The Nāṣirī Generations 257.2
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 257.2
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257.2.1
Tamur-chi had fought with the Juri-ats, also styled Jajar-ats, a sept of the Nairuns, the tribe of Jamukah, the Sajan, or the double-tongued [Abu-l-Ghazi, Bahadur, styles him Jajan and Jachan, which, he says, signifies possessed of sagacity], and other Mughal tribes — the Tanjiuts, Kunghur-ats or Kungkur-ats, as it is also written, Jalairs, and Durmans [“Durbens” and “Durbans” are out of the question] ; and the Bigi, Suji, and the tribe of Barlas, of the progeny of Iridam-ghi, were in alliance with his enemies, but Karachar, head of the Barlas, remained faithful to him. In the year 589 H. [a.d. 1193], when in the fortieth year of his age, finding his enemies had entered into a confederacy to annihilate him, and that they were too numerous and too powerful to cope with, Tamur-chi determined on taking refuge with the Awang Khan, Tughrul-Tigin, and throwing himself on his protection, considering the friendship which had previously existed between his father, Yassuka, and that sovereign ; and Karachar accompanied him. This is contrary to the statement contained in a recent work on the Mongols Proper the authority for which appears to be Wolff or Erdmann, and, considering what follows, on undoubted authority, must be diametrically opposed to the fact. gressors, and the violence of the seditious, to retaliate on
257.2.2
The Awang Khan was the ruler of the Karayat tribes, a sept of the Duralgin Mughals, and one of the most considerable of the Turkish nation, and he was a monarch [Badshah] of great dignity and magnificence, and was in alliance with the Altan Khan, the sovereign of Khitae. It was this personage who, before he was styled by the title of "the Awang Khan," bore the name of Tughrul-Tigin, from his having captured one of those rare birds called a Tughrul. Tamur-chi was well received by the Karayat ruler, and his affairs began to prosper. The Khan was wont to consult him on the affairs of his state; and, at length, Tamur-chi rose so high in the monarch's esteem, that he styled him son, and assigned him a position of great dignity. Surgeon-Major Bellew, in his Kashghar Mission History, previously referred to, quoting some other writer, informs us that "This Aong Khan or Unc Cham [!], the Chief of the Karait of Karakoram, is the Tuli [!] of the Chinese writers, and the Toghrul of the Persian. He got the title Unc [uncle perhaps], or Aong, or Wang, as it appears in different authors [!], and which is equivalent to Khan = "Chief," "Lord," from Kin [!], the sovereign of North China." This is History truly!
257.2.3
For a period of eight years Tamur-chi remained with the Awang Khan, during which time he did good service for him, and gained him several victories. Among these was his victory over Irkah Kara, or irkah Kara [also called tikah-Kara], the brother of the Awang Khan, who was in rebellion, and resisted his brother's authority, and Yorkin [it is written by Abu-l-Ghazi, Bahadur, Portakin, Bortakin, and Bortikin], and the Bigi, Tukta, the Peshwa, or leader of the Makrit tribe [also written Markit, but the first appears to be preferred] of the Kaiat sept, descended from Kaian; but some call them Nairuns. After these events, the tribes of Tanjtut, Saljiut, Kunghur-at, Durman, Jajar-at, Jalair, Ufr-at, also written Iur-at, Yorkin, and Katghin, or Katkin, and Tamur-chi's former opponents, the Makrits, and some of the Tartar I-maks entered into a confederacy against the Awang Khan and Tamur-chi. They came to a compact, and took oath according to the most stringent tenets of their religion, by sacrificing a horse, a bullock, a ram, and a dog, to be faithful to each other; and, among them, there is no other engagement more solemn. This was in 596 H.
257.2.4
On becoming aware of this, the Awang Khan and Tamur-chi got ready their forces; and, at a place near the Biyur Nawar—the Lake of Biyur—the hostile forces came to an engagement, and the Awang Khan and Tamur-chi completely overthrew the confederates, and brought their necks within the yoke of subjection. Hafiz Abru states, however, that Tamur-chi fought a battle with the Bigi, Tukta, the chief of the Makrits, in 593 H., at a place near the Karas Muran [i. e. river] before Kalur-an, and near the river Salingah; another, in concert with the Awang Khan, in 594 H., at Tuku Kahrah; and, again, in 596 H., after the Bigi, Tukta, had escaped from the bonds of the Awang Khan, which is the battle near the lake Biyur already mentioned above. Several other affairs in 597 and 598 H. are mentioned by the same author, which are too long for insertion here, but I may mention that Jamukah—who had been set up as Badshah by several of the tribes, such as Angiras and Kurlas, Kunghur-at, Durman, Katghin, Saljiut, and some Tatar tribes, with the title of Gur Khan—was overthrown at Sadi-Kurgan in the former year, and the Kunghur-ats submitted to his authority.
