History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c38.s1: 1 Anhilwad
History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c38.s1
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1 Anhilwad
v3.c38.s1.1
The first kingdom to fall next was that of Anhilwad or Gujarat, an event which we have already described from Gujarat Chalukya records. But we must give also the account given by the contemporaneous Mahomedan history Taj-ul-Ma'sir. It relates that in 1195 when Kutubuddin was again at Ajmer he was informed that the Mers (who were then Hindus) had invited an army from Naharwala. He sent an army to oppose and forestall that movement, but that army was defeated and pursued to Ajmer, the fort of which appears to have been even invested by Naharwala forces. Kutubuddin requested reinforcements from Ghazni which were sent. The army of Gujarat appears to have then retired. The Mahomedans now took the offensive and advanced on Gujarat. "The lofty forts of Pali and Nadul were found abandoned, the Hindus had collected at the foot of Mount Abu under Rai Karan and Dārāburs in the mouth of a pass." As Muhammad Ghori had been defeated in that very pass before, the Mahomedans would not attack them there. They, therefore, made a feint as if they were terrified and retreated towards Ajmer. The Hindus leaving the pass came into the open to attack them. A severe action was fought and the Hindus were signally defeated, most of the Hindu leaders being killed or taken prisoner. Rai Karan escaped; but twenty thousand slaves, twenty elephants and arms beyond computation fell into the hands of the victors. "You would have thought that the treasures of the kings of the inhabited world had come into their possession. The city of Naharwala and the kingdom of Gujarat came under the dominion of the Mussalmans. The standards of victorious Khusru returned to Ajmer and thence to Delhi. Kutubuddin sent to Ghazni various treasures and rarities" (E. II p. 280-1).
v3.c38.s1.2
This account shows that Kutubuddin after his victory somewhere near Mount Abu must have proceeded to Naharwala (Patan) and occupied and plundered that city. This event is said to have happened in 1197 A. D., but as stated before, Bhīma issues a grant from Anhilwad Patan in 1199 A. D. It seems, therefore, that Anhilwad was occupied later in 1199. The fact that Gujarat was overrun and the capital occupied appears clear from the reference to the terrible condition of Gujarat described in the grant of Jayantasinha dated 1202 who, after Bhīma had fled, retrieved the fortunes of Chalukya arms and driving out the Mahomedans recovered Gujarat and its capital and ruled for a time in Anhilwad in place of Bhima. The destruction of some of the temples built by Siddharāja Jayasinha may be dated at this time. Gujarat was sorely shaken, but was not finally subjugated by the Mahomedans till a century later.