In 1301, Alauddin Khalji, the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in India, conquered the neighbouring kingdom of Ranastambhapura (modern Ranthambore).

After recovering from these initial reverses, Hammira's generals (including the Mongol rebels) defeated Ulugh Khan's army at a mountain pass near Ranthambore.

Ranthambore was reputed to be an impregnable fort, and Alauddin's predecessor Jalaluddin had made an unsuccessful attempt to capture it in 1291.

This army included several Mongol soldiers (also called Mughals or neo-Muslims), who had converted to Islam recently.

Hammira of Ranthambore (called Hamir Dev in Muslim chronicles) granted asylum to these Mongol fugitives.

After returning to Bayana from Delhi, he sent messengers to Hammira, urging him to kill the Mongol fugitives as a friendly ruler.

[5] When Alauddin learned about Hammira's reply, he dispatched an army led by Ulugh Khan to capture Ranthambore.

[6] The Delhi army retreated temporarily, possibly deliberately to fool the Chahamanas into dropping their guard.

[6] According to the Hammira Mahakavya, Bhimasimha had abandoned his strong position at the top of the mountain pass on the advice of the minister Dharmasimha.

However, Bhoja was unable to arrange sufficient money for raising an army that could defeat Alauddin's invasion.

He contacted the king through a court dancer named Dhara, and offered to arrange horses for Hammira's cavalry from Malwa.

[8] The Hammira Mahakavya further states that Bhoja and his brother Pithasimha decided to leave Ranthambore as a result of Dharmasimha's scheming.

Alauddin gave him the jagir (fief) of Jagara, which was earlier held by the rebel Mongol leader Muhammad Shah.

At a mountain pass called Hinduvata, the Chahamana army inflicted a heavy defeat on the Delhi forces.

These women were forced to sell sour buttermilk in the villages of Hammira's kingdom, in order to spread the news of the Chahamana victory.

[8] Hammira's Mongol allies then attacked Jagara, the former jagir of Muhammad Shah that Alauddin had granted to Bhoja.

As a result, Hammira did not resist the invaders' entry into his territory, and the Delhi army crossed the Hinduvata mountain pass easily.

Taking advantage of the mourning in the invaders' camp, Hammira came out of the fort with a strong army, and forced Ulugh Khan to retreat to Jhain.

[12] When Alauddin learned about Ulugh Khan's defeat, he decided to personally lead a stronger force to Ranthambore.

[14] Alauddin's camp was located on a hillock called Ran, which faced the Ranthambore Fort's hill.

Alauddin ordered the construction of a pasheb, an inclined mound built to fill the ditch separating his camp and the fort.

In the first attempt, his nephews Malik Umar and Mangu Khan started recruiting soldiers to overthrow his rule.

[19] The Rajput bardic chronicles such as the Hammira Raso claim that the scarcity of food resulted from a conspiracy by Sarjan Shah, a Buddhist merchant (bania) belonging to the Sharaoji sect.

To avenge his father's death, he polluted the provisions stored in the fort with animal hides, thus rendering them unusable for the vegetarian Hindus.

He decided to fight to death with his loyal men, while the women of the fort prepared for suicide by jauhar (mass self-immolation to avoid falling into the enemy hands).

However, the Mongol leader Muhammad Shah refused the offer: he killed his wife and children, and declared that he would join Hammira's last stand.

[21] Hammira had all his valuables thrown into the Padmasara lake, and appointed his minister Jaja (also Jajala or Jajadeva) as his successor.

[24] Hammira and his loyal companions marched to the top of the pasheb mound, where they fought to death with Alauddin's army.

[25] Some Rajput-era bards claim that Hammira severed his own head and offered it to the god Mahadeva when faced with a certain defeat.