The Nāṣirī Generations 233: XV. MALIK TAJ-UD-DIN, SANJAR-I-KURET KHAN.

233

Malik Kuret Khan was a Turk of Kipchak, of great manhood and courage, energy and wisdom, and among warriors, for warlike accomplishments, he was the peerless in all the ranks of the army of Islam; and, in horsemanship and skill in arms, he had no equal. For example, he would have two horses under saddle, one of which he would ride, and the other he would lead after him, and thus used to dash on, and, whilst the horses were galloping, he would leap from this horse to that with agility, would return to this first one again, so that, during a gallop, he used several times to mount two horses. In archery he was so skilful that no enemy in battle, and no animal in the chase used to escape his arrow. He never used to take along with him into any Shikar-gah [chase] either leopard, hawk, or sporting dog: he brought down all with his own arrow; and in every fastness in which he imagined there would be game he would be in advance of the whole of his retinue.
He was the Shahnah [Superintendent] of rivers and vessels; and this author had a great regard and affection for him. May Almighty God immerse him in forgiveness! When the Turks of the [late] Sultan [I-yal-timish] first rose against the Khwajah, Muhazzab-ud-Din, the Wazir, on Wednesday, the 2nd of the month of Jamadi-ul-Awwal, 640 H., the ring-leader of the party in that outbreak was Malik Taj-ud-Din, Sanjar-i-Kuret Khan: and a slave of the Khwajah, Muhazzab-ud-Din, Mihtar Jatta [by name], a Farra [carpet-spreader, &c.], wounded the Malik on the face with a sword in such manner that the mark of it ever after remained.
After the Khwajah, Muhazzab-ud-Din, was put to death, Malik Sanjar-i-Kuret Khan became Shahnah [Superintendent] of the elephants, and, after that, was made Sar-i-Jan-dar [Head of the Jan-dars]. Subsequently, he was made feudatory of Buda'un, and, some time after that again, obtained the fief of Awadh. In that part he undertook many holy expeditions against infidels, achieved numerous gallant exploits, and reduced several powerful independent [Hindu] tribes. From Awadh he proceeded into Bihar and plundered that territory. Suddenly, when before the preserved city of Bihar, an arrow struck him in a mortal place, and he attained martyrdom. The mercy of the Almighty be upon him!