The Nāṣirī Generations 77: X. TUGHRIL, SON OF TUGHRIL.

77

Respecting the descent of this Prince two different accounts have been given. Some relate that he is Tughril, the son of Tughril, son of Ḳizil Arsalān.
Sultān Tughril was a sovereign, and the son of a sovereign, and a person of great magnificence; and his reign was contemporary with that of Sultān ’Alā-ud-Dīn, Takish, Khwārazm Shāh.
His strength was so very great, that not a warrior of his day could lift his mace from the ground, and he was a man of great stature and of awe-striking presence. Persons of credit relate, that the hair on his upper lip was so long, that he used to draw his moustaches back, and put them behind his ears.
He was one of the brother’s sons of Sultān Sanjar, and was [left] very young in years on the decease of his father. The sons of the Atā-bak Ī-lduz-giz—who was one of Sanjar’s slaves, and had, previously, been ruler of that territory, and had espoused Tughril’s mother [grandmother of Tughril, widow of Arsalān, Tughril’s father], after his father’s death—had acquired power over ’Irāḳ; and, when their father died, they immured Sultān Tughril in one of the fortresses of ’Irāḳ, and took the country into their own possession.
When Sultan Tughril reached man’s estate, and became famous for his vast strength, his great bodily vigour, his nobility of mind, and his warlike accomplishments, a party [of adherents] rendered him aid, and set him at liberty from imprisonment. He came forth, and great numbers of the servants of his father and grandfather flocked around him. He assumed the Chatr [canopy of royalty], and became Sultan. The following are two lines from a poem composed on his escape from confinement, and his rise to dominion and power:—
“The tidings reach’d Rai — ‘The Sultan is come!’ — And that august canopy of his is to Hamadan come.”
After Sultan Tughril had acquired supremacy over the territory of ’Irak, and had reigned for a considerable period, a number of his servants despatched letters to Sultan ’Ala-ud-Din, Takish, Khwarazm Shah, and invited him to come into that country. In accordance with that request, Sultan Takish invaded ’Irak with a large army. When the two armies came into proximity with each other, one or two ingrate slaves acted treacherously towards Sultan Tughril, and came up behind his august back and martyred him.
At this period his other followers were engaged in front, at the head of a pass, fighting bravely, and did not become aware of this piece of treachery, until those treacherous ingrates brought the august head of their sovereign to Sultan Takish, Khwarazm Shah, who despatched it to that staunch and steadfast band of Tughril’s followers.
When they found what had happened, they declared that they would not cease fighting and using the sword, until he, Sultan Takish, should deliver up to them the murderers of their sovereign, whereupon they would yield to him. Sultan Takish complied, and delivered up the murderers, whom they sent to the infernal regions. Then, taking along with them the head of Sultan Tughril, they proceeded to the presence of Sultan Takish, and submitted to him. He took the head in his arms, and, along with them, performed the customary mourning [for the deceased] ; and Sultan Takish, Khwarazm Shah, took possession of ’Irak.