The Rajput rulers organize a Hindu army, including remnants of the recently defunct Western Chalukyas, and defeat Muhammad of Ghur at Taraori near Thaneswar on the Sarsuti River in 1191.

Sultan Mu'izz al-Din Muhammad of Ghor had proceeded in 1191 towards Hindustan through the Khyber Pass in modern day Pakistan and was successful in reaching Punjab.

Mu'izz had captured a fortress, Bathinda in present-day Punjab state on the northwestern frontier of Prithvīrāj Chauhān's kingdom.

After appointing a Qazi Zia-ud-Din as governor of the fortress, he had received the news that Prithviraj's army, led by his vassal prince Govind Tai, were on their way to besiege the fortress.

The two armies eventually met near the town of Tarain, 14 miles from Thanesar in present-day Haryana.

The Ghorid army had initiated battle by attacking with cavalry, launching arrows at the Rajput center.

The Chauhanid forces had counterattacked from three sides and dominated the battle, pressuring the Ghorid army into a withdrawal.

Meanwhile, Mu'izz al-Din had been wounded in personal combat with Govind Tai.

The Chauhanid forces did not pursue the Ghorid army, either not wanting to invade hostile territory or misjudging Ghori's ambition, and electing instead to retake the fortress of Bhatinda.

On his return to Ghazni, Mu'izz al-Din had made hectic preparations to avenge the defeat.

On reaching Lahore, he had sent his envoy to Prithviraj to demand his submission, but the Chauhan ruler had refused to comply.

Seeing through the Ghorid stratagem, Prithviraj had issued a fervent appeal to his fellow Rajput chiefs to come to his aid against the Muslim invader.

About one hundred and fifty of them respond favorably but Mu'izz al-Din, upon hearing this news, had sent a letter asking for a truce in order to deceive Prithviraj.

Mu'izz al-Din now re-attacks Prithiviraj with a stronger army.

Prithviraj had called his banners (other Rajputs under him or his allies) but hopes to buy time for his banners to arrive.

Mu'izz al-Din gets wind of this and deceitfully sends a letter to Prithviraj for truce, then attacks the Rajput army before dawn.

The Rajput tradition is to fight from sunrise to sunset.

Although they are able to quickly form formations, they suffer losses due to the unexpected attack.

The Rajput army is eventually defeated and Prithviraj, under whom the Chauhana dynasy, has reached its greatest extent, is taken prisoner and subsequently executed.

Iltutmish, preoccupied with subjugating Hindu chiefs in India, waits for his rivals to come to him.

One of these dissident slave-generals, Elduz, is driven from Ghazni by the forces of the Shah of Khwarezm into the Punjab, where he lays claim to the throne of Delhi as the heir to Muhammad of Ghor.

Iltutmish refuses, stating, “the dominion of the world is enjoyed by the one who possesses the greatest strength.

The principle of hereditary succession is not extinct but long ago destiny abolished this custom.”