History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c9.65.2

c9.65.2

Sir Wolseley Haig is inclined to think that the expedition was a disastrous attempt to conquer Western Tibet, but no contemporary writer mentions the conquest of China or Tibet as the object of this campaign.³⁰ Besides, the Sultan would not be so foolish as to attempt to cross the impassable barrier of the Himalayas. Ibn Batūtah who was then in India and an eye-witness of the disastrous expedition clearly says that it was some Hindu hill chieftain who was compelled to pay tribute to the Sultan. Yahya bin Ahmad who is Barani's immediate successor simply states that the Sultan made an attempt to bring under his control the mountain of Qarājal.³¹ He does not entirely depend upon Barani for information, and therefore his omission to say that the expedition was intended as a preparatory step to the conquest of Khorasan and Transoxiana is significant. Probably the other authorities on which he relied suggested to him this omission. Hajji-ad-Dabīr who follows Barani writes that the mountain of Qarajil, situated between Hind and China, was an obstacle to easy march to Khorasan.³² He mentions an additional motive, not mentioned by any other historian which he borrows from Husām Khan that the Sultan was desirous of admitting into his haram by means of marriage ( نکاح ) the women of Qarachal, who were noted for their beauty and other womanly accomplishments.³³ We would have was hailed with delight at Dihli, and the troops were ordered to stay in the hills to consolidate their success.