[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate) › [Ṭabaqāt-i Nāṣirī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri) › [Tabakat-i-Nasiri](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty) › 140 # The Nāṣirī Generations 140: V. MALIK ABU-’ALI, SON OF MUHAMMAD, SON OF SURI. Tabakat-i-Nasiri 140 - **Language:** English ### V. MALIK ABU-’ALI, SON OF MUHAMMAD, SON OF SURI. ### [140.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140.1) Amir Abu-’Ali, son of Muhammad-i-Suri, was a man of government\] proceeded to Hirat, and determined to undertake an expedition into “He set out from Hirat, in Jamadi-ul-Awwal, with a strong force of horse and foot, and five light elephants. The first march was to Badshan \[one MS. has Badshahan\], and the next to Kusan \[one MS. Chashan or Chushan; but several of these names cannot be considered certain, although all available MSS. have been compared, and the printed text of Morley, which has been carefully edited\], and then to Barian \[MS. Bamyan\]. There a halt took place to allow all the troops to come up, after which Prince Mas’ud marched to Par \[MS. Bar\], and from thence, after two days, to Nakhshab \[MS. Nahshab or Nihshab\], and then to Bagh-i-Wazir, outside; and that Ribat \[public edifice, a karwansarae\] is the commencement of the frontier of Ghur. “When the Ghuris became aware of this movement of Amir Mas’ud, they retired to their strongholds and deliberated about making resistance. Before he set out on this expedition, Mas’ud had conciliated Bu-l-Hasan-i-Khalaf \[Bu or Abu-l-Hasan-i-Khalaf would signify the father of Hasan, and son of Khalaf. According to some authors already quoted the son of Muhammad, son of Suri, was named Hasan. See para. 2, page 321\], one of the most notable of the chieftains of Ghur, and had induced him \[Bu-l-Hasan\] to submit to his authority; ### [140.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140.2) and it had been agreed, that, on the Amir’s troops reaching that Ribat, Bu-l-Hasan should present himself there with his forces fully equipped. On the day Mas’ud reached that place, Bu-l-Hasan joined him with a considerable force, amounting to 3000 horse and foot, and brought along with him numerous offerings and contributions in the shape of shields, armour, and whatever was most esteemed of the produce of Ghur. Mas’ud treated him with favour, and he was followed by Sher-wan. This was another of the chiefs on the frontier of Ghur and Guzganan \[pronounced and written Juzjanan by ’Arabs\], and he too came attended by numerous forces, horse and foot. He likewise had been conciliated by Amir Mas’ud, and he brought along with him offerings beyond compute. Amir Muhammad \[Mas’ud’s brother\] had used the utmost endeavours and contrivances to induce this chieftain to come and attach himself to him, because his territory adjoined Muhammad’s appanage, which was Guzganan, but he had declined because people were more inclined towards Mas’ud. ### [140.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140.3) “Having been joined by these chiefs, Mas’ud resumed his march, but went on in advance himself, slightly attended by about fifty or sixty ghulams, and 200 foot, selected from each dastah or band. He reached a fortress which they called Bar-tar, an exceedingly strong place, and garrisoned by a numerous and well-armed force. He prepared to attack it, his party not being patient enough to wait for the arrival of the army. He led the way himself, followed by his ghulams and the foot, and they shouted the takbir, on which the accursed unbelievers \[these Ghuris were not Muhammadans\] of this fortress of Ghur sprung up infuriated, and set up a yell sufficient to rend the ground. Mas’ud ordered his ghulams to take to their bows; and they kept up such an effectual fire of arrows, that not a Ghuri dared show his head above the walls, and this enabled the foot, by means of lassos \[used up to a recent good disposition and excellent qualities, and was highly commended for the excellency of his faith. At the time when his father held the sovereignty of in the army of Ghūris who conquered the upper provinces of India, according to the interpreters of the poem of the Bard Chand — but I have forgotten myself. Bat might be Pat, and that will be surely founded upon and shown to be part of the word Patan, and can be made “Pathan,” “Patan,” or “Pahtan,” with the greatest ease. If it were not a dangerous practice to tamper with proper names, I should be inclined to read, Shīs. ### [140.