History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c33.s3.3

v3.c33.s3.3

Knowing that Mahmud was engaged in a distant war, Ilekkhan’s army invaded Mahmud’s territory in the west and he himself taking the aid of Kadir Khan of Chin crossed the Jihun (Oxus). Mahmud getting information returned like lightning to Ghazni and proceeded to Balkh. A terrible battle was fought with Ilekkhan who was signally defeated and he fled beyond the Oxus. In this battle, Utbi records, Mahmud’s army was composed of Turks, Khiljis, Afghans and Hindus and there were five hundred elephants which Mahmud posted in the centre and Mahmud himself rode a furious elephant, attacked the personal guard of Ilekkhan of five hundred select Turks and killed many of them by his own elephant. This shows that materials which, with incapable leaders, were of little avail could be used with effect by a capable commander. The same Hindu soldiers and elephants who could not secure victory to Jaipal were used by Mahmud with conspicuous efficiency against his own Turks.