The Rashīdī History 199: Story of Shah Muhammad Sultan.
The Tarikh-i-Rashidi (Elias, Ross) 199
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Story of Shah Muhammad Sultan.
199.1
Kabul; Shah Muhammad Sultan stayed in Badakhshan with Mirza Khan. On hearing of the conquest of Kashghar, he went to join the Khan, who loved, and treated, him as his own son. He was brought up in the special apartments of [the Khan's] children, and when he was grown up, the Khan gave him his full sister, Khadija Sultan Khanim, as a proof of his love and a token of his perfect regard for him. [Couplet]. . . . We spent most of our time in each other's society. During nine years Shah Muhammad Sultan, Baba Sultan and I had remained continually in the Khan's service. Like the three dots under the letter Sin in Said, we were never separated, nor did we leave his service for a moment on any pretext. Our worldly goods we shared in common, and were participators in each other's praise and blame. . . . For nine years this unanimity of feeling and action continued. But at length the crooked wheel of fortune worked a change. . . . In the spring following the winter in which Baba Sultan fled, a strange circumstance happened to Shah Muhammad Sultan. The details are as follows. There was, at this time, a certain Baba Sayyid, son of the sister of Mirza Muhammad Begjik, for whom Shah Muhammad Sultan conceived a great friendship. But Baba Sayyid was a young man who, from the first, passed the limits of decency and moderation. [Verses concerning impiety and immorality]. . . . The remonstrances, reproofs and advice of the Khan and myself were in vain;
199.2
his immoral conduct could not be checked, and he went so far as to prompt the young Sultan to aspire to sovereignty. The matter was rumoured everywhere and discussed by every one, till at last the Khan saw no remedy, but to banish the young Sultan from the country. [Couplet]. . . . He therefore sent Shah Muhammad Sultan, together with Baba Sayyid and some attendants, to Karatigin. Two of the Amirs, Muhammadi Barlas and Amir Janaka, attended them as an escort. But on the road Amir Janaka showed some hostility and wished to convey the Sultan to some place [other than their destination], on which account Muhammadi Barlas seized him. Thereupon Baba Sayyid incited Shah Muhammad Sultan to attempt the release of Amir Janaka, saying: "It is his fidelity to you that has exposed him to this misfortune. You must save him from the hands of Muhammadi Barlas, by main force. What can Muhammadi do to you?" Shah Muhammad Sultan, deceived by these words, turned back and at midnight approached the party, who being apprehensive [of some such danger] were standing fully armed. [As he approached] he called out : "Release Amir Jánaka!" to which they replied : "Whosoever you may be, retire! otherwise we will smother you in arrows." The Sultan heard this threat, but paid no attention to it. (Has it not been said : at night the king is unjust?) The party then let fly their arrows and, by chance, the Sultan was struck [in the breast]; he retired a short distance and then expired.
199.3
Muhammadi captured Amir Jánaka. Having acted thus violently without orders, the party were thrown into the utmost consternation and knew not what to do next. A strange discussion took place among the Ulus. Some who had advised the Sultán, fled. Others, the Khán reassured with promises and agreements. In the meanwhile Bábá Sultán, who had fled the previous winter to Khatlán and Kunduz, having discovered that what Mazid and the rest of them had told him was false and groundless, returned ashamed and penitent. The Khan sent me to meet him, and I turned him back ; but I supplied him with all necessaries for the journey, before bidding him farewell, as has been related. The wife of Sháh Muhammad Sultán (the Khán's sister) and Sultán Nigár Khánim and Daulat Sultán Khánim (the Khán's aunt) and also the aunt of Sháh Muhammad Sultán's father, and the Khán's wife, Zainab Sultán Khánim (Sháh Muhammad Sultán's aunt) all came and demanded of the Khán why he had ordered the death of Sháh Muhammad Sultán. Whereupon the Khán swore a solemn oath, saying : "I did not give the order." They then said : "Deliver Muhammadi over to us! that we may avenge on him the death [of the Sultán]." To this the Khán agreed. Muhammadi appealed to me and my uncle to rescue him. He was in the service of Rashid Sultán.
199.4
He begged me to use my endeavours for his security, so I took his part, and privately, but with great emphasis, represented to the Khán as follows : "The Sultáns who were brothers are all gone : this Sultán, who is your son, and still remains, will also be offended, and I too should be much afflicted [if you put Muhammadi to death], for he is a blood relation of mine." The Khán then placed the whole matter in my hands [saying : "You can act as you choose ; if you wish to retaliate, do so : if you wish to let him go, the choice lies with you."] But the above-mentioned Khánims, who were all either my maternal aunts or their daughters, began with one accord to blame and reproach me, saying: "What in the world will your blood connection with the Barlás lead you to, if it make you neglect such an important duty as this? Sháh Muhammad Sultán was a closer connection by many degrees than he. If [Muhammadi] is your father's uncle, this man [Sháh Muhammad Sultán] was your own uncle, and besides this, your friend and companion. Your cousin Khadija is his wife, and his wife's sister (the daughter of his paternal uncle) is of your household. How can you, in consideration of all this, attach yourself to the side of Muhammadi? " [Such were the taunts and reproaches they poured down on me] ; nevertheless, Fate willed that I should pay no attention to the true words of my relations ; I returned falsehood for truth and would not hear of retaliation.
199.5
I put Muhammadi under the care of my uncle, who carried him off into the mountainous tracts of Kashghar. This incident led to a certain degree of ill-feeling between myself and my relations, [which was, however, dispelled a short time after]. But I was caused much trouble and exposed to great annoyance, ere I was able to deliver Muhammadi Barlas out of the hands of the Khanims ; and [in doing so] I raised an executioner for my uncle and his children. I brought calamity upon myself — God forgive me ! and again I say God forgive me ! Since I did this unjust action, God sent this same Muhammadi [to overpower us]. Verily injustice can only bring ruin in its train. This same Muhammadi, whom I and my uncle had saved from so great a danger, neglected nothing in his endeavours to murder my uncle and his children, and to bring about the extinction of myself and my house — a house upon which four hundred years had worked no change. The Prophet said : " Whoso helpeth a tyrant, God will give the tyrant power over him." . . . .