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140.4) “The Amir now despatched an intelligent person to this chief, and two men of Ghūr of the followers of Bū-l-Hasan-i-Khalaf and Sher-wān were sent along with him to act as interpreters, with a message combining threats and hopes, as is usual on such occasions. The agent departed, and the Amir followed in his steps. The former, and the others with him, reached the place in question, and he delivered his message to those arrogant fellows \[sic\], who manifested great fierceness and defiance, and said that the Amir had made a great mistake in imagining that either the people of that part or that district were similar to those he had met with and had passed through; that he had better come there, and he would find sword, spear, and stone \[rock\] ready for him. This insolent message roused the ire of Mas’ūd. He halted his troops for the night at the foot of the mountain, arms were distributed, and, at dawn, the force moved forward. The drums and trumpets sounded, and the soldiers began to ascend the heights, on which the Ghūrīs showed themselves like so many ants or locusts on the tracts above them, horse and foot, all well armed, and occupying all the paths and defiles leading to it, who raised shouts and yells, and began casting stones with their slings, at Mas’ūd’s force. “The best of it was, that that mountain was somewhat depressed, and partly composed of earth \[not very rocky?\] and accessible in every direction. ### [140.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140.5) The troops were told off in parties, to advance by the different practicable paths, and Mas’ūd himself kept parallel to them, for the fighting there was likely to be severe. Bū-l-Hasan-i-Khalaf, and his men, were sent to the right, and Sher-wān, with his contingent, to the left. The accursed ones evinced the utmost daring, and pressed forward with impetuosity, particularly in front of the Amir, and they disputed the greater part of the ground with determination. The troops were hard pressed, and the enemy crowded towards the standards of the Amir, and the fighting became desperate. \[This reads something like an Umbeylah expedition.\] Three mounted warriors of the enemy succeeded in getting close up to the Amir, who, perceiving them, smote one of them full on the breast with his mace of twenty mans in weight \[the man varies from forty to eighty pounds\], which laid him sprawling on his back, and prevented his rising again; and the ghulāms attacked the other two, and hurled them from their horses. This was enough for the Ghūrīs, who gave way; but they continued, now and again, to face about and dispute the ground, until a village \[town\] was reached at the foot of the mountain \[on the other side\], and, on the way thither, numbers were slain and made captive. ### [140.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140.6) The fugitives threw themselves into this place, which was of vast strength, and contained numerous kushks \[here kushk seems to mean a castle or fortified house\], after the manner of the Ghūrīs, and sent away to a stronghold, at a distance in the rear, their women, children, and everything they could remove. The unbelievers resisted obstinately up to the time of evening prayer, and great numbers of them were killed, and numbers of Musalmāns were martyred \[Mas’ūd’s troops are referred to here\]. When the night closed in, the unbelievers decamped, and the village \[or town\] was taken possession of by the troops, who occupied themselves, throughout the night, in plundering it. “At Ghur, and the mountain tracts of Mandesh, the whole of “At dawn next day, the Amir again moved forward towards their \[other\] stronghold, two leagues distant. He had to pass through a constant succession of defiles and passes, and did not reach it till the time of afternoon prayer. They found a fortress, as they had been informed, stronger than any other in the whole of Ghur, and no one recollected hearing that it had ever been taken by force of arms. Mas’ud, having reached it, disposed his forces around this stronghold and, during the whole night, preparations were made for attacking it, and the battering rams were placed in favourable positions.” I must here still further curtail this interesting account of the expedition for want of space. ### [140.