The Nāṣirī Generations 158.4

158.4

When four years of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, Mahmud’s reign had expired, Malik ’Ala-ud-Din, ’Ali Shah, son of Sultan Takish, Khwarazm Shah, sought refuge from his brother’s [Sultan ’Ala-ud-Din, Muhammad, Khwarazm Shah] presence with Sultan Mahmud. On the Khwarazmi Sultan becoming aware of this, he despatched distinguished personages [as envoys] to Firuz-koh. During the lifetime of the Sultan-i-Ghazi, Mu’izz-ud-Din, Muhammad, a firm compact existed between Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, Mahmud, son of [Ghiyas-ud-Din], Muhammad-i-Sam, and Muhammad-i-Takish, Khwarazm Shah, that friendship and concord should exist between them, and that the grow disaffected; and 'Izz-ud-Din, Husain, son of Khar-mil, the Wali of Hirat, who was the greatest prop of the Ghurian empire, took precedence of all the other chiefs in tendering allegiance to the Sultan of Khwarazm, and despatched agents repeatedly soliciting that the Sultan would annex Hirat. Although that monarch had other important matters to attend to, still, fearing lest a portion of the Ghurian dominions, such as Balkh and districts around, might offer allegiance to the ruler of Kara-Khita, and that that city might fall into his hands, he determined to move towards Balkh.