The Nāṣirī Generations 180: IV. SULTAN TAJ-UD-DIN, YAL-DUZ, AL-MU'IZZI US-SULTANI.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 180
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IV. SULTAN TAJ-UD-DIN, YAL-DUZ, AL-MU'IZZI US-SULTANI.
180.1
Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din, Muhammad, son of Sam, was a mighty monarch, just, a champion of the Faith, lion-hearted, and in valour a second ’Ali-i-Abu-Talib — may God reward him! — but he was wanting in children; and one daughter was all he had by [his wife] the daughter of his uncle, Malik Nasir-ud-Din, Muhammad, Madini; and he had a great fancy for purchasing Turkish slaves, and he bought a great number of slaves of that race. Every one of them acquired renown throughout the whole of the countries of the East for activity, warlike accomplishments, and expertness; and the names of his slaves became published in the four quarters of the world, and during the Sultan’s lifetime every one of them became famous.
180.2
Trustworthy persons have related on this wise, that one of the confidential favourites of the Sultan’s Court made bold to represent to him, saying: "To a monarch like unto thee, the like of whom in height of dignity and grandeur the whole expanse of the empire of Islam does not contain, sons were necessary to thy empire, in order that every one of them might be the inheritor of a kingdom of the empire of the universe, so that, after the expiration of the period of this [present] reign, the sovereignty might continue permanent in this family.” That victorious Sultan [in reply] uttered these august words: — "Other monarchs may have one son, or two sons: I have so many thousand sons, namely, my Turk slaves who will be the heirs of my dominions, and who, after me, will take care to preserve my name in the Khutbah throughout those territories.” And so it happened as declared in the hallowed words of that victorious Sultan — on whom be the Almighty’s mercy ! — which, throughout the whole dominion of Hindustan, up to the period when this book was written, namely, the year 657 H., they observed, and are still observing ; and it is to be sincerely implored that, by the grace of Almighty God, these dominions may continue, in this same manner, under their sway to the uttermost end of the existence of the race of Adam. I now reach my own discourse, which is the account of Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz.
180.3
He was a great monarch, of excellent faith, mild, beneficent, of good disposition, and very handsome. The Sultan-i-Ghazi, Mu’izz-ud-Din, purchased him when he was young in years, and, from the outset of his career, appointed him to an office, and subsequently, step by step, advanced him to a high position, and made him head and chief over the other Turkish slaves. When he grew up he attained authority and power, and the Sultan conferred upon him the government of the district of Sanquran and Karman in feudal fief ; and every year that the Sultan would make a halt in Karman, on his expeditions into Hindustan, Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, used to feast the whole of the Amirs, the Maliks, and the suite, and was in the habit of presenting a thousand honorary head-dresses and quilted tunics, and would command liberal largess to be given to the whole retinue.
180.4
By command of the Sultan-i-Ghazi a daughter of Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, was given in marriage to Sultan Kutb-ud-Din, I-bak; and another daughter was married to Malik Nasir-ud-Din, Kaba-jah. Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, had likewise two sons, one of whom he had placed with a preceptor. One day that preceptor, by way of chastisement and discipline, struck the boy over the head with an earthen water-flask. The decree of destiny had come, and the water-flask struck him in a mortal place, and the boy died. Information was conveyed to Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, who forthwith, out of his excessive clemency and exemplary piety, sent funds to the preceptor for his expenses, with directions that "he should get out of the way, and undertake a journey, before the boy’s mother became aware of her son’s fate, lest she might cause any injury to be done him, in anguish for the loss of her son." This anecdote is a proof of the goodness of disposition and the purity of faith of that amiable Sultan.
