The Nāṣirī Generations 293.1
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 293.1
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293.1.1
Hulāū, the Mughal, after he had satisfied his heart on the matter of Baghdād, moved towards Halab, Mayyā-city, but he refused to come; and upon him is verified the saying: ‘We seized it with a frightful violence’ [Ḳur’ān: lvi., 88]. We said to him, ‘We have pressed thee to submit thyself to us. If thou wilt, then wilt thou find peace and happiness’ [Ibid. lxxiii., 16]: ‘if thou refusest, thou wilt experience shame and misfortune. Do not act like the animal which, with his feet, discovered the instrument of his death [and heeded not], or as he, who, with his own hand, cut the partition of his own nose. Thou wilt then be of the number of those whose works are vain, whose efforts in this present life have been wrongly directed, and who imagine they do the work which is right’ [Ibid. xviii., 103-4]. Nothing is impossible to God. ‘Peace be with the man who follows the way whither God directs’!” [Ibid. xxxv. 18]. Soon after the events related above Arbil was invested.
293.1.2
After the capture of Baghdād, on account of the excessive heat and thirstiness of that territory, Hulākū, without making any longer stay there, marched from his camp at the Ḳubbah-i-Shaikh-ul-Mukārim on the 23rd of Ṣafar, and returned to Khānḳīn, where he had left a part of his urdū and heavy war materials. By this time, the treasures of Baghdād, and the valuables taken in the fortresses of the Mulāhidah, and such other plunder as had been carried away from the frontiers of Rūm, Arman, Karj, and other parts, had been collected there, in the royal treasury, which, along with his adviser, Nāṣir-ud-Dīn, son of ’Alā-ud-Dīn, the Ṣāḥib or Wazīr of Rai, Hulākū despatched towards Āẕarbāījān. Malik Majd-ud-Dīn, the Tabrīzī, who was one of the ingenious and skilful men of that country, was directed to construct a strong fortress on a mountain on the shore of the little sea of Urūmī and Salmās—the Lake Urūmīah—and to melt down all this treasure into or ingots—the only thing in the nature of coin ever mentioned in the accounts of the Mughals at this period—and place them for safe keeping in the new stronghold.
293.1.3
Hulākū then marched from Khānḳīn on his return to his urdū near Hamadān, and, after some time, marched into Āẕarbāījān. After he reached Marāghah, Badr-ud-Dīn-i-Lu’lu’, ruler of Mauṣil, presented himself at the end of Rajab, 656 H.—July, 1258 A.D.—being then over ninety years of age, to pay homage. He was favourably received, for he also had acted a traitorous part in aiding—under compulsion, as a vassal of the infidels—the enemies of his faith. He was allowed to depart, shortly after, on the 6th of Sha’bān. On the 7th, Sulṭān ’Izz-ud-Dīn, Kai-Kā-ūs of Rūm arrived—the Rauẓat-uṣ-Ṣafā says he joined the Khān’s camp at Tabrīz before the advance to Baghdād—and, next day, was followed by his brother, Rukn-ud-Dīn. ’Izz-ud-Dīn had exasperated Hulākū, because he had ventured to oppose the Nū-yīn, Tānjū, and his forces, but, by a simple stratagem of his own, which flattered the vanity of Hulākū, and the countenance of the latter’s Christian Khātūn, Duḳuz or Dukuz, he was forgiven. On the 14th of the same month, the Atā-Bak, Sa’d-ud-Dīn, Abū-Bikr, the Salghūrī ruler of Fārs, also presented himself in the Khān’s camp, “to congratulate him on the capture of Baghdād” About this time command was given to construct the Rasad-i-Il-Khani, or Il-Khani Observatory, referred to in a previous note.
