The Battle of Kili halted a major Mongol attempt to conquer Delhi in 1299, preserving the Delhi Sultanate despite the loss of its general Zafar Khan.
Key Facts
- Year
- 1299
- Mongol commander
- Qutlugh Khwaja
- Delhi Sultan
- Alauddin Khalji
- Delhi general killed
- Zafar Khan
- Mongol retreat after
- 2 days
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Mongols of the Chagatai Khanate, led by Qutlugh Khwaja, invaded the Indian subcontinent with the intention of capturing Delhi. Sultan Alauddin Khalji marched his army to Kili, near Delhi, to intercept and halt the advancing Mongol force.
At Kili, Alauddin's general Zafar Khan launched an unauthorized attack on a Mongol unit commanded by Hijlak. The Mongols feigned retreat to draw Zafar Khan away from the main Delhi camp, then ambushed and destroyed his unit. Zafar Khan was killed but inflicted severe casualties on the Mongols before falling.
Having suffered heavy losses in the fighting against Zafar Khan's unit, the Mongol army chose to withdraw from the region after two days. The Delhi Sultanate repelled the invasion at the cost of one of its leading commanders, and the Mongol effort to conquer Delhi was abandoned.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Alauddin Khalji, Zafar Khan.
Side B
1 belligerent
Qutlugh Khwaja, Hijlak.