The Nāṣirī Generations 28: VIII. MANSUR, SON OF NUH, SAMANI.

28

On the decease of Amir 'Abd-ul-Malik, the commanders of the troops, and the heads and elders of the religious bodies and the law, at the capital [Bukhara], met together. Great agitation and commotion took place at Hirat in consequence, and the government was bestowed upon the Hajib, or chamberlain, Alb-Tigin. The latter sent his deputy, Abu Is-hak-i-Tahiri, thither; but in the same year Abu Is-hak was seized and bound and removed, and Kusain, son of Ribal, came to Hirat as Alb-Tigin’s deputy. * * * In 350 H. Hirat was given to Abu-l-Hasan-i-Simjur. This Alb-Tigin is the Turkish slave who was master of Sabuk-Tigin, who was also a Turkish slave, and father of Mahmud of Ghaznin. Some persons, who appear to have been unable to read Persian for themselves, have called him by all sorts of names in their so-called “Histories of India,” and in professed translations, such as “Alputtekein,” “Abistageen,” “Abistagy,” “Abistagi,” “Alepteggin,” and the like, from Dow down to Marshman, and his “Samanides” and “Aluptugeen,” who “rose through the gradations of office to the government of Candahar [which is never once mentioned by any writer of that period] or Ghuzni” — he is not quite sure which. and held consultation whether they should raise to the throne Abu Salih-i-Mansur, son of Nuh, the late Amir’s brother, or the latter’s son.
At this juncture Alb-Tigin, the Amir-i-Hajib [Lord-Chamberlain], was absent in Khurasan, and the Wazir of the late Amir was ’Ali Al-Bal’ami between whom and the Amir-i-Hajib great unanimity and concord existed. The Wazir wrote to Alb-Tigin to consult with him on this matter and have his advice, to which Amir Alb-Tigin wrote in reply that the son’s right to succeed his father to the throne was greater than that of the father’s brother; but, before Alb-Tigin’s reply had time to arrive, the whole of the soldiery, the great nobles, and the heads of religion and law, had agreed to place Amir Mansur, son of Nuh, on the throne, and had already installed him thereon. When the news reached Alb-Tigin respecting Amir Mansur’s elevation to the sovereignty, he despatched messengers and agents in order to stop by the way, those bearing his letter of reply, and to bring it back, but they did not succeed in finding the kasids, or couriers, who bore it.
Amir Alb-Tigin [at this period] held the government of the province of Nishapur from the Samani Court, but it was [now] conferred upon Ibn-’Abd-ur-Razzak Alb-Tigin was filled with wonder and astonishment, and he determined to proceed from Nishapur to the court of Bukhara; but, when he had reached Balkh, on the way thither, having been informed respecting the change in the heart of Amir Mansur towards him, on account of the letter he had despatched [which had fallen into Mansur's hands], on reaching Balkh, he turned aside, and proceeded towards Ghaznin. Amir Mansur despatched a commission after him, and pacified his mind [by assuring him of his favour].
In this reign, Hasan, son of Buwiah, died; and his son, Fana Khusrau, removed his father’s treasures, and proceeded to Baghdad, overcame his uncle, Bakhtyar, and possessed himself of ’Irak. The ’Ulama and the Kazis he now put forward, and solicited an accommodation from Amir Mansur, under the agreement that he, Fana Khusrau, should retain possession of the territories of ’Irak, Rai, Gurgan, and Tabaristan, in fief, on payment of a tribute, at the rate of one thousand gold dinars daily.
During the reign of Amir Mansur, in Farghanah, Sijistan, and ’Irak, the whole of the great nobles were continually revolting from his authority; but the Almighty was pleased to bestow victory upon the Amir’s nobles and troops, until the whole of the rebels were reduced to submission.
Amir Mansur died on Tuesday, the 11th of the month of Shawwal, 365 H., after a reign of seventeen years, six months, and eleven days. He went by the surname of the Amir-i-Sadid, or the Steadfast Amir.