The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c18.308

v1.c18.308

"When the army was mustered, it was found to amount to '50,000 mounted men clad in armour and coats of mail,' with which they advanced to fight the Rāi of Benares. The king ordered Kutbu-d dīn to proceed with the vanguard, consisting of 1,000 cavalry, which fell upon 'the army of the enemies of religion,' and completely defeated it. The Rāī of Benares, Jaichand, the chief of idolatry and perdition, advanced to oppose the royal troops with an army, countless as the particles of sand.¹ The Rāi of Benares, who prided himself on the number of his forces and war elephants, seated on a lofty howdah, received a deadly wound from an arrow and 'fell from his exalted seat to the earth.' His head was carried on the point of a spear to the commander, and his body was thrown to the dust of contempt.² The impurities of idolatry were purged by the water of the sword from that land, and the country of Hind was freed from vice and superstition. Immense booty was obtained, such as the eye of the beholder would be weary to look at, including hundred elephants.³ The royal army then took possession of Āsnī,⁴ where the treasures of the Rāi were deposited, and there much more precious spoil of all kinds rewarded the victors. From that place the royal army proceeded to Benares, 'which is the centre of Hind,' and here they destroyed nearly 1,000 temples, and raised mosques on their foundations; and the knowledge of the law became promulgated, and the foundations of religion were established, and the face of the dīnār and diram was adorned with the name and blessed titles of the king.¹ The Rāīs and Chiefs of Hind came forward to proffer their allegiance. The government of that country was then bestowed on one of the most celebrated and exalted servants of the State......The standards of Khusru (Kutbu-d dīn)...were planted for some days on the fort of Āsnī and the chiefs and elders all around hastened to his service with various kinds of rarities and presents, and his noble court became the scene where the princes and generals of the world came to bow their heads in reverence.''²