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244
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(SEPTEMBER, 1899.
After Sikandar Khan had met with the due requital of his rebellion and ingratitude, the Sultân proceeded against Jalal Khân, Sikandar Khan's father, but the latter on bearing of the Sultan's approach, wrote to bim tendering his submission, and was pardoned and received at court. The Sultan then returned to his capital. After be bad spent some time there in looking after the interests of his subjects he determined on. jihad against the infidels of Tilang; accordingly be assembled a large force and proceeded in that direction. Having given the command of a portion of the army to Khwajah Jahan Turk he despatched him in advance with some of the amir, and generals, while he himself followed with the remainder of the army.
Khwajah Jahan with nearly 20,000 cavalry and forty elephants and a countless number of infantry started abead of the Sultan's force, and in due course arrived within sight of the fort of Devarakonda, which owing to its immense strength had never been taken byany conqueror. It was excessively lofty and had a deep aqueduct running into it. There Khwajah Jahan pitched his camp and laid siege to the fort. After the lapse of some days, the defenders of the fortress being reduced to extremities, sent a message to the Rêy of Uriya (Orissa) who at that time was chief of the infidels of that country. They represented to him the helpless state to which they were reduced, and agreed to pay him a large sum if he would send an army to their assistance and free them from that deadly strait. That accursed one, from greed of gain and for the defence of paganism, thought himself bound to assist the infidels of that fortress ; 89 he sent a countless force with a hundred elephants to the assistance of the defenders of the fortress. When this news reached Khwajah Jahan he held a council of war with the amírs and khans. "Imád-ul-Mulk, 100 who was celebrated for his bravery, knowledge and shrewdness, advised that before the janction of the army of Orissa with that of Tilang, they should move their camp from that confined space into the open plain, where they would fight more advantageously. In truth this plan was by far the best; but Fate bad so hung the curtain of negligence over the eye of Khwajah Jahan's judgment that he could not distinguish right from wrong, and he took his own course. Suddenly the enemy's army came into view of Khwajah Jaban's force; and the defenders of the fortress, seeing the standards of the infidels in the distance, opened the gate of the fortress and sallied out, so that the army of Islám was hemmed in between the two forces and attacked on both sides. The infidels' forces being more numerous than that of Islâm the latter was routed, and the whole of their baggage, elephants and horses looted. The Mosal. Inâns were pursued to a distance of three farsakhs ;! nearly six or seven thousand of their. cavalry were killed, and a great number besides died of thirst in the deserts.
At this time the Sultan had arrived within 20 farsakhs3 when messengers bronght him the news of the defeat of Khwajah Jaban and the massacre and plundering of his army; and following closely on this news the remnant of the defeated army also arrived. The world. consuming anger of the Sultan being kindled be burned op the barvest of life of Nizâm-ul-Mulk Ghûri and Iklim Khân. Khwajah Jahan and all the military officers he punished with varions kinds of insult and torture, or imprisoned. He then set out on an expedition against the infidels to avenge the disaster ; but in the meantime s messenger arrived from Bidar, who informed the Saltân that Yusuf Turk having released from prison Hasan Khan and Mirsa Habib Ullah - grandson of Shah Ni'mat-Ulláh - and gained over a number of the troops had proceeded to the district of Bhid.
For the right understanding of this matter it is necessary to explain that when the Sultan went with his army to take vengeance on the infidels, seven persons, particular friends of
*8 According to Firishtab he was imprisoned: and we read further on (page 169) that he was killed when the noners made their escape.
99 Devarakonda wm at that time in possession of the ramindárs of Telipgina, and its inhabitants had been in alliance with Sikandar Khan. - Firishtah.
100 According to Firishtah this was Nizam-ul-Mulk. The latter is probably correct, as we see a little further on that Nizim-ul-Mulk Ghort and Iklim Khan were put to death. KhwAjah Jahan told a deliberate lie in order to save himself at the expense of Nigam-ul-Mulk. 1 A little more than 10 miles. Firishtah says they were pursued 80 miles,
A little over 68 miles.
