The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.184

v3.c20.184

In October Balban led an expedition against the disaffected Hindus of the Doāb, took, after a siege of ten days, a fortress near Kanauj, and then marched against a raja¹ whose territory had formerly been confined to some districts in the hills of Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand, but who had recently established himself in the fertile valley of the Jumna. Balban attacked him so vigorously in one of his strongholds that he lost heart, and retired by night to another fortress, further to the south. The Muslims, after pillaging the deserted fort, followed him through defiles described as almost impracticable, and on February 14, 1248, captured his second stronghold, with his wives and children, many other prisoners, cattle and horses in great numbers, and much other plunder. Balban rejoined Mahmūd, now encamped at Kara, and on April 8 the army set out for Delhi. At Kanauj Mahmūd was met by his brother, Jalāl-ud-dīn, who was now appointed to the more important fiefs of Sambhal and Budaun. He warned Mahmūd against the ambition of Balban, whom he accused of secretly aiming at the throne, but the warning was unheeded, and after Mahmūd's return to Delhi Jalāl-ud-dīn, fearing that his confidence had been betrayed, fled from Budaun and joined the Mughuls in Turkistān.