Invading India, Tamerlane was confronted by an army of 10-12,000 cavalry, 20-40,000 infantry and 120-125 elephants under Sultan Mahmud of Delhi. In order to neutralise the elephants Tamerlane took a number of precautions, distributing his infantry with caltrops to strew in their path and also constructing a defensive barrier comprised of a deep ditch with a wooden abattis at the bottom and a screen of hobbled buffaloes before it, ‘fastened firmly together by the neck and feet with leather thongs.’ In addition the Timurid archers were to concentrate their fire on the exposed mahouts. Mahmud meanwhile drew up with his elephants in the centre as was customary, accompanied or crewed by rocket - and grenade-throwers, both armies otherwise adopting the traditional Moslem battle array of left and right wings, advance guard and centre.
When the battle commenced the Timurids showered Mahmud’s right with arrows, while an attack by the Indian left wing and vanguard against Tamerlane’s right failed utterly when it was taken in flank and rear by the Timurid vanguard, losing 5-600 men in one charge and subsequently breaking in rout. The elephants had meanwhile advanced in good order, but many were neutralised by their mahouts being killed and others were actually captured, the rest being driven off ‘like cows’ with the rest of the army, which fell back to the city.23 Delhi surrendered as a result of this defeat and was sacked soon after, apparently against Tamerlane’s wishes.
World History
