162 
LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS. 
forces of Cabulistan marched from Lahore, encountered 
the enemy and entirely routed them. 
Meanwhile Dowlut Khan hearing that the sovereign 
of Cabul was obliged to march to the relief of Balkh, 
which was besieged by the Uzbecks, thought this 
an opportunity to recover his lost influence at the 
court of Delhi, by traversing the views of that mon- 
arch. Ascertaining that Sultan Alla-ood-Deen had 
been sent by him against Delhi, accompanied by se- 
veral of Baber’s generals, for the purpose of assum- 
ing the sceptre, the crafty old politician addressed 
a letter to the sultan congratulating him upon his 
prospects of accession to the throne, forwarding at the 
same time a deed of fealty regularly attested by his 
chiefs and cadis. In consequence of this, Alla-ood- 
Deen, in defiance of the expostulations of Baber’s begs, 
entered into a formal alliance with Dowlut Khan, who 
immediately joined him with his forces. The begs, 
dissatisfied at this imprudent treaty, quitted his 
camp. 
In their march towards Delhi the confederates were 
joined by many disaffected omrahs ; and, by the time 
they reached the imperial city, the army of Alla-ood- 
Deen amounted to forty thousand horse. With these 
he invested that magnificent capital. The Em- 
peror Ibrahim advanced to oppose his brother from 
Agra, but his army being surprised in the night, were 
thrown into confusion and dispersed. Owing, how- 
ever, to the ill state of discipline of Alla-ood-Deen’s 
battalions, composed of various bodies, hastily collected, 
ill assorted, and under little subjection, the imperial 
forces, which had been broken, rallied, attacked the 
