Twilight of the Sultanate c7.s3.9

c7.s3.9

After the reduction of Meerut, Tīmūr ordered Amīr Jahān Shāh to march with the left wing through the upper regions of the Jumna. He himself marched with Amīr Sulaimān Shāh to ravage the upper and lower regions of the Ganga. Marching alongside the river, at a distance of about fifteen *kos* from Fīrōzpur,¹²⁵ he fell upon a group of Hindus who, travelling in forty-six boats, had broken their journey and were encamping on the bank by the riverside.¹²⁶ He attacked them, defenceless though they were, and confiscated their goods. Then making a detour he arrived at Tughlaqpur and fixed his camp there. Tīmūr halted for the night at Tughlaqpur,¹²⁷ but could not rest there. People were rising everywhere to intercept his march. Amīr Allahadād who was reconnoitring the area informed him that a strong force of 10,000 horse and foot¹²⁸ under the command of one Mubārak Khan was arrayed for a fight on the other side of the river. Tīmūr crossed the river with his usual alacrity, and fell upon Mubārak. The latter was not prepared for such a surprise and fled, but many of his men were slain.¹²⁹ Meanwhile Shaikha Khokhar had arrived from Lahore with a large force.¹³⁰ To delude the conqueror, he had sent a message that he was only coming to join him, but arriving at close quarters he opened a surprise attack killing several of Tīmūr's soldiers.¹³¹ But the assailant was defeated and put to flight.