Taj al-maʾathir 29: Defeat of the army of Ghazna, and seizure of Taju-d din Yalduz.

29

"When the beautiful Canopus arose, and the vanguard of winter put the centre of the army of summer to flight," it entered into the royal determination "to destroy some tribe of the accursed infidels, or to move the auspicious standards for the purpose of capturing some city in the land of Hind." "In the midst of these reflections, messengers arrived frequently from Taju-d din, who had admitted into his brain the wind of pride and the arrogance of dominion," charged with the delivery of ridiculous propositions, which the Sultan was incensed to listen to. Shamsu-d din resolved to oppose his pretensions by force, and advanced with a large army to Samana, which he reached on Monday, the 3rd of Shawwal, 612 h. (Jan., 1216), and on his arrival was attacked by the advanced guard of Malik Taju-d din. During the action, the enemy suddenly came up towards the left wing of the auxiliaries of the faith, and desired to raise up a disturbance with their "watered blades, and to practice their deceits after the manner of of foxes playing with lions, and with the absurd idea that they could thus take the countries of Hind and Sind." — Then follows a description of the battle, which is described in terms peculiar to chess, with the introduction of hyperboles upon swords, dirks, maces, war-nooses, horsemen, horse-archers, arrows, spears, elements, justice, and stars. — Taju-d din was wounded by an arrow shot by Muwaiyidu-l Mulk, and was subsequently taken prisoner and brought before Shamsu-d din.