The Nāṣirī Generations 152: XVII. SULTAN-UL-A'ZAM, GHIYAS-UD-DUNYA WA UD-DIN, ABU-L-FATH, MUHAMMAD, SON OF BAHA-UD-DIN, SAM, KASIM-I-AMIR-UL-MUMININ.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 152
- Language
- English
Contents
XVII. SULTAN-UL-A'ZAM, GHIYAS-UD-DUNYA WA UD-DIN, ABU-L-FATH, MUHAMMAD, SON OF BAHA-UD-DIN, SAM, KASIM-I-AMIR-UL-MUMININ.
152.1.1
Trustworthy persons have stated, after the following manner, that Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, and his brother, Sultan Mu'izz-ud-Din, were both born of one mother; and that Ghiyas-ud-Din was the elder of Mu'izz-ud-Din by three years and a little more. Their mother was the daughter of Malik Badr-ud-Din, Kidani, both of the lineage of Banji, son of Naharan, and also of the seed of the Shansabanis. The Malikah, their mother, used to call Ghiyas-ud-Din [by the name of] Habashi; and Mu'izz-ud-Din, Zangi; but, originally, the august name of Ghiyas-ud-Din was Muhammad, and the name of Mu'izz-ud-Din was also Muhammad. In the dialect of Ghur they call Muhammad, Ahmad. When Malik Baha-ud-Din, Sam, died within the limits of Kidan, and Sultan ’Ala-ud-Din, Husain, ascended the throne of Firuz-koh, he commanded that his two nephews, Ghiyas-ud-Din and Mu’izz-ud-Din, should be imprisoned in the fortress of Wajiristan, and fixed but a small allowance for the supply of their wants. When Sultan ’Ala-ud-Din departed from this world, Sultan Saif-ud-Din directed that they should be released from that fortress, and he allowed them entire liberty of action. Ghiyas-ud-Din took up his residence at the Court of Firuz-koh in amity with Sultan Saif-ud-Din, and Mu’izz-ud-Din, his brother, proceeded to Bamian to the presence of his paternal uncle, Malik Fakhr-ud-Din, Mas’ud.
152.1.2
Ghiyas-ud-Din accompanied Sultan Saif-ud-Din, serving along with the army, on the expedition against the Ghuzz tribe ; but he had, however, but a small following through want of means and scantiness of resources ; but every one, among the old servants of his father and of his mother, used clandestinely to afford him some little help.
152.1.3
Ghiyas-ud-Din continued always in the service of Sultan Saif-ud-Din up to the time when the heavenly decree arrived, and Sultan Saif-ud-Din was removed from the throne of life imperial to the bier of premature death ; and the army of Ghur, discomfited, came out of the district of Rud-bar and the borders of Dajzak towards Gharjistan by way of Asir Darah and La-wir [or Lu-ir ?], and passed beyond Afshin, which was the capital of the Shars of Gharjistan ; and, when they reached the town of Wadawajzd, the Sipah-salar, Abu-l-’Abbas, son of Shis, who had unhorsed Sultan Saif-ud-Din with his spear, there presented himself in the presence of Ghiyas-ud-Din; and such of the most powerful and illustrious personages, and the Amirs and Maliks of the troops of Ghur and Gharjistan as were present, he assembled and brought together, and they all gave their allegiance to the sovereignty and dominion of Ghiyas-ud-Din, and they raised him to the throne, and congratulated him on his accession to the supreme power. Command was given to erect a castle there [where this occurred], and up to this time, wherein the calamity of the infidel Mughals arose, that town and castle was inhabited. From thence they conducted him to the city of Firuz-koh, and, when they reached the city, they placed Ghiyas-ud-Din on the throne.
152.1.4
Previously to this, his title was Shams-ud-Din; and his brother’s, Shihab-ud-Din; but, after he had been on the throne some time, his own title was changed to Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din; and, after the successes in Khurasan, his brother Malik Shihab-ud-Din’s title became Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din. When his brother, Mu’izz-ud-Din, became cognizant of his brother Ghiyas-ud-Din’s situation, he proceeded to the presence of his uncle, Malik Fakhr-ud-Din, Mas’ud, and asked his permission, and came to Firuz-koh, and he was invested with the office of Sar-i-Jandar [or chief armour-bearer], and he used to be always in attendance on his brother, Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din. The territory of Istiah and Kajuran were entrusted to his charge.
