Nawak and Mandahars

Nawak

A crossbow that Muslim invaders frequently used in India in the 13th and 14th centuries. The term originally denoted a tabular attachment but subsequently came to be applied to the entire weapon. Malik Kafur is reported to have used nawaks with great effect during his campaigns in south India.

Mandahars

A warrior tribe settled in Kaithal and the surrounding

tract during the 13th century. In late 1280, Jalal al-Din Khalji (later98 • MAITHILI Jalal al-Din Firuz Khalji), then muqti‘ of Kaithal, was wounded while conducting operations against the Mandahars. The Mandahars continued to defy the central authority until the beginning of 16^th century.