The Nāṣirī Generations 291.3
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 291.3
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291.3.1
The Jami’-ut-Tawarikh states that Hulaku reached Dinaur, which is three infidels, so that, with this victory even, the remainder of them may be brought under the sword; but Mujahid-ud-Din, the Sar-Dawati, delayed in pursuing; and, that night, the Musalmans encamped upon that same spot. In the vicinity of that place there was a stream, which they [the inhabitants] call the Nahr-i-Sher [the Lion’s Canal]. It is cut from the river Furat [Euphrates], and the land through which it flows is somewhat elevated, while the place in which was the Musalman encampment was low ground. During that night, the accursed rajiz Wazir despatched a body [of men], and turned the water of that canal upon the encampment of the Musalmans; and the whole was flooded with water, and their arms and armour were all spoiled, and they became quite powerless. The next morning, at dawn, the army of the infidels returned and another battle ensued; but the Musalmans, from the extreme misery and affliction of the preceding night, were defeated; and the Maliks of Islam, broken and discomfited, retired across the Dijlah, and took up their position and encamped at Baghdad, at the place where the great Sanjari masjid and kasr [castle] are situated.
291.3.2
On the army of the accursed infidels reaching that place, Suliman Shah, the Aiyubi Turk-man, Malik ’Izz-ud-Din, the Kurd, and Mujahid-ud-Din, the Sar-Dawati, presented themselves in the Khalifah's presence, and represented, saying : “The enemy has reached the city gate, and we have but a few horsemen along with us in Baghdad, while the number of the infidels is 200,000 or more. It will be well that the Lord of the Faithful should embark on board a vessel, and give directions for placing his treasures, and his family, on ship-board ; and we will likewise attend the Lord of the Faithful in the vessel, and push down the Dijlah as far as the limits of Basrah ; and, in those islands, we will take up our abode until such time as deliverance cometh from Almighty God, and the infidels be vanquished.”
291.3.3
The Khalifah mentioned this matter to the Wazir ; and that accursed minister represented to the Lord of the Faithful, saying : “I have entered into a peace with the Mughals, and there is no necessity for leaving [Baghdad]. They [the Mughals] are going to present themselves before the Lord of the Faithful. If my word is not believed, it is necessary that the Amir, Abu-Bikr [the Khalifah’s son], should be sent out in order that he may understand the inclination of Hulau.” This counsel met with the approval of the Khalifah, and he sent out his son. The accursed Wazir secretly despatched a confidant of his own to Hulau, saying ; “Treat the Amir, Abu-Bikr, with great consideration, and pay him much reverence and respect, and send out and receive him, in order that the Khalifah may have reliance, and thy object will be gained.” At this time, the Khalifah, who had become resigned to loss of country and possessions, despatched Fakhr-ud-Din, the Damghani, and Ibn Darwesh, with a few rarities, as offerings to Hulaku, saying: “We will acknowledge dependency, and submit,” but he paid no attention to the message; and they returned repulsed and disappointed.
291.3.4
Next day, the 27th of Muharram, the Khalifah’s son, Abu-Bikr-i-Abu-l-Fazl—called Abu-l-Faza’il by some—with a body of grandees, the chief men of the Khalifah’s Court, proceeded to Hulaku’s camp, bearing presents of great value, by way of pesh-kash, or tribute, but they also had to return without being received; and the traitor Wazir returned with them to the city. The same day [the Jami’-ut-Tawarikh says, the first day of Safar, which was on a Thursday] Hulaku despatched another traitor, the Khwajah, Nasir-ud-Din, the Tusi, in company with one of the Mughal officers, to communicate with the Wazir, urging that the latter, along with Ibn Jauzi and Ibn Darwesh, should, by all possible means, pacify the minds of Suliman Shah, and Mujahid-ud-Din, the Sar Dawat-Dar, because they were the cause of the Khalifah’s resistance. The Amir, Suliman Shah, was, indeed, and had been, the bulwark of the faith of Islam against the infidel Mughals, which they did not lose sight of. The Rauzat-us-Safa says, that, to complete the usual system of Mughal perfidy, Hulaku even sent to them a deed of immunity and a safe conduct; and, nolentes volentes, they were induced to proceed to the Mughal camp. The author of the Jami’-ut-Tawarikh also details this shameful act of Mughal treachery without the least remark, as though it were a mere every-day affair, and a very pious action.
