The Nāṣirī Generations 137: II. AMIR BANJI, SON OF NAHARAN, SHANSABI.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 137
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II. AMIR BANJI, SON OF NAHARAN, SHANSABI.
137.1
Amir Banji, son of Naharan, was a great lord, and, in Ghur, his memory is undying; and he is accounted among the greatest and most famous of the Maliks of that country. The whole of the Sultans were descended from his sons; and his genealogy has been thus made out: — Banji, son of Naharan, son of War-mesh, son of War-meshan [War-masan, Dar-manan, War-maan, and War-hean], son of Parwez, son of Parwez, son of Shansab, son of Kharnak, son of Bain or Bayyin, son of Munsi, son of Wajzan [Wazn, Wazan, and Warat, or Darrat, or Dirat?], son of Hain [Hin, or Hunain?], son of Bahram, son of Hajas, or Khajash [Jahs, or Jahsh?], son of Ibrahim, son of Mu'ddil [Ma'add, or Ma'id], son of Asad [Nasad?], son of Shadad, son of Zuhak. Amir Banji was excessively handsome, and of excellent disposition, and endowed with all good qualities and natural gifts. When the dominion of the house of 'Abbas acquired stability and the empire of Islam came under the sway of the Khalifahs of that family, he presented himself at the Court of the 'Abbasi Khalifahs; and the first person of the Ghurian race who proceeded to the Khalifah's Court and brought [back] a covenant and a standard, was Amir Banji, son of Naharan.
137.2
The cause of his proceeding to the presence of the Lord of the Faithful, Harun-ar-Rashid, was this: — In the territory of Ghur there was a tribe who are called Shisanian. and they assert that, in the first place, their ancestor embraced the true faith, and then the Shansabanian did; and Muhammad, in the dialect of Ghur, they call Hamad [Ahmad?], and, after they had embraced Islam, they became styled Hamadi [Ahmadi?], that is to say, Muhammadi. In the time of Amir Banji, the Mihtar [chief] of the tribe of Shisani-an was an Amir named Shis, son of Bahram; and, in the language of the Ghuris, Shis they call Sis, and this tribe they call Shisanian, after the name of this Amir. Now between Amir Shis and Amir Banji, son of Naharan, dissension arose about the lordship of Ghur; and [in consequence] disturbance ensued among the people of that territory. The whole agreed together, on either side, that both the Amirs, Banji and Shis, should proceed to the presence of the Khalifah, and whichever should bring back from the Court of the Khilafat a covenant and a standard should be accounted Amir. Both disputants made their arrangements with the determination of undertaking their journey, and setting out towards the Dar-ul-Khilafat. The throne of the Khilafat at this time, was adorned by the radiance of the Lord of the Faithful, Harun-ar-Rashid.
137.3
The chronicler relates that, in that country [Ghur] there was a merchant, a Yahudi [Jew], [a follower] of the religion of Mihtar Musa [Moses], on whom be peace! This merchant entertained a friendship for Amir Banji. He had travelled a great deal, and had acquired great experience in the ways of the world, and had frequented the capitals of the rulers of the countries around, and had become acquainted with the usages and forms of etiquette of the Courts of Sultans and Princes; and he set out in company with Amir Banji. He was acquainted with the objects and intentions of Amir Banji, and he said to him:—“If I should instruct thee in etiquette, and make thee acquainted with the usages of decorum and politeness, and give thee proper knowledge of the forms and ceremonies observed at the Court of the Khilafat, and in the presence of sovereigns, so that on that account the authority and government of the territory of Ghur shall be conferred upon thee, do thou enter into a covenant with me, that, in every tract that I may desire, throughout the whole of thy territory, thou shalt assign a locality to, and cause to settle therein, a number of the Bani-Isra'il [children of Israel], followers of the faith of Mihtar Musa, in order that under the shadow of thy protection, and beneath the guardianship of thy Maliks and thy offspring, they may dwell in peace and tranquillity.”
137.4
Amir Banji, son of Naharan, entered into a covenant with that merchant of the Bani-Isra'il, and said:—“When thou teachest me the usages of politeness, and instructest me in the rules of conduct and demeanour necessary to be observed before princes, and in paying homage at the Court of the Khilafat, I will fulfil the whole of thy requests, and fully satisfy thy desires.” This covenant having been duly settled on both sides, the merchant of the Bani-Isra'il commenced to instruct Amir Banji in the polite usages necessary to be observed before princes, and at the Courts of sovereigns, and the requisite forms of respect and reverence needed at the Khalifah's Court. The merchant likewise began to put in order and make ready a dress for him, consisting of a tunic, a cap, boots, and breeches, and to perfect him in riding and in the mode of wearing his arms, in such wise, that his rival, Shis, son of Bahram, knew nothing whatever of all this [preparation] until they arrived at the Khalifah's capital. Shis, son of Bahram, proceeded thither just as he was, in the short Ghurian garments which he was accustomed to wear at home, whilst Amir Banji, son of Naharan, entered the Khalifah’s capital in a dress befitting an Amir, and becoming a great personage.
137.5
After they had been permitted to make their obeisances before the Khalifah’s Court, when a convenient opportunity arose, each of the disputants represented what were his objects and wishes, in a respectful manner, and with many expressions of his devotion and loyalty, and stated to the Wazir and the Ustad-ur-Raz-ban the matter of the dispute between them, and made fully known what were their desires and requirements. The Lord of the Faithful, Harun-ar-Rashid, after he had been pleased to peruse their statements, and his august consideration and attention had been drawn to their case, was pleased to regard Amir Banji, son of Naharan, with favour. As Amir Banji was blessed with great good fortune, combined with a most felicitous destiny, and his good nature was adorned with gracefulness of manners, the Lord of the Faithful was pleased to remark: — “Haza Kasim,” that is to say, “This Banji is good looking, has a noble bearing, and appears endowed with the necessary qualifications of government and sovereignty, combined with good looks and artlessness of nature. Let the whole of the territory of Ghur be made over to him, and let the championship of the forces of the country of Ghur be entrusted to Shis, son of Bahram.” Both of them were invested with a robe of honour of the Dar-ul-Khilafat, and these titles were bestowed upon them, and they took their departure, and returned to Ghur again, according to the command of the Khalifah's Court.
137.6
From that time forward, the title of the Shansabanian Sultans, according to the august words of the Lord of the Faithful, Harun-ar-Rashid, became Kasim-i-Amir-ul-Muminin—the Lord of the Faithful’s handsome [one]. When these two personages returned to Ghur again, the government of the territory [was assumed] by the Shansabanis, and the championship of the forces by the Shisanis, and that arrangement continued up to the present age according to this settlement. The Sultans were all Shansabanis, and the Champions, such as Mu-ayyid-ud-Din, Fath-i-Karmakh, Abu-l-’Abbas-i-Shis, and Suliman-i-Shis, were all Shisanis—the mercy of the Almighty be upon the whole of them!