[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) › 244.10 # The Nāṣirī Generations 244.10 Tabakat-i-Nasiri 244.10 - **Language:** English ### [244.10.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.244.10.1) By the time he had got over the stages and stations within the kingdom \[of Dihli\] and reached the territory of Sind, the report of his being on a mission became public; and, when he passed on to Multan, and from thence to Uchchah, Malik 'Izz-ud-Din, Balban-i-Kashlu Khan, commanded that he should be summoned. So they summoned the Hajib, ’Ali, and detained him, and demanded of him the letters he was bearing, that they might become acquainted with the nature, import, and contents of the documents. The Hajib, ’Ali, denied his mission; but, when the affair assumed severity, on being constrained, he avowed, in the presence of the Mughal Shahnahgan \[Intendants\] ; “I am an Emissary, and I am going upwards.” Having, in the presence of that assembly made such a statement, Malik 'Izz-ud-Din, Balban-i-Kashlu-Khan, as a matter of necessity, gave over requiring aught from him, and said : It is necessary for thee to proceed, that I may have thee taken to thy place of destination.” The Hajib, 'Ali, replied : My orders are on this wise, that I should proceed to the presence of Malik Nasir-ud-Din, Muhammad, son of Hasan the Karlugh,” and, consequently, Malik 'Izz-ud-Din, Balban, was under the necessity of allowing him to proceed in the direction indicated. ### [244.10.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.244.10.2) When the Hajib, 'Ali, reached the khittah \[district or country\] of Banian, the report of his coming from the borders of Dihli, on a mission, having become published and disseminated among the Mughal Shahnagan \[Intendants\], and the gentle and simple of that territory, Malik Nasir-ud-Din, Muhammad, son of Hasan, the Karlugh, had to send him, perforce towards 'Irak and Azarbaijan, to the presence of Hula'u, the Mughal, and he \[Malik Nasir-ud-Din, Muhammad, son of Hasan\], of his own accord, and without the sanction of this Court \[the Court of Dihli\], indited letters as from the dear tongue of Ulugh Khan-i-A'zam, and, sending some small present along with the Hajib, 'Ali, despatched him along with confidential persons of his own. ### [244.10.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.244.10.3) On arriving in the neighbourhood of the 'Irak territory, they reached Hula'u's presence in the city of Tabriz of Azarbaijan. Hula'u treated the Hajib, 'Ali, with much honour, and showed him great consideration. At the time they desired to read out the letters unto Hula'u, the Accursed, it became necessary to translate them from the Persian into the Mughali language. In the letters they had written the name of Ulugh Khan-i-A'zam, Malik' for the custom of Turkistan is this, that there is but one supreme ruler, no more, and him they do not style Malik, but Khan, and all others have the name of Malik So, when they read out the letters to Hula'u, the Mughal he said : “Why have ye given an equivalent for the name Ulugh Khan? it behoveth that his designation of Khan be preserved.” Such honour and respect did he esteem fit to show towards Ulugh Khan-i-A'zam. Every person of the Khans of the countries of Hind and Sind, who proceeded to the presence of the Khans and rulers of the Mughals, they altered the title of, and styled them all simply ‘Malik,’ with this exception of the name of Ulugh Khan-i-Azam which they recognized as it originally stood. This is one, among the proofs of the Divine grace, that both friend and foe, believer and unbeliever, mention his august name with veneration This is the grace of God which He bestows on whomsoever He pleaseth; and God is the possessor of great grace ### [244.10.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.244.10.4) When the Hajib, 'Ali, was dismissed, on his return, the Shahnah \[Intendant\] of the Milkat \[territory\] of Banian, who was the son of Amir Yagh-rash, a famous person, and a respected Musalman, was nominated by Hula'u to accompany him, and Hula'u sent orders to the Mughal forces which would be under the standard of Sari \[Sali\], the Nu-in, saying: “If the hoof of a horse of your troops shall have entered the ground of the dominions of the Sultan of Sultans, Nasir-ud-Dunya wa ud-Din, Mahmud Shah—God perpetuate his reign!—the command unto you is this, that all four feet of such horse be lopped off.” Such like security did the Most High God miraculously vouchsafe unto the kingdom of Hindustan through the felicity attending the rectitude of the Ulugh-Khani counsels. When the emissaries reached the capital, the sovereign of Islam, in requital and return for that honour which Hula’u, the Mughal, had been pleased to show towards the Hajib of this Court, conformable with the saying, “Verily the reward of kindness should be nought save kindness”—great favour was lavished upon his emissaries likewise. This \[which has been related\] was the reason of the arrival of the emissaries of Khurasan and the troops of Turkistan. ### [244.10.