291.3.5
Hulaku, however, wanted more victims—the cup of treachery on the part of the barbarian monster was not quite full—so he despatched Suliman Shah and the Sar Dawat-Dar, into the city again, in order that they might bring out, along with them, their families, kinsmen, dependents, and retainers, pretending that he was going to despatch them, along with some of his own forces, against Misr and Sham. This further duplicity appears to have thrown them off their guard, and made them trust to the word of a Mughal prince. They returned, and brought out their people; and a great number of the soldiery of Baghdad and other persons, in hopes of saving themselves, came out along with them to Hulaku’s camp. On their arrival there, they were all distributed among the different bands of Sadahs and Dahahs; and, shortly after their return thither, an arrow from the city—for hostilities do not seem to have been suspended during these negotiations—struck a Hindu [probably a native of Hind, but not necessarily, although possibly, a worshipper of idols, is here meant] Bitikchi, in the eye, and destroyed it. [Von Hammer, by some error, turns this upside down, and says that an Indian struck out the eye of one of the principal emirs!]. As this man was one of Hulaku’s chief officials, he was so enraged that he ordered his troops to the assault, and to strain every nerve to capture the city.
291.3.6
He then directed the massacre of the Sar Dawat-Dar, and his family, connexions, and kinsmen, and all the fugitives who had accompanied him and Suliman Shah from the city, while the Amir-i-’Alam, Suliman Shah, the Turk-man, who had so often overthrown the Mughals, was brought fettered, together with his family, kinsmen, and personal dependents, to the foot of the barbarian’s throne. He demanded of the Musalman warrior: “Thou art an astrologer [doubtless the Tusi Khwajah, On the Amir, Abu-Bikr’s, coming forth [from Baghdad], and reaching the camp of Hulau, a throng of people, infidels and Musalmans, went forth to receive him, and observed the usages of service. When he reached Hulau’s place of audience, the latter advanced about four paces to receive him, treated him with due ceremonial, conducted him to, and seated him in, his own place, and himself reclined on the knees of reverence in his presence, and said: “I am come to present myself [before the Khalifah], and will pay homage [to him]. My uncle, Barka, has become a Musalman at the hands of the Shaikh, Saif-ud-Din, the Bakhurzi, and I was, then and there, going to become a Musalman likewise, but I inquired among my Amirs: ‘who is the greatest among the Musalmans?’ and they directed me to the Court of the Khilafat, in order that, at the hand of the Lord of the Faithful, I might become a Musalman.”
291.3.7
Having introduced these sweet expressions into the discourse, the Amir, Abu-Bikr, placed credence on these deceitful, poisoned, words; and returned from thence, well pleased, to the presence of the Lord of the Faithful, and related all that he had seen and heard. The cursed Wazir now said: "It is advisable that the Lord of the Faithful, himself, should move out, in great state and solemnity, surrounded by the cavalcade of the Khilafat, in order that Hulau may be able to observe the ceremony of receiving him, and perform the rites of homage." Notwithstanding the Maliks of Islam—God reward them!—exhorted the Khalifah, saying; "It is not well to show such confidence;" still, as the decree of destiny, and divine mandate, had come down, the dissuasions and exhortations of those Musalman holy-warriors were of no avail, and, in the end, fate was using the whip of wrath behind the horse of the Khilafat until the Lord of the Faithful went forth, on horseback, accompanied by twelve hundred distinguished and eminent persons of the city, consisting of Maliks, Sadrs, 'Ulama, Grandees, Merchants, and the officials of the State. When they reached the camp of Hulau, the accursed Mughal, the Khalifah and the train with him were stopped, the whole [of the latter] were separated from each other; and they [the Mughals] seized the Lord of the Faithful.
291.3.8
He [Hulau] commanded him, so that, in his own handwriting, the Khalifah was compelled to issue his commands to the rest of the eminent men who had remained behind at Baghdad, in such wise, that they came out from the city [to the Mughal camp], until the whole were seized; and the Mughals martyred the whole of them.