The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c13.128

c13.128

In the Punjab, however, the Mongols proved difficult to dislodge. Barani, writing ninety five years later, speaks of Sher Khan as being in charge of Bhatinda, Dipalpur and Lahore at the time of Balban's accession; and until he was poisoned by the new king, he is described as having been like 'the walls of Gog and Magog to the Mongols' and also to have thoroughly curbed the lawless Jats, Khokars, Mandahirs, Bhattis and the Minas. In his enthusiasm for Sher Khan's marvellous feats, Barani even ascribes to him the conquest of Ghazni, a statement whose demonstrable inaccurancy should vitiate the rest of the account¹. In point of fact, these successes against the tribes must be ascribed to the period of Sher Khan's governorship of Bhatinda and the frontier provinces where he was replaced by Nusrat Khan in 1258. Barani's reference to his victories over the Mongols would presuppose his retransfer to the province after 1260 and the recovery of the entire area between the Beas and the Ravi. Dipalpur, at any rate, never figures again in the annals of Balban's reign except only as a frontier area; Lahore is mentioned only once, when, two years after his expedition into the Salt Range undertaken early in the reign, he proceeded thither to rebuild the town and appoint administrative officers². It neither formed part of the Sind viceroyalty, nor is any governor mentioned by name. When Sher Khan died, 'four or five years after Balban's accession and thirty years after Iltutmish's death'³, Barani mentions the appointment of Tamur Khan to the "frontier iqtas" of Sunam and Samana, the rest of Sher's possessions being given to other officers. "But," he adds "they were no match for the Mongols and they never achieved the success obtained by Sher Khan"⁴.