Twilight of the Sultanate c12.s1.48

c12.s1.48

Sultan Muhammad at last woke up to the situation, collected whatever troops he could gather and sent hurried summons to Bahlūl Lodī to come to his aid. Bahlūl responded readily, although not so much on account of any loyalty to the King as to strengthen his position in the country's politics, and arrived with twenty thousand Afghans.³⁹ In spite of this succour, Muhammad could not gather sufficient courage to lead the army in person, and only sent his son 'Alāuddīn at the head of the army making Bahlūl Lodī the commander of the vanguard.⁴⁰ When Mahmūd Khaljī learnt that Sultan Muhammad himself was not coming to fight, he also thought it below his dignity to join the battle and sent his army under his two sons Ghayāsuddīn and Qadr Khan.⁴¹ Next day a fierce battle raged between the rival forces, in which the Afghan archers of Bahlūl did a lot of killing, but they failed to gain a decisive victory. As night fell the fighting ceased. A bad dream that night⁴² that a local insurrection threatened his capital as well as an inkling that Ahmad Shāh of Gujarat⁴³ was coming to invade Mandu,⁴⁴ so much distressed Mahmūd that he thought it best to patch up a truce and return to Malwa. But while self-respect made him hesitate,⁴⁵ to the utter surprise and disgust of Delhi, Sultan Muhammad himself came out with an offer of peace. Mahmūd naturally responded readily and he struck tents. Bahlūl Lodī was highly chagrined; he made amends for the humiliating treaty by treacherously attacking Mahmūd Khaljī on his return march, killing a large number of his men and capturing some baggage and treasure.⁴⁶ The vacillating Sultan became exceedingly pleased even with this act of Bahlūl. He addressed him as his son, gave him the title of Khan-i-Khānān and sent him back to Sarhind with all honours.