The Nāṣirī Generations 280: IV. CHAGHATAE, SON OF THE CHINGIZ KHAN — MAY GOD'S CURSE BE UPON HIM!
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 280
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IV. CHAGHATAE, SON OF THE CHINGIZ KHAN — MAY GOD'S CURSE BE UPON HIM!
280.1
Chaghatae, the accursed, was the second son of the Chingiz Khan, the Mughal. He was a tyrannical man, cruel, sanguinary, and an evil-doer; and among the Mughal rulers there was not one who was a greater enemy of the Musalmans. He used to require, that no created being should, in his presence, take the name of Musalman on his tongue, except with evil intent; and throughout the whole of his tribes [of which he was the head] it used not to be possible even to slaughter a sheep according to the ordinances of Islam, and all [sheep] used to be rendered [thereby] unclean. To say one’s prayers [publicly] used to be impossible for any Musalman. Chaghatae used constantly to urge upon Uktae that it was necessary to massacre all Musalmans and not let any of them remain; and no Musalman used to dare to put himself in his sight.
280.2
He was older than Uktae; and, as the Chingiz Khan was aware that his nature was excessively sanguinary, malevolent, and tyrannical, he did not bequeath the sovereignty to him, and assigned it to his younger brother, Uktae. Chaghatae’s place of residence likewise used to be the original Mughal locality, and that portion of the dominions of the Chingiz Khan which he held possession of [at his father’s death] was assigned to him as his portion. His troops were [located] in different parts of Mawara-un-Nahr, Farghanah, and Turkistan. For this reason, that he had impeached the elder of his brothers, Tushi, before his father, [asserting] that Tushi, in his mind, meditated killing the Chingiz Khan in some chase, when this reached the father’s hearing, the Chingiz Khan gave poison to his son Tushi, and destroyed him.
280.3
This Chaghatae, the accursed, for some years, was at the head of his tribes and forces; and, when the decree of his death arrived, Almighty God made a holy man among His eminent saints the instrument of his death so that he went to hell; and it was on this wise. There was a pious Darwesh, of pure heart, from the confines of Khurasan, whom they used to call Shaikh Mahmud-i-Atash-Khwar [the Fire-eater], a Shaikh, of much eminence, and a Darwesh of great repute, who, having cast off earthly wishes and desires, and, impressed with the aspiration after Truth, had devoted his body to pain and affliction, and had gone out into the world, and used to wander about in different countries. He reached, during his wanderings, a place between two mountains [ranges ?] through which lay the route between the country of Turkistan and the territory of Chin, and between these two mountains strong barriers were placed, and guards were there posted and overseers stationed, in order that they might examine every person who proceeded towards Chin, or who entered the territory of Turkistan from Chin, and have information respecting his condition.
280.4
When Shaikh Mahmud-i-Atash-Kh’ar arrived at that place, the guards beheld a person, a stranger to the usages of the world, and, in outward appearance, like a maniac; and they seized him [saying]: “Thou art a fida-i.” Shaikh Mahmud replied: “Aye! I am a fida-i;” and, notwithstanding they importuned him, saying: “Who art thou? Say!” his reply was: “I am what ye have said: a fida-i.” As he had confessed this thing, they brought him before Chaghatae. Mas’ud Bak, who was the Jumlat-ul-Mulk [Minister of State] of Chaghatae, recognized Shaikh Mahmud, but, through fear of Chaghatae, was unable to say anything, or mention Shaikh Mahmud’s condition, or his eminence. Chaghatae demanded of Shaikh Mahmud: “Who art thou?” He replied: “That same fida-i I am.” Chaghatae said: “What shall I do with thee? What doth it behove to do unto thee?” Shaikh Mahmud answered: “Command that they rain arrows upon me, that I may be freed [from life].” Chaghatae commanded so that they killed him with volleys of arrows. Some days after Shaikh Mahmud was received into the Almighty's mercy, Chaghatae was in the act of discharging a recoiling arrow, in a hunting-ground, at the prey, when, verily, it entered the back of that accursed one, and he went to hell; and God's people, particularly the people of Islam, were delivered from his malevolence.