The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.76

v3.c20.76

Mas‘ūd’s son Maudūd, who was at Balkh, marched to Ghaznī on hearing of his father’s deposition and Muhammad turned back to meet him. In the winter of 1041–42 the two armies encountered one another at Nangrahār, about half-way between Ghaznī and the Indus, and after an obstinate conflict Maudūd was victorious and avenged his father’s fate by putting to death with torture Muhammad and all his sons except two, ‘Abd-ur-Rahīm, whom he spared in return for consideration shown for the imprisoned Mas‘ūd, and Nāmī, who was governor of the Punjab. An officer sent to India had no difficulty in defeating and slaying Nāmī, but there still remained Maudūd’s own brother, Majdūd, who had been appointed by his father to the government of the Indian province and had proved himself an energetic and capable commander. He had captured the important town of Thānesar and was now at Hānsī, awaiting a favourable opportunity for attacking Delhi, but on learning that Maudūd had sent an army against him returned rapidly to Lahore, and arrived there on July 27, 1042. Maudūd’s troops reached the city one or two days later and it appeared probable that they would declare for the more capable and more popular Majdūd, but on the morning of July 30 he was found dead in his bed. No cause is assigned for his death, and it may have been due to heat stroke, or some other rapidly fatal disease, but it is more probable that agents of Maudūd had been at work.