History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c14.20

v1.c14.20

Dahar seems to have done nothing to save Debal. There was a band of 500 Arabs under one Alāfi in Dahar’s service, Alāfi having fled from his country in consequence of a murder committed by him. The Chacha-nāma states that Dahar consulted Alāfi who said that Mahomed Kasim was invincible and thereupon Dahar kept quiet. But probably Dahar thought the place strong as it had withstood attacks by previous Arab expeditions. This present expedition was however more serious than others that had preceded it and Debal fell before the conquering Kasim. One incident of the attack and capture requires to be noted. There was a high temple with a higher flag in the town and people said there was a talisman in it. So long as the tower and flag stood, Debal would not fall. Mahomed Kasim had that temple’s tower and its flag-mast thrown down by the charge of the Khālifa’s catapult an engine worked by 500 men and thus the city fell. Talismans and magic were believed in both by the Arabs and the Buddhists in those days and the magical absurdities related in the Arabian Nights of the day of Haroun-al-Rashid Khālifa of Baghdad are well known. The historian may set magic aside, but he cannot but remark that improved weapons of warfare are an important factor in the success of armies. The Arabs were skilful in the use of catapults which then were what cannons are now and catapults and and battering rams were not much known to the Indians. Their subjugation by the Arabs may therefore particularly be attributed to better weapons of destruction possessed by the Arabs.