101 HISTORY OF INDIA. [Book I.
AD. 1626. Numeroas malcontent cluefs joined him; and, at the head (;f 100,000 horw^, he made himself master of all the country as far {is Sumbuhl, defeating the Delhi Keiwiii..!. army in several engagements. A still more fatal step wa« taken by Dowlut govoniors Klian Lody, the governor of Lahore. He had at first taken part with the king, ami Lahore '^^^^ bccame alamicd at the repeated instances of his pei-fidy. Not seeing any seemity for his family in any temis of accommodation which Ibrahim might )>(' induced to gi'ant, and conscious, at the same time, of his inability to meet him in the open field, he entered into a communication with Baber, who was then reigning in Cabool. That prince had long kept his eye fixed on Hindoostan, which, as a direct descendant of Tamerlane, he regarded as part of his inheritance. Nothing, therefore, could be more in accordance with his wishes than Dowlut Khan's invitation. He was well acquainted with the convulsed state of the country ; for at this very time Ala-u-din, the brother of Ibrahim, was living in exile at his com-t. Before taking the field in person, Baber sent forward this ])rince, who was immediately joined by Dowlut Khan. Many other officers of distinction also rallied around his standard, and lie continued his march towards Delhi, with the intention of laying siege to it. His army mustered 40,000 hor.se. Ibrahim went out to oppose him, but suffered himself to be surprised in the night, and, after a tumultuous conflict, found, when the day dawTied, that most of his officers had deserted to the enemy. The troops, however, had remained faithful, and an opportunity of regaining more than he had lost immediately presented itself. The troops of Ala-u-din, thinking they had secured the victory, had dispersed to plunder. Ibrahim, before they were aware, w^as on them with his elephants and as many of his soldiers as he had rallied, and drove them from the field with great slaughter. Ala-u-din, giving up all for lost, made a precipitate retreat to the Punjab, and Ibraliim once more entered Delhi in triumph. It was of .short dm-ation ; for the only effect of Ala-u-din' s Invitation discomfitm'e was to bring Baber across the Indus in the end of 1525. As the details must be left for another chapter, it is sufficient here to mention the result. The kings met in the beginning of the following year, on the plain of Paniput, and a sanguinary battle was fought, which teiininated the life of Ibrahim, and extinguished the Lody Afghan dvTiasty. On its ruins the far more celebrated dynasty of the Great Mogul was erected.
to Baber
