Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/94

 60 insTOIlY OF INDI.x. fBooK I.

AD. lur. by the Soorsooty, the Indian princes sent a measage to Slialial>, warning liini of his fate if he persisted, but at the same time offering to allow him to retreat in safety. He was so humble in his answer that they at once attributed it to fear, and, in the midst of tlifir joy, gave themselves up to revelry. Shahab, in anticipation of the effect which his mes,sage would produce, prepared for a surprise; and, by the early dawn, having forded the river, was in the camj) of the Indians before they had the least notice of his approach. Notwithstanding the confusion, they managed to bring their line into tolerable order, and had continued the contest till near sunset, when Shahab, placing hiraself at the

HiiMioo head of 12,000 chosen horsemen, covered with steel armour, made a furious charge, which carried the day. The Indians were panic-struck, and the Mahometans had nothing to do but slaughter them. Many rajahs fell on the field; the Rajah of Delhi and Ajmeer was taken prisoner, and aftenvards put to death in cold blood. The immediate results of the victory were the surrender of the forts Soorsooty, Samana, Koram, and Hansi, and the capture of Ajmeer, where all in arms were put to the sword, and the rest reserved for slavery.

Shahab next turned his arms towards Delhi, but was propitiated by pre- sents. On his return to Ghuznee, he marched north to the Sewalik Mountairts, plundering and destroying wherever he went. After he had reached home,

Exi)ioits Eibuk, the officer whom he had left with a strong detachment in Koram, took the fort of Meerut and the city of Delhi. In the latter, in 1193, he fixed the seat of his government, and compelled the surrounding districts to embrace Mahometanism. We shall afterwards see him make a prominent figure in Indian affairs.

The restless spirit of Shahab would not allow him to remain long at Ghuznee, and he is soon again found in India. His proceedings were not unimportant, but the personal share which he had in them is almost lost sight of in consequence of the prominence given to Eibuk, whom he had now made Viceroy of India, and to whom his future military achievements in this country are mainly ascribed. During this visit to his Indian dominions, he defeated the Rajah of Canouge and Benares, took the fort of A.sny, where the rajah had laid up his treasure; and afterwards, entering the city of Benares, broke the idols in more than a thousand temples. After his return to Ghuznee, laden with spoil, his conquests and dctories were continued by Eibuk. who, in 1 194, defeated and slew the Rajah of Hemraj, and took revenge in the capital of Gujerat for the defeat which his master had there sustained.

In 1195 Shahab, retui'ning once more to Hindoostan, took Byana, and sent the new governor whom he appointed against Gwalior, which ;y-ielded only

His d«f Mt after a long siege. The following year is chiefly remarkable for a defeat which

tena."'^' Eibiik sustained in Rajpootana — a defeat so severe that he was compelled to shut himself up in the fort of Ajmeer Having again recruited his strength