293.1.4
When Hulaku proposed to move against Baghdad, he detached the Nu-yin, Arktu, with a considerable force, against the exceedingly strong fortified town of Arbil [Arbela of European writers, some fifty miles W. of which the Macedonian Alexander defeated Dara the Persian], held by Taj-ud-Din, son of Salayah, styled the Lord of Arbil. He, on being summoned, came down, and submitted, but, although he attempted to induce the Kurds, who inhabited and garrisoned it, to submit, they would not hear of it, and reviled him for proposing it. All Arktu's endeavours to take it were fruitless. He sought aid from Badr-ud-Din-i-Lulu, but, before his help came, the Kurds sallied out, burnt the Mughal catapults, and slew a great number of the enemy. Badr-ud-Din-i-Lulu, having arrived to his aid, advised him to retire, and give up the attempt to take it then; but to wait until the heat compelled the Kurds to retire to the higher hills before any further effort was made, as it would be impossible to take it by force, though it might be obtained by stratagem. Arktu accordingly gave up the attempt, and retired to Tabriz, leaving Badr-ud-Din-i-Lulu to gain possession of it, when the Kurds should have retired to the higher ranges from the excessive heat, after which he was to destroy the defences. This was subsequently done; and the Kurds retired into Sham. The unfortunate Taj-ud-Din was made the victim of the refusal of the Kurds to surrender the place;
293.1.5
and he was taken to Hulaku's presence, and, by his orders, was butchered. The envoys having returned from Sham with unfavourable replies from the Amirs and Hakims of that territory, Hulaku determined to march against them. Previous to his entering I-ran-Zamin, the Sultan of Halab, the Malik Un-Nasir, had despatched his Wazir, Zain-ud-Din, Hafizi, to the urdu of Mangu Ka'an, tendering his homage, and in return received a farman couched in conciliatory and favourable words—the Fanakati says a yarligh, confirming him in his dominions, and a paezah of exemption from tribute. When Hulaku entered I-ran-Zamin, Un-Nasir still continued to express his loyalty and submission, but, secretly. Nevertheless, his proceedings became known to the other rulers in Sham, and they conspired against him; and he was forced to seek aid from Hulaku, and fled to his camp. These facts urged the latter still more in his determination to reduce those rulers to submission. Before setting out, he informed Malik Badr-ud-Din-i-Lulu, that he should excuse him from accompanying him on this expedition, on account of his great age, but that his son, Malik Salih, should be sent in his place [with a contingent, as a hostage for his father]. His son arrived in due time;
293.1.6
and Turkan Khatun, daughter of the unfortunate Sultan, Jalal-ud-Din, Khwarazm Shah, who had been brought up, from an infant, in the Haram of one of the Mughal Khatuns, and who had been sent along with Hulaku, by Mangu's command, in order that he might bestow her in marriage on some suitable person in I-ran-Zamin, was united to him. Hulaku now put his troops in motion from Azarbaijan. The Nu-yin, Kaibuka, was despatched at the head of a strong force, forming the van; the troops under the Nu-yin, Sunjak, formed the right of his army, while the Nu-yin Tanju led the left [Rashid-ud-Din says Tanju and Sangkur led the right]; and, on the 22nd of Ramazan, 657 H.—20th September, 1258 A.D., Hulaku set out with the centre, or main body, towards Sham. Bakr; and this is the country of the son of Shihab-ud- On reaching the Ala-Tagh or Tagh, or all three of which forms are correct, he was much pleased with the pasturage thereabouts, and gave it the name of Lanba [also written Labna]—Saghut, and, in a place therein, built a Sarae for himself. It lies a few miles to the west of Bayazid, a place often mentioned of late, and near the N. shore of the Lake Wan [vul. Van], near the head waters of the eastern branch of the Furat [Euphrates]; and, by way of Akhlat, he entered the territory of the Kurds! They were particularly obnoxious to the Mughals, for they had, under the banner of the later Khalifahs, routed them on several occasions;
293.1.7
and wherever they were found they were mercilessly butchered. On reaching the Diyar-i-Bakr, Hulaku first despatched his son, Yushmut, with the Nu-yin, Suntae, against Mayya-farikin [Martyropolis], and Mardin, while Malik Salih was sent against Amid [Amadia], but certainly not without a Mughal, and a Mughal force, to look after him. Our author, however, distinctly states, that Malik Salih was with the Shah-zadah, Yushmut, at the investment of Mayya-farikin. Hulaku then proceeded to reduce Ruhah, and, after little effort, gained possession of it. He then attacked Dausur, Harran, and Nisibin, took them by storm, massacred the people, and sacked the places. He then crossed the Furat, and, suddenly and unexpectedly, appeared before Halab. The inhabitants, aware of the strength of the place, resolved to defend it. It was closely invested, and held out for a week, but, after that time, it was assaulted and captured in Zi-Hijjah, the Mughals having effected a lodgment at the Bab-ul-'Irak, or 'Irak Gateway: the citadel held out for forty days after that. Fakhr-ud-Din, Saki, who was acquainted with the place, was put in charge of the city and fortress, and the Bakhshi, Tukal, was made shahnah [Intendant]. The Habib-us-Siyar, however, states that Hulaku, after promising the people of Halab safety for their lives and property to induce them to surrender, made a general massacre of them, and sacked the city during seven days.
293.1.8
The capture of the strong fortress of Hazam, west of Halab, next followed; and the inhabitants, although their lives had been solemnly promised them, were all massacred. On leaving Halab, however, a general complaint was made against Fakhr-ud-Din's tyranny, and he was put to death; and the Wazir of the Malik-un-Nasir, Zain-ud-Din, Hafizi, before referred to, was put in charge of the administration. After this, Hulaku prepared to attack Damashk, but the authorities there, having taken warning from the fate of Halab, made overtures, on the arrival of the van of his army, through certain Bulghari merchants, and submitted. With the capitulation of Damashk, all Sham came under the sway of the Mughals. It was at this juncture that the Nu-yin Shiktur or Shiktur, who had been despatched by Hulaku to his brother's presence after the capture of Baghdad [Rashid-ud-Din, when mentioning the despatch of Mangu's share of the plunder, says the Nu-yin, sent in charge of it, was called Hulaju], arrived in his camp, near Halab, having come with all possible speed, bringing him the tidings of Mangu Ka'an's death. Hulaku's sorrow was great, but he kept it secret within his own breast, and suddenly resolved to return into Azarbaijan, in expectation that troubles would arise respecting the succession. He set out without further delay, leaving the Nu-yin, Kaibuka, the Naeman, to guard his conquests in Sham; and reached Akhlat, 24th of Jamadi-ul-Akhir, 658 H.