History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c37.s1.1

v3.c37.s1.1

Ajmer and Delhi having fallen and the Chauhans having accepted subjection, Shihabuddin next turned his attention to the subjugation of the next powerful kingdom in Northern India, viz. that of the Gāhadavālas of Kanauj and Benares. It is commonly believed that Jaichand had in fact incited Shihabuddin to attack Prithvīrāj as he was his enemy; and he thus fell eventually a prey to the enemy he had himself called in. But so far as we have ascertained, there is no evidence to hold that Jaichand had ever called in the foreign foe. It may be that he did not assist Prithvīrāja when he collected a confederate army to oppose Ghori; probably Prithvīrāja did not call for such aid. The collection of a confederate army by Prithvīrāja is spoken of by the Tabakat as stated already. Who were the kings that joined Prithvīrāja, we have no historical record to determine. The story of the Rāsā that Samarasinha fought on the side of Prithvīrāja is belied by inscriptions which show that Samarasinha lived a hundred years later and we may even doubt if a Guhilot king (who must be Sāmantasinha and not Samarasinha) was among the allies. Whatever this may be, we have no evidence to hold that Jaichand had incited the attack. No Mahomedan historian mentions it and the Rāsā has no value as history of Prithvīrāj. Jayachand's turn came not as a punishment but as a natural next step in the conquest of Hindustan aspired to by the ambitious Muhammad Ghori.