Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 6.8
History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 6.8
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6.8.1
The author of the Jama ool Hikayat relates that when Mahmood was in Guzerat he saw a small black idol under an arch, which to all appearance was suspended in the air without support. The King, amazed at this phenomenon, consulted the philosophers of his court, who told him that they believed the image to be iron, and the stone of the arch magnetic. The King observed, that he thought the equilibrium of weight and attraction could not be so exactly found. He, however, by way of experiment, ordered a stone to be struck out of the arch, which was no sooner done, than the idol fell to the ground; the stone was therefore pronounced to be a magnet. The Caliph of Bagdad, being informed of the expedition of the King of Ghizny, wrote him a congratulatory letter, in which he styled him "The Guardian of the State, and of the Faith;" to his son, the Prince Ameer Musaood, he gave the title of "The Lustre of Empire, and the Ornament of Religion," and to his second son, the Ameer Yoosoof, the appellation of "The Strength of the Arm of Fortune, and Establisher of Empires." He at the same time assured Mahmood, that to whomsoever he should bequeath the throne at his death, he himself would confirm and support the same.
6.8.2
In the end of the year Mahmood marched against the Juts, residing in the Jood mountains, who had molested his army on its return from Somnat. Having arrived at Mooltan, and finding that the country of the Juts was intersected by rivers, he ordered 1400 boats to be built, each of which was armed with six iron spikes, projecting from the prows and sides to prevent their being boarded by the enemy, who were expert in that kind of warfare. In each boat were twenty archers and five naphtha-men, to attack and set fire to the enemy's flotilla. The Juts, having intelligence of this armament, sent their wives and children, together with their most valuable effects, into the neighbouring islands, and launching, according to some, 1000, and according to others, 8000 boats, ready manned and armed, they prepared to receive the Mahomedans. The fleets met, and a desperate conflict ensued, but the projecting spikes of the Moslem boats did such execution when they ran against the craft of the Juts, that several of them were overset. The archers, at the same time, plied their arrows with such effect, that many of the enemy leaped overboard. Some of the Jut boats being in the mean time set on fire communicated their flames to others; some were sunk, some boarded, and others endeavoured to fly. From this scene of confusion few of the Juts escaped, so that those who were not killed fell into the hands of Mahmood.
6.8.3
The King after this victory returned in triumph to Ghizny, and in the year 418 removed the governor of Toos (Abool Hurb Arslan) to the government of the district of Badwird, in order to chastise the Suljook Toorkmans, who, having crossed the river Amoo, had invaded that province. The General, however, being defeated in several engagements, wrote to the King, that without his own presence nothing could be done against the enemy. Mahmood put his army in motion, and having come up with the Suljooks, gave them a total defeat. At this time, also, his generals having conquered Eerak, he himself marched in that direction, and secured all the treasure that had been amassed by the race of Boeia. Having then introduced some new laws respecting the religion of the inhabitants who had adopted false tenets, he conferred the government of Rye and Isfahan on his son, the Prince Musaood, and returned to Ghizny.
6.8.4
Mahmood was soon after affected with the stone, which disorder daily increased. He went in this condition to Bulkh, and in the beginning of the spring returned to Ghizny, where, on Friday On the 23d of Rubee-ool-Sany, A. H. 421, in the sixty-third year of his age, this great conqueror gave up his soul to immortality, amid the tears of his people. Mahmood reigned thirty-five years, and was buried by torchlight with great pomp and solemnity in the Kesr Firozy at Ghizny. Sooltan Mahmood was in person about the middle size, but well made. He was also strongly marked with the small-pox. It is a well-established fact, that two days before his death, he commanded all the gold and caskets of precious stones in his possession to be placed before him: when he beheld them he wept with regret, ordering them to be carried back to the treasury, without exhibiting his generosity at that time to any body, for which he has been accused of avarice. On the following day he ordered a review of his army, his elephants, camels, horses, and chariots, with which having feasted his eyes for some time from his travelling throne, he again burst into tears, and retired in grief to his palace.
6.8.5
Abool Hussun Ally, the son of Hussun Mymundy, relates, that the King one day asked Aboo Tahir Samany, what quantity of valuable jewels the Samany dynasty had accumulated when it became extinct? He replied, that in the reign of Ameer Nooh Samany the treasury contained seven ruttuls weight of precious stones. Mahmood flung himself prostrate on the floor, and cried out, "Thanks to thee, all-powerful Being, who hast enabled me to collect more than 100 ruttuls."
6.8.6
It is also said that in the latter end of his reign Mahmood, on hearing that a citizen of Nyshapoor possessed immense wealth, he commanded him to be called into his presence, and reproached him for being an idolater and an apostate from the faith. The citizen replied, "O King I am no idolater nor apostate, but I am possessed of wealth; take it, therefore, but do me not a double injustice, by robbing me of my money and of my good name." The King, having confiscated his whole property, gave him a certificate under the royal seal, of the purity of his religious tenets. According to the Tubkat Nasiry it appears that Mahmood was sceptical on certain religious points, and questioned the orthodoxy of the opinions of the learned, especially on the use of penances. He even professed his doubt of a future state, and did not hesitate to say, he questioned whether he was really the son of Subooktugeen. He dreamed, however, one night that he saw the Prophet standing before him, who addressed him thus: "O son of Ameer Nasir Subooktugeen, may God give thee honour in both worlds, as he has conferred it on man by his precepts!" So that the three points of his scepticism were removed by this short sentence.
6.8.7
It is related that a violent flood occurred in Ghizny the year after his death, which levelled most of the principal buildings to the ground, and many people lost their lives on the occasion. This same flood carried away the embankment constructed in the reign of Amroo Bin Leith Suffar, so that not a vestige of it remained; and this calamity was considered at the time as a sample of the destruction that was eventually to befall the empire. The following instance of his justice has been transmitted to posterity. A petitioner one day complained, that owing to his having a handsome wife the King's nephew had conceived a passion for her, and came to his house every night with armed attendants, and beat him and turned him into the street, till he gratified his adulterous passion; that he had frequently complained to those who ought to have done him justice, but that the rank of the adulterer had hitherto protected him. The King, on hearing this, shed tears of indignation, and reproved the poor man for not making his complaint sooner. The man replied he often attempted, but could not gain admittance. He was then commanded to return to his house, and to give the King notice the first time his nephew was guilty of the like violence, charging those who were present, on pain of death, to let nothing of this subject transpire, at the same time ordering the poor man to be admitted at any hour. Accordingly the man returned to his house.
6.8.8
On the third night, the King's nephew as usual came, and having whipped the husband severely, turned him into the street. The poor man hastened to the King, but the captain of the guards refused him admittance, saying that his Majesty was in the seraglio. The man immediately vociferated loudly, so that the porter, fearing the court might be disturbed, and the noise reach the King, was under the necessity of conducting him to the officers of the bed-chamber, who immediately acquainted Mahmood. The King instantly arose, and wrapping himself in a loose cloak, followed the man to his house. He found his nephew and the man's wife sleeping together in one bed, with a candle standing on the carpet near them. Mahmood, extinguishing the candle, drew his sword, and severed his nephew's head from his body. Then commanding the man to bring a light, he called for water, and having taken a deep draught, he told him he might now go and sleep with safety, if he could trust his own wife.