Battle of Jaran Manjur
| Battle of Jaran-Manjur | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Mongol invasions of India | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Chagatai Khanate | Delhi Sultanate | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Kadar | Ulugh Khan, Zafar Khan | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 20,000 killed, several captured (claim by Delhi chronicler Amir Khusrau) | Unknown | ||||||||
In the winter of 1297, Kadar, a noyan of the Mongol Chagatai Khanate invaded the Delhi Sultanate ruled by Alauddin Khalji. The Mongols ravaged the Punjab region, advancing as far as Kasur. Alauddin sent an army led by his brother Ulugh Khan (and probably Zafar Khan) to check their advance. This army defeated the invaders on 6 February 1298, killing around 20,000 of them, and forcing the Mongols to retreat.
The Mongol Chagatai Khanate had invaded the Delhi Sultanate a number of times, including in 1241, 1245, 1257, and 1285. Alauddin's predecessor Jalaluddin also faced a Mongol invasion, and was forced to negotiate a humiliating truce. During Alauddin's reign, the Mongols invaded India again: compared to the previous invasions, these were large-scale invasions. The first of these invasions was ordered by the Mongol ruler Duwa, who sent his noyan Kadar (or Keder) to India with a 100,000-strong force.
In the winter of 1297-98, Kadar invaded and ravaged the Punjab region of the Delhi Sultanate, which was ruled by Alauddin Khalji. Alauddin's courtier Amir Khusrau mentions that the Mongols reached India by crossing the Sulaiman Mountains. They crossed the major rivers of the Punjab, and burnt the Khokhar villages. They advanced up to Kasur, where they destroyed houses: according Khusrau, the light emitted from the burning of the houses could be seen from the suburbs of the city.
When Alauddin learned about the havoc caused by the Mongols, he directed his brother and general Ulugh Khan to march against the invaders. According to Ziauddin Barani, Zafar Khan led the Delhi army along with Ulugh Khan, but Alauddin's courtier Amir Khusrau omits Zafar Khan's name. Barani is probably correct. (Zafar Khan's name was omitted in the dynasty's official chronicles because Alauddin was unhappy with his reckless disobedience during the Battle of Kili). According to Khusrau, Ulugh Khan covered the distance of two marches in a single day to face the Mongols. On 6 February 1298, the Delhi army reached Jaran-Manjur, a place located on the banks of the Sutlej River.
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