Twilight of the Sultanate c13.s2.45

c13.s2.45

Muhammad Khan was bewildered at the turn of events, and he decided to retreat. On the road to Qannauj he was hotly pursued and mauled by Bahlūl's men up to the Ganga. At Qannauj the queen-mother had arranged a hostile reception for him. In consultation with the chief nobles she had already declared prince Husain as the Sultan,⁵⁶ and when Muhammad Shāh arrived near Rajgarh⁵⁷ on the Ganga, Bibi Rājī sent Malik Mubārak Gung and Malik 'Ali Gujarātī with the newly crowned Husain Shāh to oppose him. Their arrival completely unnerved Muhammad, and caused major desertions in his camp. Left but with a few men he took up a position in a neighbouring garden. Muhammad was a good archer but Bibi Rājī had neutralised this advantage through his armourer, who had removed the points from the arrows in his quiver. Helpless, he fought with his sword, killed a few men, but was in the end struck down by an arrow shot by Mubārak Gung.⁵⁸