ia, from a quarter which it would not do for him to
neglect.

These troubles were caused by Rana Sanga, Rana of Chitor. I have
related already how this great prince--for great in every sense of
the term he was--had won back from the earlier Muhammadan invaders a
great portion of his hereditary dominions. He had even done more. He
had defeated Ibrahim Lodi in two pitched battles, those of Bakraul
and Chatauli, and had gained from other generals sixteen in addition.
Before the arrival in India of Babar he had taken the then famous
fort of Ranthambor. But he had continued, and was continuing, his
career of conquest, and the news which troubled Babar was to the
effect that the great Rajput chief had just taken the strong
hill-fort of Kandar, a few miles to the eastward of Ranthambor.

Towards the end of the rainy season Babar held a council to meet
these and other difficulties. At this {40} council it was arranged
that, whilst his eldest son, Humayun,[3] then eighteen years old,
should march eastward, to complete the subjection of the Duab, Oudh,
and Jaunpur, Babar should remain at Agra to superintend there the
general direction of affairs. As for Rana Sanga, it was resolved to
march against him only when the enemy nearer home should have been
subdued.

[Footnote 3: In the famous _Memoirs_, pp. 302-3, is to be found the
following note, inserted by Humayun: 'At this same station,' the
station of Shahabad, on the left bank of the Sarsuti, reached on the
march to Panipat, 'and this same day,' March 6, 1526, 'the razor or
scissors were first applied to Humayun's beard. As my honoured father
mentioned in these commentaries the time of his first using the
razor, in humble emulation of him I have commemorated the same
circumstance regarding myself. I was then eighteen years of age. Now
that I am forty-six, I, Muhammad Humayun, am transcribing a copy of
these _Memoirs_ from the copy in his late Majesty's own
handwriting.']

The expedition of Humayun was completely successful. He conquered the
country as far as the frontiers of Bihar. On his return, January 6th,
1527, Babar subdued Biana and Dholpur, took by stratagem the fortress
of Gwalior, received information of the surrender of Multan. Then,
master of the country from the Indus to the frontiers of Western
Bihar, and from Kalpi and Gwalior to the Himalayas, he turned his
attention to the famous Rana of Chitor, Rana Sanga. On February 11 he
marched from Agra to encounter th