History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c11.156.4

c11.156.4

Ahmad Lāchīn and his companions were killed, and the rebels retreated to Devagiri where they made a raid upon the residence of the governor.⁷² Barani clearly states that the *amirs sadah* took up arms because they feared death at the hands of the Sultan, and he is supported by the author of the *Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi*.⁷³ The author of the *Burhān-i-Māsir* also writes that the *amirs sadah*, obeying the order of the Sultan, started for the royal camp, but on the way, overcome with fear, they one day at midnight attacked the royal army, and the troops, being taken unawares, most of them were killed and the remainder took to flight and made their way to the Sultan's camp.⁷⁴ The governor was captured and thrown into prison, but his life was spared, for he had done nothing to injure the ‘Centurions’.⁷⁵ The other officials of the crown, who had been sent there to assist Nizam-al-Din in suppressing disorder, were roughly handled and nothing availed to save them from the fury of their enemies. The son of Rukn Thanesari was hacked to pieces, and the rebels seized and distributed amongst themselves the treasure which was deposited in the fort of Dharagarh. They chose one of their leaders Isma‘il Makh Afghan, brother of Malik Mal Afghan as their king under the title of Nāṣir-al-Din and assigned to him the functions of royalty.⁷⁶ The imperial authority having been suspended, the rebels proceeded to divide the Maratha country into districts to suit their convenience.