The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c22.4

v3.c22.4

Shaikh Yūsuf, the popularly elected governor of Multān, who had been expelled from that city by the Langāhs¹ and had taken refuge at Delhi, urged Buhlūl to recover the lost province, and late in 1451 he left the capital for Multān, but as soon as his back was turned some of the old nobles of ‘Ālam Shāh, who found the energetic personal rule of the new king little to their taste, invited Mahmūd Shāh of Jaunpur to attack the city and expel the Afghāns. Mahmūd responded to the appeal, and on his march towards Delhi was joined by Buhlūl’s relative, Daryā Khān Lodī, who remained at heart loyal to his kinsman, and whose adherence to the invader was a matter of necessity rather than choice. Mahmūd advanced to Delhi and besieged Buhlūl’s eldest son, Khvāja Bāyazīd, who had been left in charge of the city; and Buhlūl, who had reached Dīpālpur, immediately retraced his footsteps and was within thirty miles of the capital before Mahmūd had succeeded in making any impression on its defences. He was fortunate enough to capture large numbers of Mahmūd’s transport animals, which were at pasture but immediately after this successful stroke was attacked by Mahmūd’s principal lieutenant, Fath Khān of Herat, with 30,000 horse and thirty elephants. In the battle Qutb Khān Lodī, who was an expert archer, checked the onset of Fath Khān’s elephant by wounding it with an arrow, and this mishap shook the ranks of the Jaunpur troops. Qutb Khān was able to convey a message to Daryā Khān Lodī, urging him to desert the enemy and join his kinsmen, and Daryā Khān at once led his troops from the field. The rest of the army of Jaunpur, demoralised by his defection, broke and fled, and Fath Khān was taken alive and was beheaded by Rāja Khān, a Hindu officer of Buhlūl’s who had a blood feud with him.