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140.7) Suffice it to say that breaches were made and bravely assaulted and as bravely defended, the Amir being ever in front, and thereby inspiring his men with strong hearts. After four days’ very severe fighting, each day increasing in severity, it was carried, at last, sword in hand, the Ghuris defending every inch of the breach. Great numbers of them were slain and taken prisoners, but the latter were protected on making their submission while slaves and booty to a vast amount were captured. Mas’ud had it proclaimed that he gave up all gold, silver, slaves, and other booty to the troops, but that all arms and war materiel taken was to be brought to him. A great quantity was accordingly brought and laid before his tent, and such as was most valuable or rare he selected, and divided the rest among his soldiers. Of the prisoners, one half was made over to Bu-l-Hasan-i-Khalaf, and the other half to Sher-wan, for them to take to their own territories. Orders were also given to raze that stronghold, so that, from thenceforth, no rebel might take shelter therein. When the rest of the Ghuris found what had happened to the fortified town and the other stronghold, they began to fear, and became submissive and willing to pay tribute and obedience; and even War-mesh-i-Bat began to quake. He made intercession through Bu-l-Hasan-i-Khalaf and Sher-wan, and sent an envoy, tendered his submission, and increased the amount of tribute and contributions. ### [140.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140.8) His offers were accepted on the stipulation that every castle he \[War-mesh\] had taken on the side of Gharjistan should be given up. Although War-mesh ground his teeth at this, he could do nothing else than agree, and those fortresses were given up to governors of the Amir. Whilst the latter was still in Ghur, that chief sent in his contributions and offerings; and, subsequently, when Mas’ud reached Hirat, War-mesh-i-Bat presented himself at the Court, was well received, had a dress of honour conferred upon him, and returned to his country along with the two other friendly chieftains. After the capture and destruction of the fortress above referred to, Amir Mas’ud advanced against another, a famous place, and of vast strength, named Tur \[this name is doubtful, the variants are Bur and Nur\]. It was carried by storm after a week’s fighting and great slaughter, and the two friendly chiefs took part in it. Mas’ud placed a governor of his own in the place, after which he set out on his return to Hirat. At Mar-abad, ten farsakhs \[leagues\] from that city, large quantities of arms and war materiel, as stipulated for by others of the Ghuris to avert molestation, were found already collected, together with what War-mesh-i-Bat had despatched. ### [140.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140.9) The narrator, ’Abd-ul-Ghaffar, then adds, that “no sovereign ever acquired such power over Ghur as the martyr, Mas’ud, did; for, although the first the people had their eyes upon him, and affection towards him was instilled into their minds. Notwithstanding that his father used to act in a rebellious and contumacious manner towards Amir Sabuk-Tigin, and his son, Sultan Mahmud, Amir Abu-’Ali at all times used to manifest his fidelity and allegiance towards the Sultan; and he was in the habit of writing letters containing the expression of his fealty and his affection, and despatching them to Ghaznin, the capital. When the contumacy and defection of his father went beyond the bounds of forbearance, Sultan Mahmud brought an army against him from Ghaznin; and, after considerable effort, the Sultan succeeded in securing the person of Amir Muhammad-i-Suri, and took him away along with him towards Ghaznin, and bestowed the government of Ghur upon Amir Abu-’Ali, his son. As soon as Amir Abu-’Ali became installed in the government of Ghur, he conferred great benefits upon the people, and directed the erection of many buildings of public utility. Masjids and colleges were founded in Ghur, and he also built a Jami’ Masjid, and liberally endowed the whole of them. He held priests and ecclesiastics in great respect, and considered it incumbent on himself to venerate hermits and recluses. ### [140.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140.10) During his time, the people of the territories of Ghur dwelt in tranquillity and repose, and his brother, Shis, son of Muhammad, passed his days under his protection. When the appointed period of Amir Abu-’Ali’s dominion came to an end, and the empire of Ghaznin \[also\] reverted from Mahmud to his son, \[Sultan\] Mas’ud, a son of Amir Shis, ’Abbas by name, having attained great dignity and power, broke out into rebellion, seized his uncle, Amir Abu-’Ali, and reduced the whole of the country of Ghur under his own sway; and the reign of Amir Abu-’Ali came to a termination, and he died. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.140) · Pramāṇa