The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.39

v3.c20.39

From Asnī Mahmūd marched westwards to a town which appears in Muslim chronicles as Sharva and may perhaps be identified with Seūnza on the Ken, between Kālinjar and Banda or Sriswagarh on the Pahūj not far from Kūnch. This town was the residence of another Jaichand, who is said to have been long at enmity with Jaichand of Kanauj and even now held his foe’s son in captivity. Jaichand of Kanauj, who wished to terminate the strife and had sent his son Bhīmpāl to arrange a marriage between his sister and Jaichand of Sharva, wrote to the latter dissuading him from rashly attempting to measure his strength against that of the invader, and Jaichand of Sharva followed this advice and left his capital, taking with him into the forest in which he took refuge the greater part of his army and his elephants. Mahmūd, not content with the plunder of Sharva, pursued him by difficult and stony tracks into the forest, suddenly attacked him shortly before midnight on January 5, 1019, and defeated him. Jaichand’s elephants were captured, specie and jewels rewarded the exertions of the victors, and captives were so numerous that slaves could be purchased in the camp at prices ranging from two to ten *dirhams*.