Battle of Amroha

Battle of Amroha
Part of the Mongol invasions of India
DateDecember 20, 1305
LocationAmroha, Uttar Pradesh
Result Delhi Sultanate victory[1]
Belligerents
Mongol Empire Delhi Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Ali Beg  (POW)
Tartaq  (POW)		 Malik Kafur
Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq
Strength
30,000[1]-50,000[2] 30,000[1]
Casualties and losses
20,000[1]
9,000  (POW)[3]		 unknown

The Battle of Amroha was fought on December 20 of 1305 between an army of the Delhi Sultanate, led by Malik Kafur, and a Mongol army, led by Ali Beg and Tartaq.

Background

For years the Mongols had been attacking India's northwest border. In an effort to strengthen his defenses Sultan Alauddin Khilji had the forts along the border strengthened and equipped with larger garrisons. New, more effective fortifications were built in the area. A whole new army with its own special governor was created whose mission was managing and guarding the border areas.

Despite these measures, in 1305 a large Mongol raiding army under the leadership of Ali Beg and Tartaq suddenly appeared in the Punjab and the neighborhood of Amroha. The Mongols had traveled advancing south-east, following the Himalayas and plundering all in their way until they reached Amroha.

Battle

Alauddin Khilji sent a strong army led by two of his generals: Ghazi Malik and Malik Kafur, to engage the invaders.[1] They surprised and inflicted a crushing defeat upon the Mongols, who were on their way back to Central Asia with their plunder. 'Ali Beg and Tartaq, the Mongol generals, were captured, brought back to Siri Fort in Delhi and allowed to live in captivity for some time.[4] Although, according to Agha Hussain Hamadani both Ali Beg and Tartaq were trampled to death by elephants[5] along with 9,000 Mongol prisoners.[3]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Satish Chandra, Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals, Part one, (Har-Anand Publications, 2013), 71.
  2. ↑ Peter Jackson, The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History, (Cambridge University Press, 1999), 228.
  3. 1 2 Rene Grousset, The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia, transl. Naomi Walford, (Rutger University Press, 1991), 339.
  4. ↑ Peter Jackson, The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History, 227.
  5. ↑ Agha Hussain Hamadani, The Frontier Policy of the Delhi Sultans, (Atlantic Publishers, 1992), 191.

References

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