The Nāṣirī Generations 46: III. AMIR MUHAMMAD, SON OF MAHMUD.

46

Jalal-ud-Daulah wa-ud-Din, Muhammad, was a learned and virtuous-minded prince; and they recite [upon his authority] a great number of poems in the Arabic language.
When his father, Sultan Mahmud, died, his brother, Mas'ud, was in 'Irak, and the great nobles and chiefs of the late Sultan’s court, by mutual accord, raised Sultan Muhammad to the throne of Ghaznin in the year 421 H. He was, however, a man of mild and unaspiring temperament, and possessed neither sufficient resolution of heart, nor decision of character, to govern the kingdom. A party, who were favourably inclined towards Mas’ud, sent communications to him in ’Irak upon which he assembled the troops of ’Irak and Khurasan, with the determination of proceeding to Ghaznin ; and he marched from ’Irak in that direction.
When the news of his coming, and his intentions, reached Ghaznin, Muhammad caused his forces to be got in readiness, and set out with the purpose of resisting his brother ; and ’Ali Kurbat was the Hajib-i-Buzurg [Great Chamberlain], and the commander of his army.
When the forces reached Tigin-abad, information of the advance of Mas’ud having reached the camp of Muhammad, they seized his person, deprived him of his sight, and placed him in confinement. After this act ’Ali Kurbat marched the troops towards Hirat, in order to meet Sultan Mas'ud; and, having arrived within one stage of that place, he proceeded to present himself before the Sultan. Mas’ud gave orders to seize him, and Muhammad’s whole army was plundered and despoiled.
On this occasion his reign extended to a period of seven months. Subsequently, when Sultan Mas’ud, the Martyr, became the victim of misfortune at Marigalah Sultan Muhammad, although he had been deprived of his sight, was brought forth and placed upon the throne, and he brought the army from thence back towards Ghaznin. Sultan Mawdud, the son of Mas’ud, marched out of Ghaznin, with the determination to take revenge upon his uncle for his father’s death, overthrew him in the battle [which ensued], and put to death his uncle Muhammad with all his offspring. Muhammad, on the second occasion, exercised sovereignty for a period of four months. His martyrdom took place in the year 432 H.; and his age was forty-five years.
His sons were ’Abd-ur-Rahman, ’Abd-ur-Rahim, and Ahmad.