The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.101

v3.c20.101

In the winter of 1190-91, the south-eastern boundary of his dominions being then probably the Sutlej, he captured Bhātinda, in the kingdom of Prithvī Rāj¹, the Chauhān raja of Delhi and placed in command of it Qāzī Ziyā-ud-dīn with his contingent of 1200 horse. Muhammad was preparing to return when he heard that Prithvī Rāj was advancing with a vast army to attack him. He turned to meet him and encountered him at Tarāorī, near Karnāl. The Muslims were overpowered by sheer weight of numbers, and both their wings were driven from the field, but the centre still stood fast and Muhammad, leading a furious charge against the Hindu centre, personally encountered the raja’s brother, Govind Rāi, and shattered his teeth with his lance, but Govind Rāi drove his javelin through the sultan’s arm, and Muhammad, fearing to sacrifice his army by falling, turned his horse’s head from the field. The army was now in full flight, and Muhammad, faint from pain and loss of blood, would have fallen, had not a young Khalj Turk, with great presence of mind, sprung upon his horse behind him until he reached the place where the fugitive army had halted. Here a litter was hastily constructed for him and the army continued its retreat in good order. Prithvī Rāj advanced to Bhātinda and besieged it, but the gallant Ziyā-ud-dīn held out for thirteen months before he capitulated.