The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c34.s1.225

v2.c34.s1.225

taken with a view to the capture of Chitor." The author accompanied the expedition. The fort was taken on Monday, the 11th of Muharram A. H. 703 (August 1303 A.D.) Amīr Khusrau says:—" The Rāī struck with the lightning of the emperor's wrath and burnt from hand to foot, sprang out of the stone gate; he threw himself into the water and flew towards the imperial pavilion, thus protecting himself from the lightning of the sword. The Hindus say that lightning falls where ever there is a brazen vessel, and the face of the Rāī had become yellow as one, through the effects of fear....Though the Rāī was a rebel royal mercy was conferred upon him."[^* 1] Ratnasiṁha apparently surrendered when he found the position to be untenable. After his departure Lakṣmaṇasiṁha (also called the Lakṣmasiṁha) of the collateral Sesodiā branch and after his death his son Arisiṁha were raised to the throne of Mewar and the Guhilas under their leadership continued to resist the Muslims with the courage of despair. This must have made the emperor crimson with rage and when the citadel was at last stormed he ordered a massacre of thirty thousand Hindus in a single day. 'Alā ud-Dīn then bestowed the government of Chitor upon his son, Khiẓr Khān, and named the place Khiẓrābād.[^* 2] Barani³ and Firishta⁴ also refer to the capture of Chitor by 'Alā ud-Dīn after a siege lasting for some time. Abu'l-Faẓl in his *Ā'īn-i-Akbarī* gives the name of the prince of Chitor as Rāwal Rattan, and narrates the well-known story of the causes of the war between Chitor and Delhi.[^* 5] It is doubtful how far the beauty of Padminī was really responsible for the Muslim attack on Chitor. If there is any truth in the story, which is not directly mentioned by any contemporary writers,¹ it may have been used only as a pretext to crush the rising power of the Guhilas.