History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c8.25

c8.25

No sooner did Ulugh Khan receive Rānā Hammīr's reply than he ordered his army to march to the destination. The army erected their camps in the neighbourhood of the fortress and ordered construction of entrenchments and batterries (Gargach)¹⁴ By this time Hammir Deva had completed his preparations for defence. Yahya estimates that the Rāī had under his comand 12,000 cavalry, famous elephants and innumerable footmen.¹⁵ According to Amīr Khusrau the Raja had about 10,000 fleet-foot horses.¹⁶ The Rajputs unceasingly sent forth missles and projectiles from the fort.¹⁷ By chance Nusrat Khan was struck by a missle and died of his injuries within a short time. The Muslim camp went into a mourning at the loss of such an able commander. Upon this the valiant Rajputs, mistaking the silence in the imperial camp as a sign of its having been overtaken by a sense of defeat, relinquished their defensive position, and sallied forth from the fort and attacked the besiegers.¹⁸ Ulugh Khān could not withstand the impact of the onslaught and precipitately fell back on Jhain. That ‘Alāuddīn had underrated the strength of the Rajputs, was clear to everybody. Ulugh Khān duly reported to the sultan the death of Nusrat Khān, and the retreat of the army from Ranthambhor. ‘Alāuddīn now decided to march in person.¹⁹