Battle of Amroha

01The battle

Ali Beg, said to be a descendant of Chinggis Khan, and Tartaq led the raid. Avoiding Delhi, they crossed the Yamuna and plundered the country toward Amroha. Malik Nayak, sent with a cavalry force, met them there. Amir Khusrau, who wrote of the victory in the Khazain al-Futuh, and Barani both describe a complete rout. The two Mongol commanders were taken alive and brought to Delhi.

02Terror for terror

Barani records that the captives were trampled by elephants at Delhi, and that a tower was built of the heads of the slain at the Badaun gate. Alauddin meant the Mongols to fear India as much as India feared them. The Ravi campaign of 1306 followed, and after it the Mongol invasions of north India largely stopped for a generation. Amroha itself became a town of the Sultanate’s eastern doab.