The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c29.s2.129

v3.c29.s2.129

The famous fortress of Gwalior was held, at the time of Mahmūd's incursions into India, by Kachhwāha Rājputs, probably feudatories of the Chandels of Jijhoti. Mahmūd's siege of the fortress in 1022 has already been noticed², and its strength at that time may perhaps be gauged by the easy terms on which he raised the siege. About 1128 the Parihār Rājputs ousted the Kachhwāhas, a scion of whom established himself in the neighbourhood of Amber. Qutbud-dīn Aibak captured the fortress, but it was recovered during the feeble reign of his son, Ārām Shāh, by the Parihār Bīrbal, or Māl Deo, whose son, Mangal Bhava Deo, was holding it in 1232, when Iltutmish attacked it. An account of his siege and capture of the place has already been given³. It remained in the hands of the Muslims until after Tīmūr's invasion, and was captured, when the kingdom of Delhi fell to pieces, by the Tomār, Har Singh, and was successfully defended by his son Bhairon against the attacks of Mallū in 1402 and 1403⁴. The sieges of Gwalior in 1416, 1427, and 1432 by kings of the Sayyid dynasty were rather expeditions for the purpose of collecting taxes, or tribute, than serious attempts to capture the fortress, and the raja could always rid himself of the invaders by a payment on account, and an illusory promise to make regular payments in future. In 1423 Hūshang Shāh of Mālwa attacked the fortress, but raised the siege when the Sayyid, Mubārak Shāh, marched to its relief.