152.1.5
When the [Sultan's] pavilion was brought out of the city of Firuz-koh, and conveyed towards Ghur, the contumacious of Ghur began to manifest opposition. The Sipah-salar, Abu-l-'Abbas, son of Shis, who had raised him to the throne, possessed great authority and influence, and the refractory of Ghur used to shelter themselves under his protection. Both the brothers continued to nourish revenge in their hearts against him [Abu-l-'Abbas], on account of his having killed their cousin, Sultan Saif-ud-Din, and they both concerted a design [against him]. It was determined between them, that one of their own immediate Turkish followers should carry it out [in the following manner]:—When Abu-l-'Abbas should enter the audience-hall, and should stand up in the assembly to make his obeisance, and Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din should raise his hand to his cap, the Turk should strike off Abu-l-'Abbas’ head; and such was done.
152.1.6
After Abu-l-’Abbas had been put to death, Ghiyas-ud-Din acquired strength, and the grandeur of the realm increased. The uncle of the brothers, Malik Fakhr-ud-Din, Mas’ud, of Bamian, being the eldest of the seven Sultan brothers, and there being neither one of them remaining [but himself], he became ambitious of acquiring the territory of Ghur and the throne of Firuz-koh. Malik 'Ala-ud-Din, Kimaj [a noble] of the Sanjari dynasty, who was Malik [ruler] of Balkh, he sought aid from, and despatched envoys to Malik Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, of Hirat, and asked assistance from him also. Subsequently, the troops of Bamian and the forces of Balkh and of Hirat advanced from different directions towards Firuz-koh. Malik Fakhr-ud-Din, Mas’ud, of Bamian, being the uncle of the Sultans, and there being a great number of the Amirs of Ghur in his service, and he claiming the territory of Ghur by right of heritage, set out at first, and Malik ’Ala-ud-Din, Kimaj, the Amir [ruler] of Balkh, began to follow after him, at the distance of some leagues, by the route of Upper Gharjistan, while Malik Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, marched to Firuz-koh with his army from Hirat, it being the nearest route by way of the Hariw-ar-Rud or valley of the Hari river.
152.1.7
Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din and Mu'izz-ud-Din came out of Firuz-koh, and proceeded to a place which is called Ragh-i-Zarir [the Zarir plain] and the forces of Ghur there assembled around them. Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, of Hirat, used the utmost expedition, being ambitious of this, that perhaps the capture of Firuz-koh and the destruction of the Ghurian army might be achieved by him. When he arrived near to the position of the Ghurian forces, and both armies confronted each other, and preparations were being made for coming to action, so that only about the distance of half-a-league intervened between them, and the ranks of either army could be seen by the other, two Ghurian warriors from the midst of the army formed a compact, and came to the front of the [marshalled] ranks, and presented themselves before the Sultan, dismounted from their horses, and, bowing their faces to the ground, said, “We two your servants will disperse the army of Hirat;” so by command they mounted, and, rousing both their horses, they drew their swords, and, like the fierce blast, and the flying cloud, they approached towards the ranks of the Turks of Hirat, crying out, “Where is Malik Yal-duz? We seek Malik Yal-duz!”
152.1.8
Malik Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, was standing beneath his canopy, and his troops all pointed towards him, so that those Ghurian warriors knew which was Yal-duz; and both of them like hungry lions and rampant elephants fell upon Yal-duz, and brought him from his horse to the ground by the wounds inflicted by their swords. When the troops of Hirat beheld this heroism, boldness, and intrepidity, they gave way and took to flight. As Almighty God had brought those two Sultans, Ghiyas-ud-Din and Mu'izz-ud-Din, beneath the shadow of His kindness, He made such a victory and triumph as this a miracle of theirs. The next day a body of horse, lightly equipped and ruthless, was nominated to proceed against the force of Kimaj of Balkh. They fell upon his army unawares, put it to flight, took Kimaj, and slew him, and brought his head to the presence of the Sultans together with his standard. Then the head of Kimaj was placed in a bag, and entrusted to a horseman’s charge, and they sent him to meet their uncle, Malik Fakhr-ud-Din, Mas’ud. The latter had arrived near at hand; and, when they [the Sultans] had despatched the head of Kimaj, they put their forces in motion to follow, and pushed on towards their uncle, Malik Fakhr-ud-Din.
