The Nāṣirī Generations 128.1
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 128.1
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128.1.1
Sultan ’Ala-ud-Din, Muhammad, had five sons; the first, Har-roz Shah; the second, Ghuri Shanasti; the third, Jalal-ud-Din, Mang-barni ; the fourth, Arzalu Shah ; and the fifth, ‘Ali Sultan. He was a great and potent monarch, wise, valiant, munificent, a patron of the learned, a conqueror, and impetuous ; and, whatever qualifications it was desirable a great sovereign and just ruler should possess, the Almighty had endowed him with. During the lifetime of his father, he bore the title of Kutb-ud-Din ; and, when his brother, Malik Khan, died, his father conferred upon him the throne of Nishapur, and Malik Sharaf-ud-Din, Mas’ud-i-Hasan, was appointed to be his Ata-bak or governor ; and, after some time, the command of the forces of Khwarazm was conferred upon him. On the side of his mother, likewise, he was a prince of [the house of] Kifchak and very great, his mother being the daughter of Kadr Khan of Kifchak ; and, from the days of his boyhood, the marks of intelligence and cleverness shone clearly and conspicuously on his brow. Every expedition on which his father sent him, in the direction of Jund and Turkistan, he brought to such a successful issue as was desirable, in fact even a better than could have been anticipated.
128.1.2
At the period when death overtook his father, Sultan Takish, Muhammad was absent in the direction of Jund and Turkistan, and, when he obtained information of that circumstance, he returned to Khwarazm, and assumed the throne; and, in the year 595 H., he brought the dominions of his father under his own jurisdiction. He conferred the throne of Nishapur upon his brother, ’Ali Shah, as has been already stated; and despatched an envoy to the Courts of Ghur and Ghaznin, and sought for peace; and I, Minhaj-i-Saraj, heard from one of the trustworthy [persons] of the Maliks of Ghur the statement, that one of the messages and requests of Sultan Muhammad was this; — "I, Muhammad-i-Takish, who am their servant, make this request, that the Sultans would be pleased to accept my services; and, although I am not possessed of the worthiness of being a son, it behoveth that the Sultan-i-Ghazi, Mu’izz-ud-Din, Muhammad-i-Sam, should take to wife my mother, Khudawandah-i-Jahan, and that he should accept me, Muhammad-i-Takish, as his son and servant, in order also that I, his servant, may, by the name on the coin of that august monarch, and the Khutbah of that sovereign of exalted dignity, conquer the whole world; and, for the servants of the Court of the Sultans—the asylum of the world—draw the sword, and become one of those servants.”
128.1.3
When this overture had been delivered, the purport coincided with the inclinations of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, but did not accord with the sentiments of Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din [the person chiefly interested], and he declined to ratify it. The latter Sultan assembled his troops, and marched into Khurasan, and subdued the whole of that territory; but, when he subsequently set out on his return, Sultan Muhammad brought an army, and again recovered Khurasan. Whenever the Sultans of Ghur [and Ghaznin] used to march into Khurasan, Sultan Muhammad used to retire [as they advanced] to the distance of two or three marches before them; and when they fell back he would follow them up at the distance of two or three marches. In short, he never sustained a complete overthrow, and he used to give proofs of his skill and bravery; but, as those Sultans were monarchs of great power and magnificence, he was unable to cope with them effectually. When the Sultans of Ghur died, Sultan Muhammad, Khwarazm Shah, appeared before the gates of Hirat and Malik 'Izz-ud-Din, Husain-i-Kharmil, came out and paid homage to him; and the Sultan brought all Khurasan under his sway. When, by his command, Husain-i-Kharmil was seized by his troops, a Khwajah of Hirat, named Sa'd-ud-Din, a native of Tirmiz, succeeded in getting away from the [Khwarazmi] army, and threw himself into the city, and, for a period of eleven months, he continued to hold the place.
