History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c11.181

Language: English

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city. The Sultan sent a message to the rebels asking them to come out of the fortress. They wanted a promise that their lives should be spared, but the king refused, although he sent them supplies of food in order to show his kindness. All this occurred while I was in India.''⁸² Among later historians Yahya and Nizam-al-Din Ahmad follow Barani and content themselves merely with recording the defeat of the rebels.⁸³ The historians of the Deccan, ‘Ali bin Aziz-ullah Tabātabā, the author of the *Burhān-i-Mā’sir* and Firishta both give a better account of the fight between the rebels and the imperialists than their predecessors, and since their sources were reliable, their statements are worthy of acceptance. According to the *Burhān-i-Mā’sir*, Sultan Muhammad Tughluq after having suppressed the violence of the amirs of Gujarat, heard of the rebellion at Daulatabad, and he forthwith proceeded with his army to that place. Ismail Makh arranged his forces in order of battle, but as the Sultan's forces were stronger,⁸⁴ his repeated attacks availed nothing, and he was defeated. The Daulatabadis took to flight and Ismail Makh retired to the fort of Devagiri.⁸⁵ Firishta's account is fuller and seems more consistent with actual facts. When the Sultan heard the news of this revolt at Broach, he marched with a considerable force to deal with the insurgents.

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Malik Mal Afghan still remained loyal to the Sultan notwithstanding the fact that the rebels had elected his brother as their leader at Daulatabad.⁸⁶ Reinforcements came from other districts and Imad-al-Mulk Sartez joined the Sultan. But in spite of these additions the royal army does not seem to have been large enough to frighten the rebels into immediate submission. Outside Devagiri in the historic plain where the ‘Alāī generals had defeated Ram Deva, the hostile forces encountered each other. The Deccan amirs, whose numbers had been considerably swelled by the disaffected Hindus and Musalmans of the neighbouring country, organised themselves for an open engagement. Nāsir-al-Din, the chosen king and leader of the “Centurions” advanced to give battle with a force numbering 30,000 men among whom were Afghans, Mughals, Rajputs, and all sorts of adventurers, who were actuated by no higher motives than love of plunder and personal gain. The imperialists led the attack, and though the rebels charged vigorously and at first routed both wings of the Sultan’s army, they were at last defeated and driven back.⁸⁷ Nur-al-Din Khan-i-Jahan one of their principal commanders, was wounded and with a contingent of 6,000 men fled from the field of battle.⁸⁸ His flight caused a panic in the Deccan army, and when the soldiers saw the standard of Isma‘il sinking down, they lost all heart and thinking that Isma‘il had fled from the field were seized with despair and began to disperse.

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If the imperialists had delivered a vigorous attack upon the enemy at this time, when they were in a state of confusion, the issue might have been decided without further loss, but the approach of darkness necessitated the suspension of fighting, and both parties withdrew to their camps. The Deccanis held a council of war during the night and decided that since it was impolitic to risk another engagement, they must have recourse to other tactics. They wished to avoid an open engagement with the imperialists. Isma‘il was to entrench himself in the fort of Dharagarh with a garrison, while Hasan, who had been honoured with the title of Zafar Khan, was to proceed to Kulburga, with a contingent of twelve thousand horsemen to harass the royalists and cut off their supplies, and the other leading amirs were asked to hold their districts under firm control. All our authorities are in agreement with Barani with the only exception that the number of Hasan’s horsemen is given by none except Firishta. Hājji-ad-Dabīr clearly writes: “Isma‘il after the defeat of his forces shut himself in the fortress. Hasan Kangu, separating himself from him, went in the direction of Bidar passing through Kulburga.