152.1.9
When that horseman brought the head of Kimaj to the presence of Malik Fakhr-ud-Din he determined upon returning, and made his troops mount; and, by the time they had become ready prepared to begin their retreat, the two Sultans had come up [with their forces] and had occupied all the parts around. On reaching the place where their uncle was, Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din and Mu’izz-ud-Din at once dismounted from their horses, and proceeded to receive him, and paid him great attention and consideration, and said, “It is necessary that your lordship should return and they conducted him to their camp and seated him on a throne, and both those sovereigns stood up before him with their hands stuck in their girdles [in token of servitude]. From this Malik Fakhr-ud-Din became filled with shame and compunction, and, overcome with humiliation, he spoke to them some words of rebuke, arose, and said, "You mock me!" They mollified him by many apologies and excuses, and accompanied him one stage, and sent him on his return back to Bamian; and the territory of Ghur was left vacant to Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din.
152.2.1
After that event he proceeded into Garmsir and Zamin-i-Dawar, and that tract was liberated; and, as Malik Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, of Hirat, had been slain, and the army of Hirat had returned thither discomfited, Badr-ud-Din, Tughril, who was one of [Sultan] Sanjar's slaves took Hirat into his own jurisdiction, and held possession of it for a considerable time, until the inhabitants of Hirat despatched petitions to Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din inviting him [thither], and that success was also achieved. After some years Faras and the territory of Kaliyun [or Kal-yun], and Fiwar and Baghshor, came into his possession; and, when these parts came under his jurisdiction, he took to wife the daughter of his uncle, the Malikah, Taj-ud-Dunya wa ud-Din, Gohar Malik [Malikah?] the daughter of Sultan ’Ala-ud-Din, Husain. The whole of Gharjistan, and Tal-kan and Juzarwan devolved upon him; and Tigin-abad, out of the district of Jarum Ghiyas-ud-Din made over to his brother, Mu’izz-ud-Din, after he had returned from Sijistan. He [now] began to despatch [bodies of] horse towards Ghaznin, and the district of Zabul, and parts adjacent thereunto; and, at that period, the territory of Kabul, Zabul, and Ghaznin were in the hands of the tribes of the Ghuzz, who had wrested them out of the possession of Khusrau Shah. The reign of Khusrau Shah had terminated, and his son, Khusrau Malik, had made Lohor his capital.
152.2.2
The Amirs of the Ghuzz [tribe] who were in Ghaznin, not being able to oppose the forces of Ghur [in the field] threw up intrenchments, and, from the excessive firmness of the Ghuzz, the Ghurian army very nearly sustained an overthrow. Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din retired, and despatched a body of Ghurians to the aid of Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din. Suddenly a body of Ghuzz warriors attacked [the army of Ghur], and captured the royal standard of the Ghurians, and carried it away within their own intrenchments. The Ghurian forces in the right and left wings imagined that the royal standard had accompanied their own centre into the intrenchments of the enemy, and they advanced to the attack in all directions, broke through the intrenchments of the Ghuzz, and carried them, and put the Ghuzz to the rout. The news reached Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, who returned; and the troops of Ghur commenced slaughtering the Ghuzz, and laid the greater number of that race on the earth, and Ghaznin was left in the possession of the Ghuris. This victory was gained in the year 569 H.
152.2.3
When Ghaznin was conquered, Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din placed his brother, Sultan Mu'izz-ud-Din, upon the throne of the Mahmudis and returned himself to Firuz-koh. After two years, he [Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din] summoned his troops [again], and the armies of Ghur and Ghaznin were got ready, and he advanced to the gates of the city of Hirat. The people of that place had been manifesting signs of duty and desire [to place themselves under his rule]. When Baha-ud-Din, Tughril, became aware of this [latter] fact, he evacuated the city of Hirat, and retired to the Khwarazm-Shahis; and, in the year 571 H. the city of Hirat was taken possession of. Two years subsequent to this, Fushanj was taken; and, after these successes, the Malik of Nimroz and Sijistan despatched envoys, and he enrolled himself among the vassals of that Sultan. Subsequently to these events, the Ghuzz Maliks who were in Kirman paid submission to him; and different parts of the territory of Khurasan, which were dependent upon Hirat and Balkh, such as Tal-kan, Andkhud, Maimand, Faryab, Panj-dih, Marw-ar-Rud, Dajzak, Kilaf, the whole of those towns came into the possession of the Ghiyasi officers, and the Khutbah and the coin became adorned by the august name of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din.
