The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.312

v3.c20.312

While Malik Nāib was engaged in restoring Muslim supremacy in the Deccan an army from Delhi was besieging Siwāna in Mārwār, described later, in the *Āīn-i-Akbarī*, as one of the most important strongholds in India. The siege progressed languidly until ‘Alā-ud-dīn himself appeared on the scene and infused such vigour into the operations that Sītal Deo, the raja, sued for peace. In order to escape the humiliation of appearing before his conqueror as a suppliant he caused a golden image of himself to be made and sent it, with a hundred elephants and many other gifts to ‘Alā-ud-dīn, but he was disappointed, for the king retained all the gifts and returned a message to the effect that no overtures would be considered until Sītal Deo made them in person. After his submission ‘Alā-ud-dīn parcelled out Mārwār among his own nobles and swept the fort clean of everything that it contained, ‘even the knives and needles,’ but permitted the raja to retain the empty stronghold.