The Nāṣirī Generations 35.1

35.1

It was destined from all eternity by the most high and holy God that the country of Hindustan should be placed under the protection of the great king, the light of the world and religion, Sultan Abu-l Muzaffar Altamsh. [The exordium goes on at some length in a similar inflated style of eulogy of the monarch and of Dehli his capital.] It is related by credible persons that Sultan Shamsu-d din was chosen by the destiny of Providence in his early age from the tribes of Albari in Turkistan for the sovereignty of Islam and of the dominions of Hindustan. His father, whose name was Yalam Khan, had numerous dependents, relatives, and followers in his employ. The future monarch was from his childhood remarkable for beauty, intelligence, and grace, such as excited jealousy in the hearts of his brothers, so they enticed him away from his father and mother with the pretence of going to see a drove of horses. His case was like that of Joseph: "They said, father, why dost thou not trust Joseph with us, for we are sincere friends to him? Send him with us in the morning, that he may amuse himself and sport, and we will take care of him." When they brought him to the drove of horses, they sold him to the dealer. Some say that his sellers were his cousins. The horse-dealers took him to Bukhara, and sold him to one of the relations of the chief judge of that city. For some time he remained with that great and noble family, the chiefs of which nourished and educated him like a son.