152.2.4
After some time, Sultan Shah, Jalal-ud-Din, Mahmud, son of I-yal-Arsalan, Khwarazm Shah, was ousted by his brother, Takish, Khwarazm Shah, and presented himself at the Court of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din. After a time he became seditious, as has been previously recorded, and departed for Khita, and from thence brought aid, and took Marw, and began to ravage the frontier districts of the territories of Ghur, and commenced harrying and plundering them, until, in the year 588 H., Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din commanded, so that Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din from Ghaznin, Malik Shams-ud-Din of Bamian, and Malik Taj-ud-Din-i-Harab, from Sijistan, with their forces, assembled at Rudbar of Marw, and they came and confronted the forces of Sultan Shah, who, with his troops, marched out of Marw, and proceeded up [the river]; and, in opposing the Sultan, used to make irregular and sudden attacks, and to continually harass the foragers of the Sultan’s army. For a period of six months this harassing warfare went on ; and the two armies continued in proximity to each other until Sultan Mu'izz-ud-Din commanded that a ferry over the river Murgh-ab should be sought for, and he crossed it [with his own forces], and the other troops crossed over after him ; and Sultan Shah was defeated and put to the rout.
152.2.5
This success was gained in the year 588 H. ; and Malik Baha-ud-Din, Tughril, the Sanjari, in that encounter, fell into the hands of the Bamian troops, and they brought his head to the presence of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din. On that day, likewise, Malik Shams-ud-Din of Bamian, son of Malik Fakhr-ud-Din, Mas’ud, who was the Sultans’ uncle, obtained [the honour of] a canopy of state, and they gave him the title of Sultan. In this same year likewise, previous to the time that the forces of Ghur, Ghaznin, and Bamian were about to assemble at Rudbar of Marw, for the purpose of restraining Sultan Shah, commands had been issued for the martyrdom of the gentle and beneficent Sultan, Khusrau Malik. The mercy of the Almighty be upon him ! Every year fresh successes were taking place in different directions of the territories of Ghur, until, in the year 596 H., Sultan 'Ala-ud-Din-i-Takish, Khwarazm Shah, died Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din and Mu’izz-ud-Din moved into Khurasan with the armies of Ghur and Ghaznin, and advanced to the gate of Nishapur.
152.2.6
While the forces occupied a position in the vicinity of Nishapur, and hostilities commenced, trustworthy persons have, among the miracles of the victorious Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, related on this wise, that one day he mounted, in order to reconnoitre a place from which to attack the city, and rode round the edge of the ditch, and reached a spot from whence, in his august opinion, he determined to make the attack, as being the point where the capture of that city was likely to be effected. He made a sign with his whip, saying; — It is necessary that the battering-rams should be planted from this tower to that tower, in order to make a breach, and enable a general assault to be made, so that the capture of this city may be effected, and this victory achieved.” At the very time that he made this indication [with his whip] towards those towers, the very portion of the walls of the city which he had pointed out, and the [two] towers, with everything near them, gave way, and the whole fell down, and became destroyed in such wise that not one brick remained upon another, and Nishapur was taken. Malik 'Ali Shah, son of Sultan 'Imad-ud-Din, Takish, Khwarazm Shah, together with the Khwarazmi Maliks who were there, and chiefs, and other persons of distinction, such as Surtash and Gaz-lak Khan, and a considerable body of others, fell into their hands.
152.2.7
To Malik Ziya-ud-Din, Muhammad, son of Abu 'Ali, Shansabi, who was the uncle’s son of both the [Ghurian] Sultans, and the son-in-law of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, they gave the government and throne of Nishapur, and returned [to their own dominions] that same year. The next year [597 H.] they advanced to Marw-i-Shah-i-Jahan, and took it ; and Malik Nasir-ud-Din, Muhammad-i-Khar-nak, they installed at Marw ; and conferred the government of Sarakhs upon their uncle’s son, Malik Taj-ud-Din, Zangi, who was the son of Malik Fakhr-ud-Din, Mas’ud, Bamiani. Malik Taj-ud-Din acquired jurisdiction over the whole of that territory, and Khurasan became clear.
