The Nāṣirī Generations 291.4.2

291.4.2

When the Khalifah, who had now become so lost in amazement, and so stupefied by his misfortunes, as to be incapable of distinguishing villainy from goodness, and could not calmly consider what these words contained, perceived that all hope was gone, he resolved on going out to the Mughal camp, contrary to the prayers and exhortations of his faithful subjects ; and accordingly, on Sunday, the 4th of Safar, 656 H.—the 9th of February, 1258 A.D.—accompanied by three sons [but some say, two, and some, four—Abu-Bikr-i-Abu-l-Faza’il, ’Abd-ur-Rahman, ’Abd-ul-Munaqib-i-Mubarak, and ’Abd-ul-Manazil, called, by some, Abu-l-’Abbas Ahmad], and a body of about 3000 persons, consisting of Sayyids, Ecclesiastics, Kazis, Philosophers, Doctors of the Law, Amirs, and other Grandees and Officials, in short, all the most distinguished personages of the centre of Islam, he moved out of the city. On reaching the canvas curtain before the entrance of the audience tent of the barbarian, Hulaku, the Khalifah, with his sons, and four or five attendants, were permitted to pass in, but the rest were forbidden, and were distributed among the soldiery.