The Nāṣirī Generations 128.3
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 128.3
- Language
- English
128.3.1
He despatched merchants along with the envoys of Sultan Muhammad, with about five hundred camel-loads of gold, silver, silks, and targhu [a description of woven silk of a red colour], together with other precious and valuable commodities, that they might trade with them. They entered the territory of Islam by way of Utrar. At that place, there was a governor named Kadr Khan, and he sent an account to Sultan Muhammad respecting the importance and value of the merchandize; and solicited permission from him, in a perfidious manner, to stop the party of merchants. Having obtained permission to do so, he seized the envoys and the whole of the merchants, and slew them, and took possession of all their property, and sent it to the Sultan's presence. Of that party, there was one person, a camel-driver, who had gone to one of the [public] hot baths, and he succeeded in making his escape by way of the fire-place. He, having taken to the wilds, returned back to Chin, and made Chingiz acquainted with the perfidious conduct of Kadr Khan of Utrar and the slaughter of the party. Chingiz Khan prepared to take revenge; and he caused the forces of Chin and Turkistan to be got ready for that purpose. Trustworthy persons have related, that, at the place where he then was, seven hundred banners were brought forth, and under every banner one thousand horsemen were arrayed. Every ten horsemen were directed to take with them three dried Mughal sheep, and an iron cauldron; and he set out on his way.
128.3.2
From the place where Chingiz was at this period, to the boundary of Utrar, was a three months’ journey through the wilderness; and, along with his hosts, he despatched horses, mares, and geldings, without number, to supply them with milk, and for riding. The journey through the wilds was got over in a short time, and he issued forth on the Utrar frontier; and that fortress and city was taken, and the whole of the inhabitants were martyred. From thence Chingiz Khan marched towards Bukhara; and, on the day of the Festival of the Sacrifice, 10th of the month Zi-Hijjah, in the year 616 H., he captured the city, and martyred the whole of the inhabitants, put the ’Ulama to the sword, and gave the libraries of books to the flames. They have related that the Imam-zadah, Rukn-ud-Din—the mercy of the Almighty be upon him!—when they were martyring him, repeated the following lines:— “I said, that my heart said, ‘It is murder committed by us.’ I said, my soul said, that ‘It is the carrier away of us.’ I said, that ‘Thy powerful dog has fallen on me.’ It [my soul?] said, ‘Thou shouldst not draw breath, for it is brought upon ourselves.’”
128.3.3
Chingiz Khan, after the catastrophe of the city of Bukhara, marched towards Samrkand, in which city Sultan Muhammad, Khwarazm Shah, had stationed 60,000 horse, fully equipped and furnished, consisting of different races of Turks, Ghuris, and Khurasanis, together with the Maliks and troops of Ghur, who were all included among that body of troops. After a few days, on the 10th of the month of Muharram, 617 H., Samrkand was also captured, and the whole of the inhabitants were martyred. When the accounts of these disasters came to the hearing of Sultan Muhammad, the forces, then along with him before the gates of Balkh, consisted almost entirely of Tatar and Khita-i troops, whilst his own old soldiers and vassals had been left behind by him in Mawar-un-Nahr; and those people, on whom the most implicit trust and confidence could be placed, were also all away in those parts. The troops who were along with him [now] conspired together to seize him, and to make that act of perfidy and treachery the means of their own deliverance; and, having seized the Sultan, to take him and deliver him over as an offering to Chingiz Khan!
128.3.4
One of the party, however, presented himself before Sultan Muhammad, and told him all about the plot. The Sultan kept his own counsel; and, at night, he left the camp, in order to test beyond a doubt the perfidy of the conspirators. At midnight the party drew near to the imperial pavilion, formed a cordon about it, and completely surrounded it. Not finding him within the tent, they came upon the camp at that untimely hour, and the whole army fell into utter disorder and confusion. Sultan Muhammad was forced to fly, and set out towards Nishapur, and wrote mandates to the Amirs and Maliks in every part of his dominions, commanding them to put the fortresses of Khwarazm, Ghur, Khurasan, and ’Irak in a posture of defence; and throughout the empire of Islam disorder and tumult arose.
128.3.5
Chingiz Khan, having received information of the disorganization and dissolution of the army of Sultan Muhammad, after the capture of Samrkand, nominated a force of 60,000 Mughal horse, which was placed under the command of two Mughals, chiefs of high rank, one of whom was Yamah Nu-in, and the other Sahudah Bahadur, to proceed in pursuit of the Sultan. When this force had passed over the river [Jihun], the Sultan retired from Nishapur, and set out towards Mazandaran, and his camp was pitched at the top of the Darah or Pass of Tamishah, when the Mughal troops came upon him. The Sultan was obliged to fly from thence, and entered the hills on foot, and got away; and, going from one range of hills to another, entered Mazandaran. The son of the chief of Mazandaran, who had joined him, was in attendance on the Sultan, and his own son, Sultan Jalal-ud-Din, Mang-barni, was also with him. Sultan Muhammad embarked on the Sea of Khurz [the Caspian], and for a considerable time he continued on an island therein, in distress and affliction.
128.3.6
The Mughal troops, not finding the Sultan in the province of Mazandaran, passed out of it, and entered 'Irak, on which Sultan Muhammad, with the few horsemen who still continued with him, left the island; but he was prostrated with disease of the bowels, and melancholy supervened, and he became quite out of his mind. He urged his son, Sultan Jalal-ud-Din, Mang-barni, saying: — “Endeavour to take me to Khwarazm; for from thence was the commencement of our dominion.” These lines, also, he often repeated: — “When men become distracted about their own affairs, Than that, it will be better that the thread of life were sever’d.” When his disease increased, he was totally unable to ride on horseback, and camels were procured for him; and he was placed in a camel-litter, and they sent him off towards Khwarazm. He died on the road, in the year 617 H.: and Sultan Jalal-ud-Din brought his father’s remains to Khwarazm, and buried them by the side of Sultan Takish, his father. Sultan Muhammad’s reign extended over a period of twenty-one years. May the mercy of God and His pardon be on him!