128.1.4
The Khwarazmi army, by a contrivance devised by Husain-i-Kharmil, dammed up the water of the river of Hirat above the city, and all round became like unto a sea ; and matters assumed such an aspect, that, if the city had not been entirely surrounded by walls, the water, which rose higher than the housetops, would have overwhelmed it. As it was, upon one or two occasions the ground opened in the middle of the city, and water issued forth from the midst, but it was diverted [and the danger obviated]. For a period of eight months hostilities continued between the defenders of the city and the Khwarazmi forces in boats ; and, when eleven months of the investment had passed, Sultan Muhammad-i-Takish arrived from Khwarazm, and gave directions that the dyke [which kept the water in] should be opened ; and, when the water flowed out, it carried along with it about three hundred ells of the walls of the city, and a breach was thereby effected; and, after fifteen days’ fighting, the city was taken by assault.
128.1.5
After this success the Sultan marched to Balkh, and gained possession of that place likewise; and Malik ’Imad-ud-Din, ’Umr, Fiwari [native of Fiwar], who was governor of the province of Balkh, on the part of the Sultans of Bamian, was sent away [as a prisoner] to Khwarazm. From thence the Sultan set out towards Mawar-un-Nahr and Turkistan; and the whole of the Maliks and Sultans of the Afrasiyabi dynasty, who held territory in the countries of Mawar-un-Nahr and Farghanah, presented themselves before him. He then turned his face towards Kulij Khan of Khita-i, and, throughout the territories of Khita-i and the country of Turkistan, as far as Bilasa-ghun and Kashghar, the Khutbah was read for him, and the coin was impressed with his name. The forces of Khita-i, which, in point of numbers, were beyond account and computation, advanced to encounter him. At the head of these forces was Baniko of Taraz, a Turk of great age and wisdom, but victorious in battle. He had fought forty-five engagements, in the whole of which he had been victorious; and he had defeated Sultan Sanjar, son of Malik Shah, and overthrown Sultan Mu'izz-ud-Din, Muhammad-i-Sam, before Andkhud; and, at this time, he was at the head of that army. When the battle ensued, Sultan Muhammad received divine succour and heavenly assistance, and overthrew the host of Khita-i, and took Baniko of Taraz prisoner, and he was converted to the true faith by means of the Sultan himself, and was treated with respect and honour.
128.1.6
A reliable person among the trustworthy has related, that, when Baniko of Taraz became a Musalman, Sultan Muhammad was wont to show him great deference and respect, and used constantly to send for him, and was in the habit of questioning him respecting the past events [in the history] of Khita-i, and the previous Maliks [kings] who had fought with him in the forty-five encounters he had been engaged in, the whole of which the Sultan made inquiry about of him. Upon one occasion, when engaged in such conversation, the Sultan inquired of him, saying:— "In all these battles which you have fought, and amid the monarchs you have defeated, which among the whole of them was the most valiant and the sturdiest in battle?" Baniko replied:— "I found none more valiant, more impetuous in battle, or more intrepid than the Ghuri; and, if he had had an army along with him refreshed and not worn out, I should never have been able to beat him; but, he had retreated before the army of Khwarazm, and but a small number of cavalry remained with him, and their horses had become thin and weak." Sultan Muhammad replied:— "You speak truly." The mercy of God be upon them! Sultan Muhammad having gained such a great success, the second year after, again assembled an army, and led a force of 400,000 effective cavalry, both horses and riders arrayed in defensive armour, into Khita-i, and completely overthrew Gur Khan, who was the Great Khan of [Kara] Khita. The whole of the horses, camels, and other
128.1.7
from all parts hastened to tender their masters’ submission; and it was at this period that disaffection showed itself at Jund among the remaining vassals of Kadir Khan, and therefore Sultan Muhammad did not rest long at his capital, but put his forces in motion and marched to Jund. After exterminating those rebels, Sultan ’Usman and his family took up their residence in Khwarazm; and some authors state that he was soon after, in the year 609 H., put to death. Having disposed of the affairs of Jund, information reached the Sultan that 30,000 of Gur Khan’s troops had appeared before Samrkand, and invested the city. The Khita-i forces used their utmost endeavours to take it, but their incessant attacks were of no avail. The Sultan was hastening his preparations to relieve it, when the Khita-i forces were recalled to act against Kojlak, the Naeman, who was now making head again. The Sultan marched to Samrkand, and, having been joined by additional forces from various parts, set out from Samrkand against A’nak [or I’nak or Ighnak?], the ruler of which was in alliance with Gur Khan. He had been summoned to submit to the Sultan upon very favourable terms, but, trusting to the strength of his fortress, refused. A force was detached against him, and he was compelled to submit.