In medieval Indian warfare, the 'manjaniq' (munjaniq) was a type of:

In medieval Indian warfare, the "manjaniq" (munjaniq or manjanik) was a type of catapult, a siege engine used to hurl heavy stones and other missiles at enemy forts and walls.

About the manjaniq:

• The word comes from the Greek "manganon", through Arabic and Persian.
• It was a large wooden machine that used a counterweight or the pulling force of many men to throw heavy stones over long distances.
• It was used to break down the walls and gates of forts, and to throw missiles into besieged towns.
• Sometimes, burning materials (naphtha) were thrown, to set fire to buildings.
• It was introduced into India by the Turkish invaders, especially by the Ghaznavids and the Delhi Sultans, who had learnt it from the Arabs and Persians.

Use in the Delhi Sultanate:

• The Sultans used manjaniqs in the sieges of strong forts, such as Ranthambore, Chittor, Devagiri and Warangal.
• Contemporary historians, such as Barani and Amir Khusrau, mention their use.
• At the siege of Ranthambore (1301), Alauddin Khalji's commander Nusrat Khan was killed by a stone thrown from a catapult (maghribi) by the defenders.

Other siege equipment:

• "Arrada": a smaller type of catapult.
• "Maghribi": another type of stone-throwing machine.
• "Sabat": a covered approach (protected passage) used to bring soldiers close to the walls.
• "Pashib": a raised platform of sandbags or earth, from which soldiers could attack the fort walls.

Changes in warfare:

From the 16th century, gunpowder artillery (cannons) replaced catapults in siege warfare, after Babur and later rulers used cannons effectively.

Other military terms of the Sultanate:

• "Paik": foot soldier.
• "Sawar": horseman.
• "Ariz": the official in charge of the army.
• "Dagh": the branding of horses.

Why not the other options?

• ✗A sword, horse armour and a signal drum are not the meaning of manjaniq.