The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.467

v3.c20.467

Muhammad had been besieging the citadel of Daulatābād for three months when he received news of another serious rebellion in Gujarāt, where Taghī, a cobbler, had assembled a band of rebels who promised to become formidable owing to the disaffection which the king had excited throughout the province. Taghī, despite his humble antecedents, was a man of ability and energy. He attached to his cause the remnant of the centurions of Gujarāt and some of the Hindu chieftains of the hilly country on the east of the province, and attacked Pātan, where he captured and imprisoned the governor, Shaikh Mu‘izz-ud-dīn, and some of his officers, and put to death his assistant, Malik Muzaffar. From Pātan he marched to Cambay, and, after plundering that town, ventured further southward, and laid siege to Broach, recently the king's headquarters. On hearing that Broach was besieged Muhammad decided that his presence was more urgently required in Gujarāt than in the Deccan. Appointing Khudāvandzāda Qavām-ud-dīn, Malik Jauhar, and Shaikh Burhān Bilārāmī to the command of such troops as he could leave before Daulatābād, and to the government of the province, he set out for Broach. Taghī, on learning of his approach, raised the siege and fled towards Cambay with no more than 300 horse, and Muhammad sent Malik Yūsuf Bughrā with 2000 horse in pursuit of him. Yūsuf came up with the rebels near Cambay, and, notwithstanding his superiority in numbers, was defeated and slain. Muhammad now marched against Taghī in person, but the latter retired before him to Asāwal, now Ahmadābād, and put to death Shaikh Mu‘izz-ud-dīn and his other prisoners. As the king advanced to Asāwal, Taghī again retired to Pātan, but, emboldened by a relaxation of the pursuit, the royal army having been obliged by the poor condition of its horses and the heavy rains to halt for nearly a month at Asāwal, advanced as far as Kadī, apparently with the object of attacking the king. Incensed by this insolence Muhammad marched to meet him. Taghī, in order to encourage his troops to meet an army commanded by the king in person, had plied them with liquor, under the influence of which they charged so recklessly that they succeeded in penetrating the centre of the royal army, but here they were overpowered by the elephants, and the survivors fled to Pātan, leaving their camp and baggage in the hands of the enemy, who slew the baggage guard of 500 men. The son of Yūsuf Bughrā was placed in command of a force detached to pursue the rebels and Taghī caused his followers to collect their wives, followers and dependants at Pātan and to remove them to Khambāliya¹, whither he retired. Thence he fled further into Kāthiāwār and took refuge with the raja of Gunar (Junagarh) who afforded him ‘wood and water’ in the hills and forests of his small kingdom.