Twilight of the Sultanate c8.s2.20

c8.s2.20

Success in the east encouraged Sultan Mahmūd to retrieve his position in the west. Daulat Khan's debacle had cost him all his territory west of Delhi. Even Hisār Fīrōzā was in the hands of Qawām Khan, a governor appointed by Khizr Khan. Sultan Mahmūd's ambition was justifiable, but instead of making adequate preparations to fulfil it, he only incited his enemies into action. In November-December, 1408 (Rajjab 811 H) he attacked Hisār Fīrōzā, and having reduced Qawām Khan to submission⁷⁵ returned to Delhi via Dhatrath.⁷⁶ This was not a great victory, but it provoked Khizr Khan into action. He marched to Fatehābād and punished all those who had joined Sultan Mahmūd. From there he sent Malik Tuhfā to ravage the Doab and himself proceeded to Delhi via Rohtak and, on 1 February, 1409 (15 Ramzān, 811 H),⁷⁷ besieged Mahmūd at Sīrī and Ikhtiyār Khan at Fīrōzābād. The fall of Delhi seemed to be a matter of days but the countryside, wasted by several years of famine, was no longer capable of supporting an army of invasion, and Khizr Khan was compelled to raise the siege due to scarcity.⁷⁸