The Nāṣirī Generations 60.2

60.2

The communication began thus : “To his Excellency the Shaikh, the Illustrious Lord, the Sayyid Maulana Abi-ul-Fazl-i-Suri, from his servants, Beghu [it will be noticed that the uncle here takes precedence of the nephews], Tughril, and Da’ud, the Muwali or lieges of the Amir-ul-Muminin ;” and began, “We, your servants.” They went on to state that they found it impossible to dwell in Mawar-un-Nahr and Bukhara since the death of Ali-Tigin, who had been kind and friendly towards them, as his affairs were now administered by his two sons, inexperienced boys, who were hostile towards them. On account of the distracted state of Khwarazm, through Harun, its ruler, having being killed, they found it impossible likewise to remove thither ; and therefore they had come to put themselves under the protection of the Sovereign of the World and Lord of Beneficence, the great Sultan. They hoped the Khwajah [Abi-ul-Fazl] would aid them at this juncture, and write on their behalf to the Khwajah ’Abu Nasr [the Wazir], and advocate their cause as they were known to him. They farther solicited that, as through that minister’s good offices [Khwajah Abu Nasr-i-Ahmad had previously been Wazir to Harun and his father], the late Harun, Khwarazm Shah, used to allow them to remove with their families and flocks into his territory in winter, he would assist them now.