“When the blessed canopy had been fixed about a mile from the gate of Arangal, the tents around the fort were pitched together so closely that the he… - Amir Khusrau

[Then in a single campaign Ranthambhor was conquered and] ‘ by the decree of God the land of infidelity became the land of Islam’. [In Amir Khusrau’s words,] ‘ When the sky-rubbing canopy of the Shadow of God cast its shade over the hill of Ranthambhor, the conqueror of the world, like the sun, stood over the unfortunate in his heat, and cast the days of their lives into decline.’

But sometimes neither the passage of time nor indeed death could remove the [racial] barriers. The remains of the Iranian Mir Murtaza Shirazi, who was earlier buried near the Indian Amir Khusrau, were ordered by Emperor Akbar “to be removed and buried elsewhere”, on the representation of Shaikh-ul-Islam, who pleaded that the two deceased would find each other’s company a torture.

Conquest of Tilang (excerpt) On Sunday, the 13th, a day dedicated to the sun, the attack was renewed, and cries of “huzza huzz” and “khuzza khuzz,” the acclamation of the triumph of holy Warriors arose. They took fire with them, and threw it into the places of retreat of the Gabrs, who worshipped fire. By Wednesday, the whole of the outer wall was in possession of the Musulmans. They then saw the inner fortress, which was built of stone. You might have said it was the fort of Nai, in which the air is as much lost as in a reed. When the army reached the inner ditch, they swam across it, and commenced a vigorous attack on one of the stone bastions, which so alarmed Rai Laddar Deo that he offered terms of capitulation. He despatched confidential messengers to offer an annual payment of tribute: and sent a golden image of himself, with a golden chain round Its neck, In acknowledgment of his submission. “When the messengers of the Rai came before the red canopy, which is the honored harbinger of victory and triumph, they rubbed their yellow faces on the earth till the ground itself acquired their colour, and they drew out their tongues in eloquent Hindui more cutting than a Hindi sword, and they delivered the message of the Rai.... The idol-breaking Malik comprehended the gilding of the Hindus, and paid no regard to their glozing speech and would not look towards that golden image, but he (“a part of the second Alexander”) ordered his officers to take the gold that was brought and suspend operations against the fort. He demanded, in reply everything that [p. 89] the Rai’s country produced from vegetables, mines, and animals. On this condition the fort-taking Malik stretched forth his right hand, and placed his sword in his scabbard, and struck his open hand, by way of admonition, so forcibly on the backs of the basiths that he made them bend under the blow. They hastened to the fort, trembling like quick-silver. The Rai was engaged all night in accumulating his treasures and wealth, and next morning his officers returned with elephants, treasures, and horses, before the red canopy, which is the dawn of the eastern sun; and the Malik, having summoned all the chiefs of the army, sat down in a place which was found in front of the exalted throne, and every other officer found a place in the assembly according to his rank. The common people and servants assembled in a crowd. He then sent for the basiths of the Rai, and directed them to place their faces on the ground before the canopy, the shadow of God; and the elephants were placed in front of that assembly, to be exhibited for presentation...The Malik took the entire wealth of the Rai which was brought, and threatened a general massacre, if it should be found that the Rai had reserved anything for himself. An engagement was then entered into that the Rai should send jizya annually to Dehli. The Malik left Arangal on the l6th of Shawwal (March, 1310 A.D.) with all his booty, and a thousand camels groaned under the weight of the treasure. He arrived at Dehli on the 11th of Muharram, A.H. 710, and on Tuesday, the 24th, in an assembly of all the chiefs and nobles on the terrace of Nasiru-d din, the plunder was presented, and the Malik duly honoured...