152.2.8
Malik ’Ala-ud-Din, Muhammad, Khwarazm Shah, used great endeavours that they [the Sultans] might perhaps consent to accept his services [as their vassal], and relinquish Khurasan to him again; but it was not given up to him. Trustworthy persons have related after this manner, that, when Takish, Khwarazm Shah [the father], died, Muhammad, Khwarazm Shah [the son], sent envoys to the presence of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, the purport of their embassy being to the effect, that, between the Sultans of Ghur and his father, a compact of friendship and unanimity was firmly established. He, their servant, desired that, according to that same compact, he might be [accounted] in the series of their other servants. If his exalted opinion thought well of it, the Sultan-i-Ghazi, Mu'izz-ud-Din, should take his [servant’s] mother to wife, and consider him, his very humble servant, as a son; that from the Ghiyasiah Court he, his [Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din’s] servant, might receive an honorary robe, and a patent of investiture for Khurasan and Khwarazm, and his servant would set free all the territory of ’Irak and Mawar-un-Nahr from the hands of enemies.
152.3.1
When they [the envoys] had discharged the purport of their mission, Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din did not become agreeable to the proposed union, and hostility arose. As the Almighty God had ordained that the whole of the dominions of Iran should fall under the sway of Muhammad, Khwarazm Shah, he, upon several occasions, towards the close of Ghiyas-ud-Din’s life, retired discomfited before the forces of Ghur and Ghaznin, and, at last, those Sultans died before him. Upon several occasions rich dresses of honour from the Court of the Khilafat, from the Lord of the Faithful, Al- Mustazi B’illah, and from the Lord of the Faithful, Un-Nasir-ud-Din Ullah, reached the Court of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din. On the first occasion, Ibn-ur-Rabbi' came; and the Kazi, Majd-ud-Din, [styled] the Model, went along with him to the Court of the Khilafat, and, on the second occasion, Ibn-ul-Khatib came; and the father of this their servant, Maulana Saraj-ud-Din, son of Minhaj-i-Saraj, he [the Sultan] nominated to proceed along with him to the Court of the Khilafat. On the arrival of the honorary dress from the Court of Un-Nasir-ud-Din Ullah, the imperial five times a day was assumed by the Sultan. His dominions became wide and extended, and from the east [eastern extremity] of Hindustan, from the frontier of Chin and Ma-Chin, as far as ’Irak, and from the river Jihun and Khurasan to the sea-shore of Hurmuz, the Khutbah was adorned by his auspicious name. He reigned for a period of forty-three years.
152.3.2
His bounty and benefactions, bestowed upon the meritorious, the learned, the recluse, and the devout, reached to the extremes of the empire of Islam, from the east to the west, to ’Arab and to ’Ajam, to Turkistan and to Hind; and the names of all those meriting his bounty and charity were recorded in his civil courts and record offices. His life extended to a period of sixty-three years; and the removal of this great monarch from this transitory sphere to the eternal habitation took place at the city of Hirat, on Wednesday, the 27th of the sacred month of Jamadi-ul-Awwal, 599 H. His mausoleum was raised by the side of the Jami’ Masjid of Hirat. The mercy of the Almighty be upon him! The Most High God had adorned the incomparable nature of the victorious Sultan, Ghiyas-ud-Din, Muhammad-i-Sam, with divers virtues and endowments, both outward and inward; and his Court was graced with learned doctors of religion and law ecclesiastical, accomplished scholars, illustrious philosophers, and the celebrated in eloquence; and his magnificent Court had become the asylum of the world, and the retreat of the worthy and laudable persons of the earth. Chiefs of the [holders of] religious tenets of every sect were there gathered together, incomparable poets were there present, and masters in the art of poetry and prose were entertained in the service of his sublime Court.
