The Nāṣirī Generations 263.4

263.4

For a period of seven days Malik Shams-ud-Din, Muhammad, opposed the Mughals with great valour, and inflicted heavy loss upon them, among those killed being several of the principal Amirs, and 1700 others of lesser note, besides common men. On the eighth day Tuli led the Mughals in person to the attack, and Malik Shams-ud-Din, Muhammad, sallied out, at the head of a large force, to encounter him, and an engagement ensued which was carried on with great obstinacy. The Mughals were so severely handled at last, that they were nearly giving way, when an arrow struck Malik Shams-ud-Din, Muhammad, and he fell from his horse, and then and there expired.
His fall caused division within the city, and the people became separated into two parties — those who were devotedly loyal to Sultan Jalal-ud-Din, and the soldiery, who were for vigorous resistance to the last, while the civilians, such as the Kazi and the ecclesiastics, the priesthood holding grants of land, and those to whom trade and their own selfish interests were all and everything, and patriotism nothing, who were for accommodation; and it will be noticed that, throughout these misfortunes, such persons invariably caused resistance to be abandoned, or they betrayed their people and their sovereign's interest for their own ends.
In the meantime, Tuli Khan, who had taken a great fancy to Hirat, and liked its climate and situation, did not wish to desolate it like other cities [and who, doubtless, had information of the state of affairs within, and the resistance likely to be offered], and whose ranks had been thinned, and were then drawn up facing the Firuzi — some say Firuz-abad — gateway, which, according to the “MASALIK WA MAMALIK,” was the most flourishing quarter of Hirat, rode forward on the ninth day, with 200 horse, to the edge of the ditch, and requested a parley. Then, removing his head-dress [some say helmet, others gate of that city, and the attack began, and catapults were placed in position in every direction.
Malik Shams-ud-Din, Muhammad, the Jurjani, and Malik Taj-ud-Din, the Juzjani, and other Amirs who were within the city, made preparations for resistance; but trustworthy persons have related after this manner, that the stone of every catapult, which they used to discharge from the city in the direction of the Mughal camp, used to go into the air, and again descend into the city.
The city of Hirat which Sultan Muhammad, Khwarazm Shah, sat down before, and, before which, he carried on hostilities for a period of eleven months before it was surrendered to him, the Mughals took up a position before, and, in the space of eight months, they captured that place which [in strength] was the barrier of Sikandar, and martyred the whole of the inhabitants [with few exceptions]. Persons, whose statements are to be depended upon, relate, that, in one quarter [part] of the city, 600,000 martyrs were counted. According to this proportion, in the whole four quarters of the city, twenty-four laks [2,400,000!] Musalmans were martyred. May the Almighty reward them!
When Tuli came to the determination of returning, he set at liberty some of those captives, and gave them a Shahnah [Intendant] and left him there, and commanded him to restore the city.