The Rashīdī History 151: CHAPTER XXXVIII. · ACCOUNT OF THE SHAIBANI WHO HAVE REIGNED IN SUCCESSION IN MAVARA-UN-NAHR, DOWN TO THE PRESENT DAY.
The Tarikh-i-Rashidi (Elias, Ross) 151
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CHAPTER XXXVIII. · ACCOUNT OF THE SHAIBANI WHO HAVE REIGNED IN SUCCESSION IN MAVARA-UN-NAHR, DOWN TO THE PRESENT DAY.
151.1
The Uzbeg Shaiban, in the beginning of the winter of the year 918, had killed Mir Najm and defeated the Turkomans and the Emperor. In the spring of the same year they desisted from further aggressions on any side, being apprehensive both of Shah Ismail's vengeance and Kasim Khan's invasion [istila] as has been explained. But in the winter of 919 [1513], Shah Ismail returned to Irak to oppose Sultan Salim the Rumi, while Kasim Khan in order to look to his own kingdom, went to Ubaira-Subaira. The minds of the Shaiban being now set at rest with regard to these two formidable enemies, Ubaid Ullah Khan, near the end of the winter, set out for Hisar, delivered it from the tyranny of the Moghuls, and made an end of them, as mentioned before. In the spring of 920, the Shaiban marched against Andijan. On careful consideration, the Khan realised that in disputing over Andijan with the Uzbeg, there could result nothing but the dimness of trouble and ruin upon the mirror of his fortune. For those who had power to withstand them, had moved out of the Shaiban territory, and he who had offered them the stoutest resistance, namely Babar Padishah, having placed the foot of despair in the stirrup of despondence, had gone back to Kabul. He thought the wisest plan for him was to retire from the country, before the enemy arrived. So the Khan set out for Kashghar, by way of Moghulistan. [Thus] the province of Farghana was joined on to Mavara-un-Nahr [under the domination of the Uzbeg].
151.2
The dignity of Khan was, according to the old custom, vested in the eldest Sultan, who was Kuchum Sultan, and the heir-apparent [Kálga] was Suyunjuk Sultan, who however died before Kuchum Sultan, when Jáni Beg Sultan became the heir-apparent. He followed Suyunjuk Sultan, and Kuchum soon after journeyed along the same road. The Khanship now devolved upon Abu Said, son of Kuchum Khan, and on his leaving the throne of the Khánate vacant, Ubaid Ullah Khán sat in his place. From the year 911 down to the end of the reign of the last-mentioned Khan [Abu Said], he had, in reality, conducted the entire affairs of the State; and if he had chosen to assume the title of Khan, no one could rightfully have opposed him. Nevertheless [the Uzbeg] adhered to the old rule and conferred the Khanship upon the most advanced in years. After Abu Said, there remained no one older than [Ubaid Ullah] himself, and he therefore ascended the throne of the Kháns, and continued to perfume the world with the sweet breezes of justice and the scent of right-dealing, until the year 946, when he bade this transitory earth adieu, and his pure soul passed to the regions of the blessed.
151.3
I have neither seen nor heard speak of such an excellent ruler as he, during the past hundred years. In the first place, he was a true Musulmán, religiously inclined, pious and abstinent; he also regulated all the affairs of religion, of the state, of the army, and of his subjects, in conformity with the ordinances of the Holy Law; never deviating from it one hair's-breadth. He was pre-eminent for his valour and for his generosity. He wrote seven different styles of handwriting, but best of all he wrote the Naskhi. He made several copies of the Koran and sent them to the two holy cities [Mekka and Medina]. He also wrote Naskh Taalik well. He possessed the diváns of the various Turki, Arabic and Persian poets. He was versed in the science of music, and several of his compositions are still sung by musicians. In short, he was a king endowed with every excellence, and during his lifetime, his capital Bokhara, became such a centre of the arts and sciences, that one was reminded of Herat in the days of Mirza Sultán Husain. Although both the Emperor and the Khán died before Ubaid Ullah Khán, and the account of the end of his days should have been given after their deaths had been recorded, yet since the stories of the Emperor and the Khan occupy much space, and since Ubaid Ullah Khan has no further connection with my story, I have summarily completed my account of him here. I shall have no further occasion to refer to the Uzbeg in this history.