood-Deen, who appointed his brother, Moyiz-ood-Deen Mahomed Ghoory, his general. This illustrious captain, in the name of his brother, subdued Khorassan, and a great part of India; and Gheias-ood-Deen annexed those countries to his own dominions. His death happened, as will afterwards appear, in the year 599.
23.2.2
On the accession of Gheias-ood-Deen to the throne of Ghizny and Ghoor, he appointed his brother, Moyiz-ood-Deen Mahomed, governor of Tukeeabad: the latter continued from that period to make incursions upon Ghizny, which had reverted into the hands of some of the descendants of the house of Subooktugeen. In the year A. D. 1171, Gheias-ood-Deen marched in person against the officers of Sooltan Khoosrow Muilik, the last of the Ghiznevides, and recovered Ghizny from them. He gave the government to his brother Mahomed, who in the year A. D. 1176 led an army towards Mooltan, and having subdued that province, marched to Oocha. The Raja was besieged in his fort; but Mahomed Ghoory, finding it would be difficult to reduce the place, sent a private message to the Raja's wife, promising to marry her if she would deliver up her husband. The base woman returned for answer, that she was rather too old herself to think of matrimony; but that she had a beautiful and young daughter, whom if he would promise to espouse, and leave her in free possession of her wealth, she would in a few days remove the Raja. Mahomed Ghoory accepted the proposal; and this Princess, in a few days, found means to assassinate her husband, and to open the gates to the enemy.
23.2.3
Mahomed only partly performed his promise, by marrying the daughter, upon her embracing the true faith; but he made no scruple to depart from his engagements with the mother; for instead of trusting her with the country, he sent her to Ghizny, where she afterwards died of sorrow and disappointment. Nor did the daughter long survive, for in the space of two years she also fell a victim to grief. Mahomed Ghoory, having conferred the government of Mooltan and Oocha upon one Ally Kirmany, returned to Ghizny. In the year 574, he again marched to Oocha and Mooltan, and from thence continued his route through the sandy desert to Guzerat. The Prince Bhim-dew (a lineal descendant from Brahma Dew of Guzerat, who opposed Mahmood Ghiznevy,) advanced with an army to resist the Mahomedans, and defeated them with great slaughter. They suffered many hardships in their retreat, before they reached Ghizny.
23.2.4
In the year following, Mahomed Ghoory having recruited his forces, marched towards Pishawur, which in a short time was brought under subjection. He proceeded, in the course of the next year, towards Lahore, where he made war with Sooltan Khoosrow Mullik, the last of the Ghiznevides, who being reduced at that time, by wars both with the Indian princes and the Afghans, was unable to oppose him in the field. Mahomed Ghoory, finding he could not take Lahore by force, offered to treat with Khoosrow Mullik, who having gladly availed himself of the circumstance, gave his son Mullik Shah into his hands as an hostage for the performance of part of the treaty. Mahomed Ghoory now returned to Ghizny; but in the next year marched towards Deebul, in the province of Sind, and overran the whole country as far as the sea-coast, returning laden with rich spoil.
23.2.5
In the year 580, he again invaded Lahore, where Khoosrow Mullik, shutting himself up in the fort, as before, sustained a long siege, from which Mahomed was at length compelled to desist. In this expedition he repaired the fort of Sealkote, wherein he left a garrison to command the countries between the rivers Ravy and Chunab, placed by him under the government of Hoossein Firmully, while he himself retired to Ghizny. This fort, as we have before related, being successfully besieged, and taken by Khoosrow Mullik, occasioned the third expedition of Mahomed Ghoory to Lahore, of which he made himself master in the year 582, by the stratagem mentioned in the conclusion of the history of Ghizny. He sent Khoosrow Mullik and his family prisoners to his brother Sooltan Gheias-ood-deen at Feroozkooh, who confined them in a fort in Joorjistan, where they were some time after put to death, during the subsequent war with Khwaruzm Shah, and the dynasty of Ghizny then became wholly extinct. Mahomed Ghoory, having settled the province of Lahore, confided the government to Ally Kirmany, governor of Mooltan, and retired to Ghizny. In the year 587, he marched again to Hindoostan, and proceeding towards Ajmeere, he took the town of Bituhnda, where he left Mullik Zea-ood-Deen Tooluky with above a thousand chosen horse, and some foot to form its garrison.
23.2.6
While on his return, he heard that Pithow Ray, Raja of Ajmeer, with his brother Chawund Ray, the Raja of Dehly, in alliance with other Indian princes, were marching towards Bituhnda with two hundred thousand horse, and three thousand elephants. Mahomed Ghoory marched to the relief of his garrison; but passing beyond Bituhnda, he encountered the enemy at the village of Narain, now called Tirowry, on the banks of the Soorsutty, fourteen miles from Tahnesur, and eighty from Dehly, where he gave them battle. At the first onset his right and left wings, being out-flanked, fell back, till joining in the rear, his army formed a circle. Mahomed Ghoory was in person in the centre of his army, and being informed that both wings were defeated, was advised to provide for his own safety. Enraged at this counsel, he cut down the messenger, and rushing on towards the enemy, with a few followers, committed terrible slaughter. The eyes of Chawund Ray falling on him, he drove his elephant directly against Mahomed Ghoory, who perceiving his intention charged and delivered his lance full into the Raja's mouth, by which many of his teeth were knocked out. In the mean time the Raja of Dehly pierced the King through the right arm, with an arrow. He had almost fallen, when some of his chiefs advanced to his rescue.
23.2.7
This effort to save him gave an opportunity to one of his faithful servants to leap up behind Mahomed Ghoory, who, faint from loss of blood, had nearly fallen from his horse, but was carried triumphantly off the field though almost wholly deserted by his army, which was pursued by the enemy nearly forty miles. After this defeat, when he had recovered of his wound at Lahore, he appointed governors to the different provinces he possessed in India, and returned in person to Ghoor. At Ghoor, he disgraced all those officers who had deserted him in the battle, and compelled them to walk round the city with their horse's mouth-bags, filled with barley, hung about their necks; at the same time forcing them to eat the grain like brutes. The author of the Hubeeb-oos-Seer relates, contrary to all my other authorities, that when Mahomed was wounded, he fell from his horse, and lay upon the field among the slain till night And that in the dark, a party of his own body-guard returned to search for his body, and carried him off to his camp.
23.2.8
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, notwithstanding 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.
23.2.9
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 Rukn-ood-Deen Hunzy, one of his principal chiefs, ambassador to Ajmeer, with a declaration of war, should the Indians refuse to embrace the true faith.