History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c10.s4: Achievements of 'Alāūddīn in North India
History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c10.s4
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Achievements of 'Alāūddīn in North India
c10.s4.1
But the adventurer who had raided Devagiri just for possessing gold and silver and had murdered his uncle to wear the imperial diadem, was something more than a vile robber or murderer. He had shown his true mettle in Rajputna where he had fought in the sandy deserts of Jaisalmer and the rocky land of Chittor and Ranthambhor, not simply to conquer, nor only to exhibit the prowess of his arms, but to unify the country under his suzerainty. No greed of gain had hunted him there. With the fall of Jalor not only the whole of Rajputana but the whole of north India had passed into the hands of the sultan of Delhi. In the north-west his armies had marched into Ghazni²⁸ and in the north-east his power had been felt in the far-off land of Nepal.²⁹ From a petty sultan of Delhi 'Alāuddīn had become the emperor of Hindustan by dint of his merit and the burning zeal of his heart. His far-flung dominions were ruled by provincial governors or *muqta's* appointed by him, and all of them served him loyally and obediently.
c10.s4.2
²⁸ Vide Chapter XI.
c10.s4.3
²⁹ Vide Appendix A.
c10.s4.4
Side by side the conquest of north India, 'Alāuddīn embarked upon the conquest of the southern peninsula. There his armies were constantly engaged from 1308 to 1312. The hero of these campaigns was not the emperor himself but his favourite general Malik Kāfūr, who marched out from Delhi and pulled down all the kingdoms of the south one after another. But before making a study of the campaigns into the south, it is necessary to know in detail about the Mughal invasions to India which have been briefly referred to at many places in the preceding chapters.