The Nāṣirī Generations 47: IV. SULTAN NASIR-UD-DIN U’LLAH, MAS’UD, THE MARTYR.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 47
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IV. SULTAN NASIR-UD-DIN U’LLAH, MAS’UD, THE MARTYR.
47.1
Sultan Mas’ud, the Martyr, bore the title of Nasir-ud-Din U’llah, and his surname was Abu Mas’ud. His birth, and that of his brother, Sultan Muhammad, took place on the same day. Sultan Mas’ud assumed the sovereignty in the year 432 H. He was generous and munificent to so great a degree that they called him a second Khalifah ’Ali — may God reward him ! — and in valour and prowess he was a second Rustam. No man could lift his mace with one hand from the ground; and no iron target used to stay his arrow. His father, the Sultan, used to be envious of him, and constantly treated him with harshness and severity, to such degree that he preferred a request to the court of Baghdad, that the name and title of Muhammad should have precedence in the Khutbah over those of his brother Mas’ud.
47.2
Khwajah Abu Nasr-i-Mishkan says: When the [Khalifah’s] letters patent were being read out in the audience hall of Sultan Mahmud, a weight came over the hearts of the great nobles and chiefs, as well as my own, because the marks of majesty and nobility of mind were more prominently impressed upon the brow of Mas’ud. When Sultan Mas’ud came out from his father’s presence, I, Abu Nasr-i-Mishkan, went out after him, and I said: ‘O Prince, a heavy load has overcome the hearts of us, your servants, on account of the reversal of your august title in the mandate of the Khalifah.’ Mas’ud replied: ‘Do not you be grieved. Have you not heard that “the sword is a truer authority than any writing?”’ and commanded me to go back again.
47.3
By the time that I returned to the audience-chamber informants had already, without loss of time, acquainted the Sultan of this obsequiousness of mine, and he summoned me before him. When I came into the presence of Sultan Mahmud, he demanded, saying, ‘Wherefore didst thou go out after Mas’ud, and what wast thou speaking about?’ I related all that occurred without withholding any thing, for, had I concealed any thing, my life would have been in danger. The Sultan said: ‘I am aware that, in every respect, Mas’ud excels Muhammad, and that after my time the sovereignty will fall into the possession of Mas’ud and I use so much ceremony now that this poor Muhammad may, during my lifetime, experience a little honour and gratification, which, after I am gone, will not be left to him.’ The mercy of God be upon them!” The Khwajah, Abu Nasr-i-Mishkan, says, “In this occurrence two things astonished me: one was the answer of Mas’ud to me, spoken with such wisdom and discernment, and the second, the greatness of mind, and the perfect supervision of Mahmud, that such a trivial act of attachment could not escape him.” When Mahmud subdued ’Irak he bestowed the throne of that territory upon Mas’ud; and, previous to that event, the city of Hirat, and Khurasan, had been ruled in Mas’ud’s name. When he ascended the throne of Safahan, he seized the territory of Rai, Kazwin, and Hamadan, and the country of Taram, all which he conquered, and he likewise overcame the Dilaman.
47.4
On several occasions he donned robes of honour conferred upon him by the Court of the Khalifah. After the decease of his father, Mahmud, he came to Ghaznin, and took the government of his father’s dominions into his own hands. Several times he led armies into Hindustan, and carried on holy wars as by law enjoined. On another occasion he marched into Tabaristan and Mazandaran; and, at the end of his reign, the Saljuks rose against him. On three several occasions he overthrew them in battle within the confines of Marw and Sarakhs; but, in the end, since it was the Divine will that the country of Khurasan should pass unto the race of Saljuk, he encountered them in battle in Tae-kan [Tal-kan], and for three successive days he assailed and struggled with them ; and on the third day, which was Friday, the Sultan was defeated, and retreated to Ghaznin by the way of Gharjistan. Through the great dread which had now overcome him, he collected his treasures together, and came towards Hindustan ; and at Marigalah his Turkish and Hindu slaves revolted against him, seized his person, and [again] set up his brother, Muhammad, upon the throne, and sent Mas’ud to the fortress of Giri; and, in 432 H., he was martyred. His age was forty-five years ; and the period of his reign was nine years, and a little over. His sons were Maudud, Majdud, Muhammad, Ibrahim, Izid-yar, Farrukh-zad, Shuja’, Mardan Shah, and ’Ali.