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.244.10.5) May the Most High God long preserve the Sultan of Islam, Nasir-ud-Dunya wa ud-Din, Abu-l-Muzaffar-i-Mahmud Shah, upon the throne of sovereignty, and the prosperity of the Khakan-i-Mu-azzam, Ulugh Khan-i-A’zam, in successive increase and augmentation, for the sake of Muhammad and his posterity! We have again returned to our history, and the last of the events thereof is this, that Ulugh Khan-i-A’zam, having carried out, after the manner \[before related\], holy-war upon the infidels of the Koh-payah with such condign severity, a large number of the remainder of the kinsmen of those rebels, who, previous to that, had escaped from the neighbourhood of the Koh-payah from the hand of the troops and defenders of Islam — may victory ever attend them ! — and fled into different parts, and, by great stratagems, had managed to preserve their abominable lives under the protection of flight from the keen swords of the retainers of Ulugh Khan-i-A’zam’s house, began, a second time, to renew their sedition, and commenced to infest the roads and to shed the blood of Musalmans, and, by reason of the violence of that gathering, the roads were perilous. ### [244.10.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.244.10.6) This fact being brought to the august hearing of Ulugh Khan-i-A’zam, he despatched intelligencers, informers, and spies, so that they reconnoitred the remaining positions of the rebels, and made thorough inquiry as to the present whereabouts of those vagabonds. On Monday, the 24th of the month of Rajab, 658 H., Ulugh Khan-i-A’zam, mounted with his own following, the forces of \[the contingents composing\] the centre \[division\], and other troops of the Maliks and warriors, issued from Dihli and pushed on towards the Koh-payah, in suchwise that, in one march, he proceeded about fifty kuroh or more, came unexpectedly upon that gathering, captured the whole of them, and put about 12,000 persons, consisting of men and women, and their children, to the sword. All the passes, defiles, and the crests of the hills, were purified of the bodies of the rebels by the wounds of the swords of the Auxiliaries of the Truth, and much booty was captured. Praise be unto God for this victory of Islam, and honour to its votaries ! This much, which had been witnessed of that dynasty by the author, came under the pen of sincerity — from readers and examiners he is hopeful of benediction, and, from the possessors of dominion, hopeful of honour, that which is hoped for through God the Beneficent, and that asked for through God the Merciful — in the month of Shawwal, in the year 658 H. ### [244.10.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.244.10.7) Praise be unto God, and blessings upon His Prophet, and progeny, and his companions all, through Thy mercy, O Thou Most Merciful of the Merciful ! was styled Ayaz-i-Hazar-Mardah, that is Ayaz \[in prowess\] equal to a thousand men, the first signification is not inapplicable. Page 727 — " for — yalam = a youngster, a lad? " This definition will certainly not apply to the person in question. Pages 513, 729, &c. — "(sl-il for eybek, iybek, also iybik, decidedly the name of a bird {swan, kookoo, the Arab and Osmanli — chatish kushu) frequently used as a nickname in older Turkish writings." From the way the word is pointed it cannot be read otherwise than I-bak, which is fully described in some of the best lexicons as a Turki word, with the definitions I have given to it at pages 513 and 729, and is frequently used in Persian Histories, as our author's work shows. What will Mr. Blochmann say to the above definition? Fancy Kutb-ud-Din, the Swan! The Arabic signifies the cooing of a dove, not a swan. Page 732 — " — instead of — iaishi = a writer, a secretary. It is a Chinese word, and occurs in Vassaf's and Sherefeddin's works." ### [244.10.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.244.10.8) Since note page 732, was written, I find the word — Ta-ishi — repeatedly used in the History of Amir Timur, the Gurgan. Abul-Ghazi, Bahadur Khan, in his Shajarah-ul-Atrak says a man possessing a fine voice is so styled, and Vambery says it is Chinese for a writer, but he has evidently confounded it with the Turkish word Bitik-chi, which bears that signification. There cannot be any doubt of its being a Turkish word, and it is undoubtedly a title of rank. It is therefore clear that the words in the text — and — are meant for — Ta-ishi. The only difficulty in adopting this solution of the matter that a Turk of that rank should have been in a state of bondage; but he may have been taken captive in some of the constant feuds between the Turks of the Tattar and Mughal i-maks, and sold as a slave. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.244.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.244.10) · Pramāṇa