Page:Historic Landmarks of the Deccan.djvu/62

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

50

Daulatabad and were well received by the Khan-i-Khanan. On June 3 the Bijapuris made their most determined attempt to raise the siege. Morari Pant, leaving Rindula Khan and Shahji to hold the Khan-i-Zaman in check, marched against the Khan-i-Khanan. The latter, believing that he had the whole of the army of Bijapur arrayed against him, ordered the Khan-i-Zaman to join him, but that officer was engaged with Rindula Khan and Shahji and could not at once assist his chief, and the Khan-i-Khanan, keeping a small force to guard the trenches in Ambarkot, despatched the greater part of his troops to meet Morari Pant and Yaqut Khan. Meanwhile, these two generals marched down from the hills and interposed their army between the troops which had been sent to attack them and the small force which the Khan-i- Kharian had kept with himself. The Khan-i-Khanan, being reinforced by a detachment which was sent to his aid by the Khan-i-Zaman, fell- upon the enemy and was joined at the same time by some of the troops which he had detached. The Bijapuris were defeated and put to flight, while fresh corps of the imperial troops continued to arrive on the field, and were desptached to report on the movements of the retreating enemy. They reported that the Bijapuris had rallied and were preparing to attack Luhrasp, who had been the first to be sent against them and had marched far from the imperial camp. A small body of the imperial troops was cut up by a force of Bijapuris which was lingering near the scene of its defeat, but this episode had no effect on the general result of the day's fighting. The Khan-i-Khanan was pressing on to the assistance of Luhrasp, when he came suddenly on a large force of Bijapuris under Yaqut Khan, Ambar, and Kheloji. This force was lying in ambush in .a nala while Morari Pant with another force was attempting to entice Luhrasp within striking distance of the ambuscade. The Khan-i-Khanan at Once fell upon this force and defeated it. The flight of the Bijapuris was interrupted by another nala which threw them into great confusion. The pursuers cut their way through the seething mass to where Yaqut Khan was. He was valiantly defended by his Habashis, but their valour was fruitless, for they were gradually beaten back, and their master, the doubly-dyed traitor, was slain. The Habashis again returned to the charge, intent on recovering his body, but were again

beaten back, and the body was carried off by the imperial troops. The