History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c24.17

c24.17

Sīrī was built in 1303 on a village of the same name. It was situated about three miles to the north-east of the Qutb Mīnār, and, according to Marshall, it was built in order to protect the over-growing population of the suburbs.⁸ The walls surrounding the City were constructed of rubble in mud but there are traces of ashlar masonry in lime and of lime plaster.⁹ The fort was not yet finished when the Mongols invaded India. They were completely defeated, and the heads of some 8,000 of them were used as bricks in the construction of its walls. Tīmūr has described Sīrī in detail, and says that it had seven gates. In 1548 A.D. Sher Shāh destroyed this City of 'Alāuddīn; and nothing is left of Sīrī except some portions of the encircling walls which are decaying. While going to the Qutb some dilapidated remains of Sīrī are seen on the left hand side of the road. There has been some controversy about the actual site of the city. General Cunningham identifies it with the present village of Shapur, and Carr Stephen agreeing with him observes: "If the village of Shahpur does not mark the site of ancient Siri, we must give up all attempts to identify its locality."¹⁰