152.3.3
At the outset of the career of those sovereigns [Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din and Mu’izz-ud-Din], both the brothers followed the tenets of the Kirami sect, in imitation of their ancestors and [the people of] their dominions; but Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din, Muhammad-i-Sam, the younger brother, when he ascended the Ghaznin throne, the people of that city and territory being followers of the tenets of the Great Imam, Abu Hanifah of Kufa, in conformity with them, adopted the doctrines of Abu Hanifah. Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, however, saw, whilst in a dream, that he was used to be in the same masjid along with the illustrious Kazi, Wahid-ud-Din, Marwazi, who followed the religious doctrines of the Traditionists, and who was one of the leaders of the Shafi’i sect. Unexpectedly, Imam Shafi himself enters, and proceeds to the Mihrab and begins to repeat the prayers; and Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, and Kazi Wahid-ud-Din, both of them follow Imam Shafi in so doing.
152.3.4
On awakening from his dream, the Sultan commanded, so that, at break of day, Kazi Wahid-ud-Din was requested to deliver a discourse. When he occupied the seat of the pulpit, he remarked, during the discourse, saying, “Sovereign of Islam! this your servant hath during the past night dreamt a dream,” and he related the very same dream that the Sultan had himself dreamt, for he had had one like it; whereupon, when the Kazi descended from the chair, and went up to make his obeisance to the Sultan, the latter seized the blessed hand of Kazi, Wahid-ud-Din, and adopted the tenets of Imam Shafi'i. When the withdrawal of the Sultan to the sect of the Traditionists became divulged, a load came upon the hearts of the ’Ulama of the sect of Muhammad-i-Kiram [the Kiramis]. Of this body, the great ecclesiastics were numerous; but, at that time, the most eloquent among them all was Imam, Sadr-ud-Din, ’Ali, Haisam, the Nishapuri, who was resident at, and the head of the college of the city of Afshin of Gharjistan. He composed a strophe on the Sultan, and in it censured his withdrawal from the sect; and, when that strophe came to the Sultan’s knowledge, his sacred mind became much irritated with him, and Imam Sadr-ud-Din found it impossible to continue to dwell within the dominions of Ghur. The strophe is this: — [This polemical squib is of some length, and varies more or less in almost every copy, is of no particular interest, and need scarcely be translated.]
152.3.5
Imam Sadr-ud-Din, on this account, removed out of the territory of Ghur, and proceeded to Nishapur, and there he remained for the space of a year; after which he despatched [another] strophe to the presence of the Sultan, so that he was sent for to come back again, and a robe of honour was despatched; and he returned to the Court from Nishapur again. Strophe: — [These lines have also been left out for the reasons previously given. As may be imagined, they are as full of fulsome adulation as the first were of aspersion.]
152.3.6
Trustworthy persons have thus related, that Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, in his early youth, was greatly addicted to conviviality, and fond of the sports of the field; and from the capital city, Firuz-koh, which was the seat of government, as far as the Zamin [district] and town of Dawar, which was the winter capital, not a human being dared to pursue the chase. Between these two cities [towns] is a distance of forty leagues, and he [the Sultan] had commanded that a pillar should be erected at each league of distance; and in Zamin-i-Dawar he had laid out a garden, and he had given it the name of Garden of Iram; and certainly, for pleasantness and freshness, no such garden had ever been seen in the whole world, nor did any monarch possess the like of it. The length of this garden was more than sufficient for two courses of a horse, and the whole of its glades were adorned with pine and juniper-trees, and various sorts of shrubs and odoriferous herbs; and the Sultan had commanded, so that, adjoining the wall of that garden, a plain had been cleared corresponding in length and breadth with the garden itself.
152.3.7
Once every year he used to give directions, so that for a distance of fifty or sixty leagues or more, a nargah [semicircle] of huntsmen would be drawn out; and it would require the space of a whole month for the two extremities of this semicircle of huntsmen to close up. More than ten thousand wild beasts and animals of the chase, of all species and descriptions, used to be driven into that plain; and, on the days of chase the Sultan was in the habit of coming out on the pavilion of the garden, and holding a convivial entertainment; and his slaves, his Maliks, and the servants of the Court, one by one, with the royal permission, would mount on horseback and enter the plain, and chase and kill the game in the Sultan's august sight Upon one occasion he was desirous of entering the plain and enjoying the sport, upon which Fakhr-ud-Din, Mubarak Shah, got upon his feet, and repeated a quatrain. The Sultan retracted his intention, and devoted himself to enjoyment The following is the quatrain in question:— “To follow the wine, the beloved, and enjoyment, Will be better than that thou shouldst pursue the chase. When the gazelle of paradise is within thy net, Of what use that thou shouldst follow the mountain goat?”
