History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c2.s1.71

c2.s1.71

The Rana of Ranthambhor,⁶⁵ says Barani, together with the Rais and Muqaddams and their families shut themselves up in the fort and prepared to stand a siege. Jalāluddīn ordered construction of war engines like Maghrabi, Sabāt and Gargach⁶⁶ to encircle the fort. He proceeded to Ranthambhor to reconnoitre the fort personally but returned to Jhain the same day. He plainly told his officers that he would not be able to capture it.⁶⁷ A large number of soldiers would be killed even in raising a *pashib* and constructing *gargach* and the sultan was not prepared to waste so many lives nor dared he see face to face the widows and orphans of the dead. The strange argument of the sultan prompted Malik Aḥmad Chap to waste some lessons on statecraft. "Whenever a conqueror has determined on some expedition no consideration had deflected him from attaining his object. If Your Majesty returns without taking the citadel, the Raja of this place will become proud and your kingly dignity will be lowered in the breasts of men."⁶⁸ But the non-virile sultan had made up his mind to return. Boasting that "he did not value even ten such forts above a single hair of a Musalman,"⁶⁹ he struck the camp and arrived at the capital on the 3rd of Jamadiul Akhir 690 (June 2, 1291).⁷⁰