History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c11.281

c11.281

Dihli Khudāwand Zādah and Makhdūm Zādah together with many Shaikhs, the ‘Ulama, the elders, Maliks, horsemen and foot soldiers to join him in the camp. With the arrival of these men the imperial army was considerably augmented. Preparations for subduing Thatta began to be made and the Sultan planned an attack by land and sea. Boats were brought from the fiefs of Multan, Ucch, Depalpur and Siwistan, and the whole army crossed the river Indus. The Mughal chief of Farghānā sent a new reinforcement of four or five thousand horse under his general Altūn Bahadur and the Sultan was much gratified to see his forces increased at such a time of need. The entire host, which according to Barani was ‘as numerous as swarm of ants and locusts,’ mobilised towards Thatta, determined to crush the traitor Taghī and his host the Sumrah chief. The festival of Muharram occurred at this time, and the Sultan, when he was still at a distance of 30 Krohs from Thatta, observed the ‘ashurā, the usual fast on the tenth day of Muharram. He ate some fish which did not agree with him and aggravated his illness.¹⁵⁷ But no thought of personal comfort could make Muhammad flinch from his resolve and the onward march was continued. The royal army was within 14 Krohs of the walls of Thatta, ready to take the field against its enemies, eager for their destruction; and if the Sultan’s life had not been cut short by a sudden illness, he would have surely overpowered them. His condition grew worse