When Sultan Muhammad Shah Lohani, the Pathan king of Bihar of the new dynasty, died, sometime after Babur's expedition to Chanderi, he was succeeded by his son Sultan Jalal ud-Din Lohani, a minor, and the chief management of affairs at least in Bihar then devolved on that prince's mother Dudu and on Farid Khan, better known as Sher Shah Suri, who had already risen into distinction; that the country was distracted by the rival claims of the Lohani nobles related to the young king, of Baban and Bayezid whose influence was very extensive, of Sher Shah Suri and of other chiefs, and that these factions added to the effects of the discomfiture which the Pathans received in the preceding campaigns from the armies of Babur at length induced the young prince to take refuge in the territories of the Sultan of Bengal.

[4] In this state of things the Afghans of Jaunpur and indeed of India in general, in order to avert the total ruin of their affairs and to unite all interests as far as was practicable, resolved to call in Sultan Mahmud Lodi who had already, with the support of Rana Sanga, made an effort to mount the throne of Delhi.

Afterwards, he proceeded to Panna in Bundelkhand where he remained waiting for some favorable change of affairs and now accepted the invitation to ascend the throne of Bihar and Jaunpur.

He found that the Pathans who were straining every nerve to recover their military and political ascendancy had gathered around Sultan Mahmud Lodi to the number of 100,000 men.

[3][5] There were therefore at this time three competitors for the Eastern or Sherki kingdom Babur informed of the real state of affairs continued his march down the banks of the Ganges.

In passing Karra, he was magnificently entertained by Sultan Jalal ud-Din Sherki, the prince whose pretensions he favored and on whom he bestowed the nominal command of a division of his army.

He learned that Sultan Mahmud Lodi, who had recently advanced to Chunar and even made an assault upon it, had no sooner received certain information of the Emperor's approach than filled with consternation he raised the siege and retreated in confusion and that Sher Shah Suri had in like manner abandoned Benares and recrossed the river with such precipitation that two of his boats were lost in the passage.

Here he learned that Sultan Mahmud Lodi was in the Bengal camp at the junction of the two rivers with a body of Afghans and that when he and his followers wished to remove their families and baggage they were not permitted by the Bengalis probably wishing to retain them as hostages Sultan Jalal ud-Din Khan Lohani his rival who had lately sent his submission to Babur was in like manner hindered from departing in consequence of which he had come to blows with the Bengalis had effected a passage over the Ganges into Bihar with his followers and was on his march to join the imperial army.

He was indeed at peace with Bengal but the shelter afforded to his flying enemy the position of the Kherid army and the equivocal conduct of its leaders made it indispensable that he should have a categorical declaration as to the disposition and intention of the Bengali government.

Mustafa Rumi another Turkish engineer who had a party of musketeers and artillery supported by Muhammad Zaman Mirza and the sixth division was to open a cannonade on the flank of the enemy's camp from the Bihar bank of the Ganges below the junction of the rivers.

At length, after various movements, Babur received notice that Askari had effected a passage over the Ghaghra River at the Haldi Ghat and was now ready for action and that he had been strengthened by the defection of Shah Muhammad Maaruf an Afghan nobleman of the highest rank and consequence who had deserted the confederacy with his followers and now joined his camp.

On the morning of May 6, 1529, as soon as Askari's army was known to be in motion the Bengali troops moved up to meet him whereupon Babur ordered both his division and that of Muhammad Zaman to cross over without delay.

As Askari advanced north-west towards the enemy, the Bengali army finding themselves surrounded and driven in on three sides finally quit the field in confusion.

He continued to consolidate his power and establish administrative infrastructure in his new Empire distributing jagirs (Estates) to loyal nobles and allies.