The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c34.s1.180

v2.c34.s1.180

But the most important trial of Jaitrasimha's strength took place when the Muslims invaded his territory and devastated Nāgadraha (mod. Nagda) and perpetrated terrible brutalities on the population of Medapāṭa. This is revealed by the *Hammīra-mada-mardana* of Jayasimha,² which gives the details of the invasion of the territories of Jayatala, the lord of Medapāṭa, by the *Turuṣka-vīras* under the *Mleccha-cakravartin* ‘Mīlacchīkāra.’ We are told that even the children were butchered and people threw themselves in the wells rather than fall into the hands of the invader. The author tells us that the enemy was only compelled to retreat northwards to his territories by the advance of the victorious legions of the Dholka chief Vīradhavala and the intrigues of the spies of his minister Vastupāla. The reality of this Muslim invasion is proved by the Chirwa inscription referred to above, which tells us that Pamparāja, a son of Yogarāja, the *Talāra* appointed by Padmasimha at Nāgadraha, was killed when that city was destroyed by the soldiers of the ‘Suratrāṇa.’³ It seems probable that both Jayasimha and the composer of this record refer to the same invasion. Rai Bahadur Ojha thinks that ‘Mīlacchīkāra’ of Jayasimha is but a Sanskritization of the word *Amīr Shikār* which was conferred by Quṭb ud-Dīn on his slave Iltutmish (1211-36 A.D.).⁴ Whatever may be the value of this identification on phonetic grounds, I have shown elsewhere that Sulṭān Iltutmish really undertook a number of expeditions to Rajputana. He captured Jalor sometime between 1211 and 1216 A.D., and Mandor about 1226 A.D. In one of these he may have overrun Mewar. The raid on Nagda may possibly have been undertaken for plundering the treasures of the temple of Ekaliṅga. But it is strange that the Muslim historians should not refer to any conflict with Jaitrasiṁha. This does not indicate that the Mewar prince was considered a very important ruler of the time. Ojha however concludes from the silence of the Muslim chroniclers that Iltutmish was defeated by Jaitrasiṁha,¹ thus justifying the poet's description of the latter as a veritable Agastya to the Turuṣka army. The same scholar throws out the suggestion that it was after the capture of Nāgadraha by the Muslims that the Guhilas definitely transferred their capital to Chitor.² Another invasion of Mewar by the Muslims appears to have taken place in the reign of Sulṭān Nāṣir ud-Dīn (1242-46 A.D.). Firishta narrates that the king's brother, Jālāl ud-Dīn, when summoned from his government of Kanauj, became 'apprehensive of a design against his life' and so fled to the hills of Chitor with all his adherents. The king pursued him; but finding, after eight months, that he could not secure him returned to Dehly.'³ It is again curious that the Muslim historian does not mention the name of the Mewar prince.