The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c7.35

c7.35

It was probably a surprise attack, for the garrison failed to hold out and quickly surrendered. This easy victory, however, Muizzuddin was not prepared to follow up by an immediate advance into Chauhana territory. Instead, he left Ziauddin of Tulak, with 12,000, troops to hold it till his return next year. But before he could start on his way back, Prithviraja came in person to recover the fortress². According to Ferishta his army consisted of "two hundred thousand horsemen and thirty thousand elephants¹. Muizzuddin turned round to meet him, but in the battle fought near the village of Tarain², not far from the fort, he was decisively beaten. Wounded seriously, he was helped to escape by a Khalji cavalryman, and with the remnant of his forces managed to reach Ghazni. Prithviraja immediately invested the fortress but it took him thirteen months to force Ziauddin into surrender.