The Nāṣirī Generations 31.3

31.3

When this conquest was achieved, Bakhtiyar returned laden with plunder, and came to Kutbu-d din, who paid him much honour and respect. A body of the nobles of the Court looked upon the favours which Sultan Kutbu-d din bestowed upon him, with jealousy. In their convivial parties they used to sneer at him, and to cast jibes and ironical observations at him. Their animosity reached to such a pitch that he was ordered to combat with an elephant at the White Palace. He struck it such a blow with his battle-axe on the trunk that it ran away, and he pursued it. On achieving this triumph, Sultán Kutbu-d dín bestowed rich gifts upon him from his own royal treasure, and he also ordered his nobles to present to him such ample offerings as can scarcely be detailed. Muhammad Bakhtiyár in that very meeting scattered all those gifts and gave them away to the people. After receiving a robe from the Sultán he returned to Behár. Great fear of him prevailed in the minds of the infidels of the territories of Lakhnautí, Behár, Bang (Bengal), and Kámrúp. It is related by credible authorities that mention of the brave deeds and conquests of Malik Muhammad Bakhtiyár was made before Rái Lakhmaniya, whose capital was the city of Nadiya. He was a great Rái, and had sat upon the throne for a period of eighty years. A story about that Rái may be here related:—