Twilight of the Sultanate c8.s2.11

c8.s2.11

Mahmūd had refrained from fighting because he had too many irons in the fire. Before marching to Qannauj, he had sent another strong force under Daulat Khan Lodī against Bairam Khan Turkbachchā of Samana, another of Fīrōz Tughlaq's Turkish slaves, who now governed the place as Khizr Khan's deputy after Bahrām Khan's tragic end. This division of the royal army had weakened both the forces. While Mahmūd dared not fight Ibrāhīm, Daulat Khan fared still worse in Samana. In a battle fought on Wednesday, 22 December, 1406 (11 Rajab, 809 H)⁶⁷ at about 2 *kurohs* from Samana, Daulat Khan had come off victorious. But since Bairam Khan owed fealty to Khizr Khan, the latter on hearing of the fall of Samana marched out of Multan to the rescue of his deputy. At this, Daulat Khan's courage failed him, and as Khizr Khan approached Fatehābād, he precipitately crossed the Jumna for the Doab.⁶⁸ Not only that, his officers who had been left behind, went over to Khizr Khan.⁶⁹ The whole of the region west of the Jumna thus passed into the hands of Khizr Khan, who bestowed large chunks of territory on officers close to him.⁷⁰ Thus, owing to his hasty and impolitic plan of action, Sultan Mahmūd's prestige and power received a severe setback, and Ibrāhīm Sharqī once again made preparations to attack Delhi. He wrested Qannauj without much difficulty, and making it his headquarters spent the rainy season there making feverish preparations for seizing Delhi. His hopes were shared by many Delhi nobles who deserted Mahmūd and joined the Sharqī king at Qannauj.⁷¹ Encouraged by these desertions, Ibrāhīm marched towards Delhi in October-November, 1407 (Jamadiul Avval, 810 H)⁷², leaving Qannauj in charge of Ikhtiyār Khan, grandson of Malik Daulat Yār Khan of Kampil. On the way he captured Sambhal in Rohilkhand and then by forced marches he arrived near Delhi and encamped on the Jumna. Delhi's fall seemed a matter of moments, when suddenly the situation took a different turn. As Ibrāhīm was about to cross the Jumna, information reached him that Zafar Khan of Gujarat was marching to attack Jaunpur.⁷³ Without wasting time or thought Ibrāhīm Sharqī retreated post-haste to save Jaunpur. Learning of his retreat, Zafar Khan did not proceed further. But Sultan Mahmūd took full advantage of the situation. In April, 1408 (Zilq'ada, 810 H) he defeated and killed Malik Marhaba whom Ibrāhīm had posted at Baran and then proceeding to Sambhal recaptured it.⁷⁴