257.2.5
After this, Buy-Ruk, brother of the Tayanak Khan, ruler of the Naeman our enemies, and render the wreaking of vengeance upon tribe, in concert with the Badshah of the Makrits, the Bigi Tukta, being hostile to the Awang Khan and Tamur-chi, assembled a large army against them, and the hostile forces having met at a place named Kizil-Tash, in 595 H., but in 598 H. according to the Tarikh-i-Alfi, Bue-Ruk directed a Jijan, or Sorcerer, to have recourse to his art, which they term yadah and bde, which he effected by means of the sang-i-yadah, the jade or rain-stone, mentioned in the account of the descent of the Turks, which, on being thrown into water, forthwith brought on snow, mist, and wind; but these magical acts recoiled upon his own army, which was nearly destroyed by the cold. The few followers who remained with him were overthrown, a number were slain, and the remnant sought safety in flight. A curious anecdote respecting the Turks and their magical acts in this respect is related by Amir Isma’il, son of Ahmad, the third Samani monarch, but I have not space for it here. After Tamur-chi had passed eight years in the service of the Awang Khan in various offices and duties, and had, through his intercourse and intimacy with him, acquired his confidence and esteem, and had been styled son by the monarch, the chiefs and kinsmen of the Awang Khan became envious of Tamur-chi, and plotted together to bring about his downfall.
257.2.6
Jamukah, the Sa-shlik of the Jajar-ats, bore him great enmity of old, and he maligned Tamur-chi to Sangun, the son of the Awang Khan, and convinced him that Tamur-chi sought to supplant him in his father’s favour, and in the succession to his kingdom. Guzidah, the Habib-us-Siyar, Tarikh-i-Hafiz Abru, and some other works, however, state that the wrath of the Awang Khan was raised against him through his asking of him a brother’s daughter in marriage for his son Juji, but some say it was on account of Tamur-chi not giving his own daughter, Kuchin Bigi, to the Awang Khan’s son, Sangun, that the negotiation broke down, and hostility arose. Juji did subsequently marry the damsel, and Tuli married another sister, and Tamur-chi, their father, married a third. Endeavours were now made to instigate the Awang Khan against Tamur-chi, but without effect at first. By repeated importunity on the part of the son, for even the dropping water at last wears the rock away, the conspirators succeeded in alienating the old ruler’s regard for Tamur-chi, and he entered into the design to seize him. These events are said to have taken place in 599 H.
257.2.7
One of the Awang Khan’s chiefs, Jadan, by name, who could keep nothing from his wife, was mentioning the design to her, in his Margah, or felt tent, only the day before it was intended to carry it into execution, when two boys, named Batae, or Badae, and Kashlik, came into the camp with the milk from the flocks, and, by chance, sat down near the tent, and heard the conversation. They at once made known his danger to Tamur-chi. He consulted with his kinsman, the Nu-yan, Karachi; and it was determined, as soon as night set in, to make for the skirt of the mountain (range) of Kalashin with their followers and dependents, and to leave their tents standing; and this they did, after having first despatched the women and children to a place of safety, called Baljunah Bulak. That same night the Awang Khan came to the tents with some of his forces, and, seeing the fires lighted as usual, ordered volleys of arrows to be poured into them, and then, finding all was silent within, entered the tents, but found them empty. He then determined to set out in pursuit of Tamur-chi; but how the Awang Khan knew whither he had fled is not stated: the Karayats probably tracked him. The Awang Khan succeeded in coming up with him during the next day, when halted for rest, and a picket.
257.2.8
the Altun Khan attainable.” As the Chingiz Khan had posted for the purpose, gave Tamur-chi timely warning of their drawing near the mountain (range) of Mu-awand or Mu-awandur, at a spot called Holani Nukat, that is, the place where red canes or reeds grow. Notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, being sheltered by the hill skirt, he resolved to make a stand; and at last succeeded in beating off his pursuers. A great number of Karayats were slain and disabled, and Sangun—who is styled Shangun by some, but the three dots over the — seem over zeal on the part of the copyists—was wounded in the face by an arrow discharged at his father, whose person he shielded with his own.