The Nāṣirī Generations 272: II. TUSHI, SON OF THE CHINGIZ KHAN.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 272
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II. TUSHI, SON OF THE CHINGIZ KHAN.
272.1
Tushi was the eldest of the Chingiz Khan's sons, and was exceedingly energetic, intrepid, manly, and warlike ; and his greatness was to that degree that his father used to stand in awe of him. In the year 615 H., when Sultan Muhammad, Khwarazm Shah, had gone forth to devastate the tribes of Kadr Khan of Turkistan, who was the son of Safaktan-i-Yamak, Tushi likewise, from the side of Tamghaj had advanced [with an army] in that direction, and had been engaged in a conflict with the army of the Khwarazm Shah for a night and a day, as has been previously mentioned in the account of the Khwarazm Shah. At this time, when Sultan Muhammad fled from the banks of the Jihun and the neighbourhood of Balkh, the Chingiz Khan despatched his sons Tushi and Chagatai, with a great army, towards Khwarazm. He [Tushi] proceeded thither with that army, and appeared before the gate of [the capital city of] Khwarazm, and the fighting commenced. For a period of four months, the people of Khwarazm continued to resist the Mughals, and to 'fight against those infidels. At last, they took the of that day, and withdrew at night. Next day, when Juji and his brothers arrived with the remainder of the great host, they made a perambulation of the city, and a person was despatched to summon the defenders to submit to the yoke of the Mughals, and open the gates. This was refused, upon which the Mughals completely invested the city, and made preparations for besieging it.
272.2
As there was no stone in those parts, the Mughals had to use blocks of wood for their catapults, cut from the timber of the mulberry-trees ; but I do not see how blocks of that, even though “ hardened by being soaked in water,” as a European writer states, could have had much effect upon walls of burnt brick ; but some say wood blocks were only used towards the close of the siege when the stones had all been expended. The Mughals, as was usual with them, made the men of the conquered cities do the hard work in sieges, and so they obtained assistance from Jund and other conquered places, in the shape of men, tools, and materials, including loads of stone which were brought in carts. When all had been prepared, and the missiles and battering apparatus were ready, they opened the siege, and carried on their operations with vigour, but the defenders were as active and determined in the defence. After a considerable time, the Mughals sent a force of 3000 men to divert the stream or branch of the river Jihun, which flowed past the city, and supplied the people with water, and there effect an entrance [the aqueduct apparently mentioned at page 474, which proved an effectual barrier to the Ghuris] ; but the garrison made a sally to prevent it, and slew every one of the detachment. Here again P. de la C. has fallen into error, and makes the Mughals dig a canal to drain the ditch !
272.3
Great part of the city was reduced to ashes by the discharges of flasks of naphtha and other inflammable ingredients ; but, now, quarrels, which had been going on for some time between Juji and Chaghatae, became so serious — Fasih-i says severe fighting ensued as the upshot of these quarrels, and that a great number of Mughals were killed — that the matter was brought to the hearing of their father, then engaged in the siege of Tal-kan. He was not at Samrkand, as P. de la C. states : he had, in the meantime, left it, and had taken Tirmid also previous to this. Five months had already passed in the siege of the Khwarazmi capital, and great loss had been sustained, and the Chingiz Khan, in his rage, directed Uktae, the younger brother of the two there present, to take the command, and that all should pay him implicit obedience. He accordingly carried on the siege with fresh vigour ; but it took another two months before the Mughals succeeded, by filling up the ditch with brushwood and rubbish— they may have drained the ditch to do this — in effecting a lodgment, and planting their standards on the walls. Even then the people fought hand to hand with them, from street to street, and door to door, for several days, while the Mughals discharged flasks of naphtha among them. Vast numbers were slain on both sides, including the brave Khumar-Tigin ;
272.4
indeed, one author says “ the city became a sea of blood;” and the siege altogether is said to have cost the Mughals nearly 100,000 men, including the unfortunate Musalman people compelled to work for their own people’s destruction. The loss sustained by the defenders is computed at about the same amount, but round numbers are often doubtful ; still it must have been very great. The whole of the remaining people were driven out into the plain without the city, and after 100,000 artisans, mechanics, and tradespeople, had been selected, to be carried off with them and transported into Mughalistan. or to assist in city, and martyred the whole of the people, and destroyed all the buildings with the exception of two places—one the Kushk-i-Akhjak [the Castle of Akhjak], the other, the mausoleum of Sultan Muhammad-i-Takish.
272.5
Some have stated on this wise, that, when the Mughals captured the city of Khwarazm, and brought the inhabitants out of the city into the plain, he [Tushi] commanded that the women should be separated from the men, and such of the women as they cared for the Mughals retained. The remainder were directed to form into two bodies, and they caused the whole of them to be stripped naked, and round about them Mughal Turks [Turkan-i-Mughal], with drawn swords, were stationed. The two parties were then commanded, thus: “The women of your city are good pugilists, therefore, the order is that both sides should set on each other with their fists.” Those unfortunate Musalman females they caused, thus ignominiously, to attack each other with hands clenched: and, for the space of a whole watch of the day, all those women continued to deal blows upon, and to receive the blows of, each other, until, at length, the Mughals fell upon them with their swords and martyred the whole of them—the Almighty reward them!
272.6
When Tūshī, and Chaghatae, the sons of the Chingiz Khan, had finished their work at Khwārazm, they turned their faces towards Khifchāk; and the forces and tribes of Khifchāk they continued to subdue one by one, and make captive; and they brought the whole of the tribes under subjection. Tūshī, who was the eldest son of the Chingiz Khan [as already stated], when he became acquainted with the climate of the land of Khifchāk, considered that, in the whole universe, there could not be a more delightful land, a pleasanter climate, softer water, meads more verdant, and pasture-lands more extensive; and repugnance towards his father began to enter into his mind. He said to his confidants: “The Chingiz Khan has become mad, as he massacres so many people, and desolates so many countries! It thus seems meritorious on my part that, in some hunting-ground, I should slay my father, enter into an alliance with Sultān Muhammad, [Khwārazm Shāh], render this country flourishing, and give help and assistance to the Musalmāns.” His brother, Chaghatae, gained intimation of this idea [of his brother’s], and made known this perfidious notion and design to his father. When the Chingiz Khan became aware of it, he despatched his own confidential agents, so that they administered poison to Tūshī, and killed him.
272.7
Tushi likewise had fourteen sons, the eldest of whom was named Batu, the second Chaghatae, the third Shaiban, and the fourth Barka; and trustworthy persons have related on this wise, that the birth of this Barka took place at the time of the conquests in the territories of Islam. When his mother gave him birth, Tushi, his father, commanded, saying: "Give ye this boy to a nurse of the Musalmans, in order that his navel string may be severed by a Musalman, that he may imbibe Musalman milk, and turn out a Musalman; for I intend that this son of mine shall be brought up in the Musalman faith." If this statement is veracious, the Almighty mitigate his torment [in hell]! Undoubtedly, through the blessing attending this intention, when Barka grew up, he became a scion of Islam. Up to this period of time, the date of the completion of this History, the year 658 H., of the sons of Tushi, that one Musalman sovereign is still left. May Almighty God continue the Sultan of Islam, Nasir-ud-Din wa ud-Dunya, Mahmud Shah, upon the throne of sovereignty to the day of resurrection!