Twilight of the Sultanate c6.s2.18

c6.s2.18

The Sultan's last devastating campaign in western Uttar Pradesh had left bitter memories behind. No sooner was he back in Delhi than Sumēr and Uddhāraṇ reoccupied Etawah. Nay, even many neighbouring zamindars like Ajīt Singh Rathor of Rampur (District Etah), Narvīr Vāhan (Bīr Bhān of the chronicles),⁴¹ the Chouhan Raja of Bhongaon (near Mainpuri)⁴² and Abhai Chandra (Bhadaoria) the chief of Chandwār (near Fīrōzābād)⁴³ also joined their cause. The Sultan ordered Malik Muqqarabul Mulk, the governor of Jalesar, to march against Etawah. Finding his task formidable, Mu'qarrab preferred perfidy to a show of arms. He enticed all the aforementioned zamindars to accompany him to Qannauj to finalise the terms of a truce, and there got every one of them murdered except Rai Sumēr who managed to escape to Etawah.⁴⁴ Muqarrab returned to Muhammadābād (Jalesar) in a triumphant mood.