History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c11.44

c11.44

In the year 1299 while Ulugh Khan and Nuṣrat Khan were busy with the reduction of Gujarat the Mughals under the command of Saldi reappeared on the frontiers of Hindustan. This invasion has been described by Barani, Iṣāmī and Ferishtah; but curiously enough Amir Khusrau does not mention it at all. According to Ziyā Barani, Saldi and his brother²⁹ invaded the north west part of the country and took possession of Sivistan.³⁰ Sultan ‘Alāūddīn ordered Zafar Khān³¹ to march post haste to Sivistan, invest the fortress, and expel the invaders. The Mughals were soon subjected to a close investment, and although they hurled constant shower of arrows on the royalists they were soon overpowered by Zafar Khān, who did not even use *minjniq* or other heavy engines of war.³² The valiant general with a large number of prisoners of both sexes returned to Delhi. Saldi and his brother were also among the captured.