History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c8.s1.8

c8.s1.8

The trouble of Ikat Khan having ended, ‘Alāuddīn arrived at Ranthambhor by forced marches and pitched his camp on the Ran, a hillock facing the one on which stood the great citadel. With the arrival of the sultan the siege was pushed on with full vigour. Leather bags were distributed to the soldiers to bring sand and stone-ballast and fill up the ravine that separated the two hills. But the Rai kept himself fully informed of the strategy of the royalists and foiled all attempts of the enemy to fill the ditch.²⁴ Moreover fire was constantly kept up from the fort in reply to the fire of the projectiles hurled by the besiegers and vast numbers were killed on both sides.²⁵