Twilight of the Sultanate c13.s4.14

c13.s4.14

But all historians write about Bahlūl's campaign against Gwalior during his last days.¹²⁶ From the very beginning of his reign Bahlūl Lodī had maintained friendly relations with the Rajas of Gwalior, because firstly, it was not easy to subjugate them and secondly, it was convenient to keep Gwalior independent to serve as a buffer against the Sharqīs and the kings of Malwa. It was because of Gwalior's friendship to Delhi that Husain Sharqī had invaded it in 1466. But during the last Lodī-Sharqī war the Raja of Gwalior, scared at the rising power of Delhi, had helped Husain with men and money and had escorted him up to Kalpi.¹²⁷ This Bahlūl naturally could not forget. He kept quiet so long as Kalyan Singh lived, but after his death he launched an attack on Gwalior in 1486-7. The newly crowned Raja of Gwalior, Mān Singh, thought it safe to pay eighty lacs of *tankās* in tribute and avoid an unnecessary conflict with Delhi.¹²⁸