The Nāṣirī Generations 47.3

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.