[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate) › [Khazāʾin al-futūḥ](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.khazain-al-futuh) › [Tarikh-i 'Alai (extracts)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.khazain-al-futuh~en-elliot) › 4 # Khazaʾin al-futuh 4: Invasion under 'Alí Beg, Turták, and Turghí. Táríkh-i 'Aláí (extracts) 4 - **Language:** English ### [4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.khazain-al-futuh~en-elliot.4) "When 'Alí Beg, Turták, and Turghí came with drawn swords from the borders of Turkistán to the river Sind, and, after crossing the Jelam, turned their faces in this direction, Turghí, who already saw his head on the spears of the champions of Islám, who, although he had an iron heart, durst not place it in the power of the anvil-breaking warriors of God, was at last slain by an arrow, which penetrated his heart and passed through on the other side. "But Turták and 'Alí Beg, as they had never yet come to this country, regarded the swords of the Musulmáns as if they were those of mere preachers, and rushed on impetuously with about fifty thousand horsemen. From the mere dread of that army the hills trembled, and the inhabitants of the foot of the hills were confounded — all fled away before the fierce attack of those wretches, and rushed to the fords of the Ganges. The lightning of Mughal fury penetrated even to those parts, and smoke arose from the burning towns of Hindústán, and the people, flying from their flaming houses, threw themselves into the rivers and torrents. At last from those desolated tracts news reached the court of the protector of the world, and a confidential officer, Malik Ákhir Beg, Mubashara, was directed, at the head of a powerful body of thirty thousand horse, to use his best endeavours to attack the accursed enemy, and throw a mighty obstacle in their way." He obtained victory over them on the twelfth of Jumáda-s sání A.H. 705. "In short, immediately on discerning the dust of the army of Islám, the grovelling Mughals became like particles of sand revolving above and below;" and they fled precipitately "like a swarm of gnats before a hurricane." "The enemy made one or two weak attacks, but the army of the second Alexander, which you might well call an iron wall, did not even bend before the foe, but drove before them those doers of the deeds of Gog." "Their fire-coloured faces began to fall on the earth, and in the rout, 'Alí Beg and Turták, the commanders, when they saw destruction awaiting them, threw themselves under the shade of the standard of Islam, and exclaimed that the splendour of our swords had cast such fire upon them, that they could gain no repose, until they had arrived under the shadow of God." "He who has been burnt by the heat of misfortune, Let him seek no rest save under the shadow of God." "The field of battle became like a chess-board, with the pieces manufactured from the bones of the elephant-bodied Mughals, and their faces (rukh) were divided in two by the sword. The slaughtered hoggish Mughals were lying right and left, like so many captured pieces, and were then thrust into the bag which holds the chessmen. The horses which filled the squares were some of them wounded and some taken; those who, like the pawns, never retreated, dismounted, and, advancing on foot, made themselves generals (queens). 'Ali Beg and Turtak, who were the two kings of the chessboard, were falling before the fierce opposition which was shown by the gaunt bones of Malik Akhir Beg, who checkmated them both, and determined to send them immediately to his majesty, that he might order either their lives to be spared, or that they should be pil-mated, or trodden to death by elephants." - [Previous: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.khazain-al-futuh~en-elliot.3) - [Next: 5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.khazain-al-futuh~en-elliot.5) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.khazain-al-futuh~en-elliot.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.khazain-al-futuh~en-elliot.4) · Pramāṇa