The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.364

v3.c20.364

Tughluq Shāh marched to Bengal by way of Manaich, the town which had been stormed by Mahmūd of Ghaznī. In the year following his accession he had appointed to the government of this district Tātār Malik, whom he had entitled Zafar Khān. The governor's first task had been to crush the local Rājput chieftain who, during the short interval of Hindu supremacy, had established himself in the district. According to tradition the Rājput was invited to a conference at which the merits of Islam and Hinduism were discussed and, being convinced of the truth of the former, accepted it and submitted, thus rendering unnecessary an appeal to arms. Zafar Khān renamed Manaich Zafarābād¹ and was firmly established in the district when the king passed through it on his way to Bengal. He accompanied the royal army into Tirhut, where Nāsir-ud-dīn waited upon Tughluq and did obeisance to him, and was sent in command of the force dispatched against Lakhnāwati. All opposition was crushed and Ghiyās-ud-dīn Bahādur was captured and brought before the king with a rope around his neck. The elephants from the royal stables at Lakhnāwati were appropriated by Tughluq and his army took much plunder, but Nāsir-ud-dīn was placed as a vassal monarch on the throne of Western Bengal. Eastern Bengal, which had for thirteen years been independent under Bahādur, was annexed and administered as a province of the kingdom of Delhi.