Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 23.3
History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 23.3
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23.3.1
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 Hindoos 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 existence, 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 resolution 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."
23.3.2
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.
23.3.3
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 13,000 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, Kohram, and Hansy, surrendered after the victory.
23.3.4
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 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.
23.3.5
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.
23.3.6
Meanwhile, one of the relations of Pithow Ray, whose name was Hemraj, expelled the Gola, or natural son, of Pithow Ray, from Agmeer. The latter had immediate recourse for assistance to Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, who accordingly marched, in the year 591, from Dehly, against Hemraj. This prince gave the Mahomedans 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. In the following year, Mahomed Ghoory returned to Hindoostan, and proceeding to Byana took it; and having conferred the government on Baha-ood-Deen Toghri, commanded him to besiege Guahimself returning to settle some affairs at Ghizny. In the mean time, the strong fort of Gualiar fell after a long siege. Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, ambitious of extending his conquests, led his army into Rajpootana, where, having experienced a severe defeat, he was compelled to seek protection in the fort of Ajmeer. In the year 593, Kootb-ood-Deen marched again from Dehly, and reduced Nehrwala, in Guzerat, with all its dependencies. After his return, he took the forts of Kalunjur, Kalpy, and Budaoon.
23.3.7
Mahomed Ghoory, meanwhile, being engaged in an expedition on the west towards Toos and Suruksh, heard of the death of his brother Gheias-ood-Deen, who had long lost all power in the empire, preserving only the name of King, so that Mahomed Ghoory succeeded without opposition. He now returned towards Ghizny, by the route of Badghees, and subduing part of the country of Khwaruzm, recovered it out of the hands of the Suljooks. He divided this new conquest among several members of his own family, giving the government of Feroozkooh and Ghoor to his nephew Mullik Zeea-ood-Deen, son-in-law of his late brother Gheias-ood-Deen. He also gave Boost, Kurreh, and Isfurar, to the Prince Mahomed, his brother's son, and the government of Hirat and its dependencies to Nasir-ood-Deen, his nephew by a sister. On his arrival at Ghizny, according to the will of his deceased brother, he was crowned in form; and ascended the throne. In the same year he heard of the death of Mahomed Zeeruk, Prince of Murv, and in the beginning of the next year marched to complete the conquest of Khwaruzm. The King of Khwaruzm, unable to oppose him in the field, shut himself up in the capital of that name. Mahomed Ghoory having encamped on the banks of the great canal, which had been formerly dug to the westward of the city, forthwith attacked the place, but lost many brave officers and men in an attempt to escalade it.