152.3.8
Trustworthy persons have related that, when Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din forswore wine, and devoted himself to rectitude and goodness, at the period that Sultan Shah, Khwarazm Shah brought the forces of Khita against Khurasan, and made Marw his capital, the latter began to harry the border-tracts of the territory of Ghur, and brought his troops to the Dahanah-i-Sher—the Lion's Jaws—[Pass] of Sarakhs, and despatched an emissary to the presence of the Sultan, Ghiyas-ud-Din, and preferred certain requests of his own to him. The Sultan commanded that an entertainment should be prepared to do honour to the envoy, and a gay party was brought together. Wine was circulated among the Maliks and Amirs of Ghur, and the envoy was treated with great honour; and he was plied with wine, in order that, when in a state of inebriety, the disposition of Sultan Shah might be discovered from his emissary. For the Sultan’s own drinking, sweet pomegranate juice was poured into a flask, and, when it came to the Sultan’s turn to pledge, they would fill his goblet with that pomegranate juice, and would present it to him. When the envoy of Sultan Shah became excited from the effects of the wine, he rose to his knees, and requested a minstrel to sing the following quatrain, which he accordingly did:—
152.3.9
“Of that lion whose abode is within the Lion’s Jaws, The lions of the universe are in great affright. Thou shouldst, O lion, from ‘The Jaws’ show thy teeth, Since these are [as though] in ‘The Lion’s Jaws’ from terror.” When the envoy called for this verse, and the minstrel sang it, Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din’s colour changed, and the Maliks of Ghur became much agitated. Khwajah Safi-ud-Din, Mahmud, one of the most distinguished of the Wazirs of his Court, and who was a miracle of wit and address, and endowed with a forcible poetic genius, and composed excellent poetry, arose to his feet, and, looking on the ground, in reply to the envoy, called on the minstrel for this verse:— “On that day when we shall raise the standard of hostility, And shall take in hand the enemy of the territory of the world, Should any lion from ‘The Jaws’ [dare] show his teeth, We, with our mace, will crush his teeth within ‘The Jaws.’”
152.3.10
Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din was greatly pleased at this, and bestowed a liberal present upon the Khwajah, and honoured him with honorary dresses of great value; and the whole of the Maliks commended him. The Almighty have mercy upon the whole of them! and may He keep the Sultan of Islam, the sovereign of the seven climes, the great king of kings, the lord over all the rulers of Turk, ’Arab, and ’Ajam, the defender of the world and of the faith, the glory of Islam and of the Faithful, the aider of kings and emperors, the protector of the dominions of the Almighty, the pastor of the servants of God, the aided by Heaven, the victorious over the greatest of all species, the place of safety to the orthodox, the heir of the dominions of Suliman, Abu-l-Muzaffar-i-Mahmud, son of the Sultan [I-yal-timish], the Kasim [the co-sharer] of the Lord of the Faithful, in sovereignty and dominion for years unending, permanent and lasting, for the sake of His Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace abundantly abundant! Titles and Names of the Sultan — Offspring, Sultan-ul-A'zam, Ghiyas-ud-Din, Mahmud. Malikah-ul-Mu'azzamah, Jalal-ud-Dunya wa-ud-Din. Length of his reign Forty-three years. Summer capital The City of Firuz-koh of Ghur. Winter capital: — The district of Dawar. Kazis of his Court, Kazi-ul-Kuzat [Chief Kazi], Mu'izz-ud-Din, Harawi Kazi Shihab-ud-Din, Harmawadi Wazirs of the Kingdom, Shams-ul-Mulk, 'Abd-ul-Jabbar, Kidani. Fakhr-ul-Mulk, Sharaf-ud-Din, Wadan.
152.3.11
’Ain-ul-Mulk, Surani [or Suriani]. Zahir-ul-Mulk, ’Abd-ullah, Sanjari. Jalal-ud-Din, Diw-Shari [or Diw-Shahi]. Majd-ul-Mulk, Khwajah Safi-ud-Din.