180.5
In the last year of the reign of Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din, when that monarch [on his last expedition into Hind] came into Karman and halted there, Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, presented those yearly stipulated thousand tunics and head-dresses. The Sultan, out of the whole of them, selected one tunic and one head-dress, and honoured his slave by presenting him with his own princely robe; and the Sultan conferred upon him a black banner, and it was the desire of his august mind that Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, after himself, should succeed to the throne of Ghaznin. When the Sultan-i-Ghazi attained martyrdom, it was the desire and disposition of the Turk Maliks and Amirs that Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, Mahmud, son of [Ghiyas-ud-Din] Muhammad, son of Sam, should come from the confines of Garmsir to Ghaznin, and ascend his uncle’s throne, and that they all should gird up their loins in his service. To this effect they wrote to the Court of Firuz-koh, and represented, saying: The Sultans of Bamian are acting oppressively, and are ambitious of obtaining possession of Ghaznin. Thou art the heir to the dominion, and we are thy slaves.” Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, Mahmud, replied, saying: To me the throne of my father, which is the capital, Firuz-koh, and the kingdom of Ghur, is the most desirable. I confer the territory [of Ghaznin] on you; and he despatched a robe of honour to Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, and presented him with a letter of manumission, and assigned the throne of Ghaznin unto him.
180.6
By virtue of this mandate Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, came to Ghaznin, and seized the Maliks of Bamian, and ascended the throne of Ghaznin, and brought that territory under his jurisdiction. After a time he was excluded from Ghaznin, and again returned to it, and again brought it under his sway. A second time the same thing happened, until, after some time, a battle took place between him and Sultan Kutb-ud-Din, I-bak, on the confines of the Panj-ab; and Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, was defeated, and Sultan Kutb-ud-Din advanced to Ghaznin, and remained there for a period of forty days, during which time he gave himself up to pleasure and revelry. A third time Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, marched from Karman towards Ghaznin, and Sultan Kutb-ud-Din, I-bak, retired again towards Hindustan by the route of Sang-i-Surakh, and once more Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, brought Ghaznin under his rule. He sent armies upon several occasions towards Ghur, Khurasan, and Sijistan, and nominated Maliks [to command them]. On one occasion he despatched a force to aid Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din, Mahmud, as far as the gates of Hirat, on account of the treason of ’Izz-ud-Din, Husain, son of Khar-mil, who was the Malik of Hirat, and who had conspired with Sultan Muhammad, Khwarazm Shah, and had gone over to him, and who fled before the forces of Ghur and Ghaznin.
180.7
On another occasion Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, led an army towards Sijistan, and remained away on that expedition for a considerable time, and advanced as far as the gates of the city of Sistan. At length peace was concluded between him and Malik Taj-ud-Din-i-Harab, who was the king of Sijistan. When Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, set out on his return [to Ghaznin], on his way thither, Malik Nasir-ud-Din, Husain, the Amir-i-Shikar [Chief Huntsman] showed disaffection towards him, and engagements took place between them. Malik Nasir-ud-Din was overthrown, and retired towards Khwarazm [the Khwarazm territory ?], and after a time returned, until, on the expedition [of Taj-ud-Din] into Hindustan the Turkish Maliks and Amirs of Ghaznin conspired together and put to death the Khwajah, Mu-ayyid-ul-Mulk, Muhammad-i-Abd-ullah, Sanjari, who held the office of Wazir, and likewise Malik Nasir-ud-Din, Husain, the Amir-i-Shikar.
180.8
After a period of forty days Sultan Muhammad, Khwarazm Shah, marched an army from the side of Tukharistan and advanced towards Ghaznin; and his troops suddenly and unexpectedly seized the frontier route leading into Hindustan, towards Gardaiz and the Karahah Darah [Pass]. Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, took the route towards Hindustan, by way of Sang-i-Surakh and reached Lohor. An engagement took place between him [Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz] and the august Sultan Shams-ud-Din, I-yal-timish, in the vicinity of Tara’in, and Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, was taken prisoner. In that same year, Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, was sent to the fortress of Buda’un, and there he was buried. His mausoleum, which is situated at that place, is a place of pilgrimage, and people make vows there. His reign extended to a period of nine years, and the mercy of the Almighty be upon him! Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, was [defeated and] taken prisoner, and sent to the district of Buda’un; and there he was martyred, and there his mausoleum is situated, and has become a place of pilgrimage, and is visited by suppliants. His reign extended over a period of nine years. The Almighty’s mercy be upon him! God alone is immortal and eternal!