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2.78
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1899.
Sultan Mahmud Khilji wages war against Sultan Nizam Shah.
Just when the mind of the guardian of the Sultan was at rest on the conclusion of the Orissa affair, letters arrived from the protectors of the frontiers saying that Sultan Maḥmud Khilji having become aware of the dispersion of the army of the Dakhan and the disorder which reigned in it, and the ascendancy of the infidels, had at the instigation of the Ghûrls who had taken refuge with him to escape chastisement from Humâyûn Shah - come with an immense army, and crossing the frontier bad encamped in a desolate part of the country. Immediately upon hearing this news the Sultan with his army proceeded to oppose Sultan Mahmûd, and at the distance of about ten farsakhs from Bidar the two forces met and drew up in order of battle
Malik Shah Turk, on whom the title of Khwajah Jahan had been conferred, and another Turki slave who held the title of Sikandar Khân were in the centre of the army, in attendance on Sultan Nizam Shah with a hundred elephants and 11,000 cavalry. The right wing was under the command of Nizam-ul-Mulk Turk with 10,000 spearmen and forty elephants; and in the left wing was Khwajah Mahmud Gawan, who at that time held the title of Malik-utTujjar, with 10,000 cavalry and forty elephants.
On the other side Sultan Mahmûd Khilji drew up his army, beth right and left wings, and strengthened his position; and he himself with 20,000 cavalry and 150 elephants raised his standard in the centre; but notwithstanding the overwhelming number of his force he dug a deep trench round his position so that horses or other animals could not cross it.
The two armies were drawn up in this manner in front of one another. From the clamour of drums and trumpets the heavens were in anguish, and sleeping Tumult raising its head from its pillow awoke at the noise.
Malik-ut-Tujjar with the left wing attacked the enemy's right where Sultan Ghiyâs-ad-Din had raised his standard. The latter though he advanced and fought with much bravery was unable to meet the attack, and at last gave way, and his father being killed he took to flight. Nizamul-Mulk alse from the right attacked and broke the enemy's left, and numbers of them were dispersed. Muhabat Khân, governor of Chanderi, and Zahir-ul-Mulk as well as other amirs of Saltan Mahmûd who were on the enemy's left were killed. When Sultan Mahmûd saw both wings of his army, thus broken and most of his amirs and troops disheartened, he was about to take to flight; but in the midst of this the elephant-keepers of the (Bahmani) Sulţân seeing the order of the enemy broken had drawn up in line fifty formidable elephants in expectation that the enemy would fly before them, and at once drove them towards the enemy's force. The Turki amirs who had been delicately nurtured from their youth and were unaequainted with the tactics of warfare, neglected to send a force in rear of the elephants, as they should have done, and so left the elephants unsupported in the midst of the enemy. Sultan Mahmûd Khilji who still remained in his place, seeing this move in the game of chess, showed a fresh rook and sent a force of infantry and cavalry to cut off the elephants from the Dakhani army and shut them in. At this time it occurred to the mind of the foolish Sikandar Khân11 that the Sultan owing to his youth was unable to ride well, and fearing that he might be wounded, he lifted the Sultan from his saddle and seating him in front of himself tied the Sultan's kamar-band firmly to his own waist; but this unseasonable movement caused the army to be disheartened, and when the troops no longer saw the Sultan in his place they turned and fled from the field of battle. The elephants which had been driven at a rapid pace, remained in the hands of the enemy. The centre of the Dakhani army without experiencing any reverse, and though the Sultan was still alive, like a flock of sheep without a shepherd, turned towards the desert; and contrary to their custom those brave men, every one of whom was skilled in fight, looked like the disordered locks of women.
11 Sikandar Khân, son of Jalal Khan Bukhari, was killed during the previous reign (vide p. 164), so this must be some other individual of the same name..
