[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate) › [Ṭabaqāt-i Nāṣirī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri) › [Tabakat-i-Nasiri](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty) › 63 # The Nāṣirī Generations 63: IV. SULTAN JALAL-UD-DIN, MALIK SHAH SON OF ALB-ARSALAN. Tabakat-i-Nasiri 63 - **Language:** English ### IV. SULTAN JALAL-UD-DIN, MALIK SHAH SON OF ALB-ARSALAN. ### [63.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.63.1) Sultan Malik Shah ascended the throne at Marw, after the death of his father, and took possession of the whole of the territories of Iran, Turan, the Jibal \[Highlands of ’Irak\], ’Irak, Dilam, Tabaristan, Rum, Misr, and Sham, besides Diyar-i-Bakr, Arman, Sistan, and Fars; and in all the pulpits of Islam the Khutbah was read in his name; and the coin, both diram and dinar, became ennobled by his titles. He was, himself, a victorious and a conquering monarch, and governed with a firm hand ; and was sagacious, brave, and just, and endowed with all the accomplishments befitting a sovereign and empire. He brought under his sway the whole of the countries of Turkistan, and subdued the territory of Rum; and the vice-royalty and sovereignty of Baghdad, subordinate to the Dar-ul-Khilafat, were conferred upon him. In Makkah and Madinah, and in Yaman and the country of Hijaz, in the whole of the pulpits of Islam, the Khutbah was read in his name. He carried on various hostilities, and undertook many holy wars in various parts of the country of the Turks and the territory of Rum; and, on every side of the territories of the east and of the west, he acquired a kingdom, and placed viceroys of his own therein. He conferred the kingdom of Rum upon one of his brothers, and, after him, he gave it to his own son, Mahmud; and, up to this period, that territory is still in the possession of his descendants, as will, hereafter, please God, be mentioned. ### [63.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.63.2) In the Muntakhab-i-Tarikh-i-Nasiri, which work was composed by one of the great men of the Court of Ghaznin, I read that, upon a certain occasion, Sultan Malik Shah requested his Wazir, Nizam-ul-Mulk, to make ready his forces, as he had resolved upon proceeding into the territory of Misr \[Egypt\]. The Wazir, Nizam-ul-Mulk, represented, saying: — “It is right for the Sultan to ponder well over this undertaking, because that country contains the Karamitah sect, and other heretics, and something of the profanities of their creed might come to the hearing of an orthodox monarch like his Majesty; and I do not consider it right that such depravity should find access to the royal mind.” Sultan Malik Shah enjoined that they should be diligent in making due preparation for the expedition, as for him to repudiate that determination of his was impossible. Nizam-ul-Mulk \[consequently\] made great preparations, and got all things in readiness; and the Sultan, with a numerous army, set out in the direction of Misr. When he arrived in the vicinity of it, the people of Misr hastened forth to perform the duty of receiving the Sultan; but he paid no regard to any one, neither did he turn his eyes towards any thing, until he arrived before the gate of the city of Miṣr. When he had passed over the ferry of Miṣr, and the river Nil, he inquired which was the palace of Fir'awn \[Pharaoh\]. ### [63.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.63.3) On being told where it was situated, he turned towards that direction, and ordered his army to halt on the spot where it then was. Sultan Malik Shah, attended only by a single stirrup-holder, set out alone towards the place indicated. He then dismounted from his horse, and, at the place where was the palace of Fir'awn, performed a prayer of two genuflections. He then laid his forehead in the dust, and lifted up his voice in supplication, saying: — “Oh God, Thou didst bestow the dominion of Miṣr upon one, Thy servant, and he proclaimed, saying: — ‘I am your most supreme Lord;’ but this Thy erring servant, having been exalted \[by Thee\] to the sovereignty of the countries of the east and the west, has come hither, and, bowing his forehead in the dust, says: — 'Great God! O Lord most High! be pleased of Thy grace and goodness to have mercy upon this Thy servant.'” Then, raising his head from his posture of adoration, he came back, and, without entering the city of Miṣr \[at all\], returned to Khurasan. This anecdote is related to show the exalted nature of the faith of that just and victorious sovereign. ### [63.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.63.4) Another anecdote, respecting the same monarch, is narrated in the Muntakhab-i-Tarikh-i-Nasiri : that some persons in Kuhistan sent in a memorial to the Wazir, Nizam-ul-Mulk, to the effect that a wealthy person had died, leaving no other heir behind him than a sister's child, and that he had left great wealth, and further that it ought to go to the Bait-ul-Mal \[the royal treasury\]. Nizam-ul-Mulk, at a convenient opportunity, represented the matter to Malik Shah, but he obtained no answer, and did not receive one, until after mentioning it three times. Malik Shah said he would give him a reply respecting it on the following day ; but, when it came, he set out for the chase. Nizam-ul-Mulk, in his eagerness to augment the royal treasury, followed after the Sultan \[to obtain the promised reply\]. Malik Shah had to pass the Camp bazar on his way; and, when he returned from the hunting-ground, gave directions to one of his attendants, saying : — I am hungry; and in the bazar I saw some wheaten cakes and my appetite has a mind for some. Go and purchase as many as you can procure, and bring them hither." When Malik Shah approached the precincts of the camp, he ascended a rising ground, and sat down, until such time as they brought the wheaten cakes. He then made all the nobles with him sit down to partake of the cakes. There was one very large dish full, which sufficed for more than fifty Maliks and Amirs, with their attendants. ### [63.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.63.5) After he had eaten, Malik Shah arose and inquired of his attendant : — For how much didst thou purchase these ?" The man, with eyes bent on the ground, replied For four and a half dangs \[little pieces\] of coin." The Sultan then asked the whole of those present, whether they had had sufficient, to which they replied, that through the Sultan's liberality they had eaten all that they desired. Malik Shah, on hearing the price, defrayed the amount out of his own private purse; and, turning towards Nizam-ul-Mulk, he said: — “A poor frail creature like Malik Shah, and a minister such as Nizam-ul-Mulk, and so considerable a number of followers, have eaten their fill at the cost of four and a half little pieces of coin; therefore it would be the height of inhumanity to covet the property of orphans. Whosoever hath amassed wealth, and hath accumulated both lawful and unlawful gains, did so in order that, after his decease, his property should go to his progeny and his dependents, and not that I should take possession of it arbitrarily. Therefore give up the matter, and say no more on the subject.” The mercy of the Almighty be upon him! and may those, who read this, utter a benediction to his memory and to mine. ### [63.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.63.6) Many monuments of the goodness and wisdom of that excellent monarch remain in the world, among which one is, that the astronomical calculations were, during his reign, tested anew, and the calendar reformed; and it was after the following manner: — It had been discovered from observations, that, from the want of an intercalation, very great confusion existed with regard to the lunar months, and that calculations had fallen into disorder, and that the zodiacal signs in the almanac had become involved in error. Sultan Malik Shah commanded that the most learned men in the science of astronomy, and the most profound arithmeticians, should make fresh observations, and that the seasons and months should be again tested and adjusted; and the first day of spring, which is the first degree of the sign Aries, became named, after that monarch, the No-roz-i-Jalali. Nizam-ul-Mulk, Tusi, who has left in the world so many proofs of his goodness and nobleness, was his Wazir; and Shaikh Abu Said-i-Abu-l-Khayr, and Imam Ghazzali lived in his reign. Sultan Malik Shah's reign extended over a period of twenty-six years, and, in the year 491 H. he died. God alone is immortal. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.63](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.63) · Pramāṇa