The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.72

v3.c20.72

When Tilak reached India he found that the officers and troops who remained loyal to Mas‘ūd had taken refuge in a fortress near Lahore, where they were besieged by Ahmad. He occupied Lahore, seized several Muslims known to be partisans of Ahmad, and caused their right hands to be struck off. This ruthless measure so terrified the rebellious troops that many of them deserted Ahmad and joined Tilak. Judicious bribery still further thinned the ranks of the rebel army, and when Ahmad was forced to stand and face his pursuers he was defeated, and was deserted by all save a body of three hundred horse. Instead of pursuing him Tilak offered the lately rebellious Jāts the royal pardon and a sum of 500,000 *dirhams* as the price of Ahmad’s head. The Jāts surrounded the fugitive, slew him, and demanded their reward. Tilak retorted that they had already received it from the plunder of Ahmad’s camp, but after some chaffering Ahmad’s head and his son, who had been taken alive, were surrendered in consideration of the royal pardon and 100,000 *dirhams*. Tilak presented his prizes to Mas‘ūd at Marv and was rewarded by further tokens of his master’s favour.