حبیب السیر 19: Sultan Mas'ud.
Habíbu-s Siyar of Khondamír (extracts) 19
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Sultan Mas'ud.
19.1
The surname of Sultan Mas'ud, according to some historians, was Nasiru-d din, but in the opinion of Hamdu-lla Mustaufi, it was Nasiru-d daula. After he had deprived his brother of eyesight, he placed upon his own head the crown of sovereignty at the metropolis of Ghaznin. He occupied himself with laying the foundation of justice and equity, and threw open the doors of kindness to all learned men. During the days of his rule, such buildings as mosques, colleges, and inns, were erected in different parts of the kingdom. Every year he occupied his ambitious mind in war against the infidels of Hind, and it was owing to this that the Saljukians obtained an opportunity of crossing the river Oxus, and having gained strength, they subdued in a little time the cities of Khurasan. During the latter days of his prosperity, Mas'ud again made war upon the cities of Hind, and on his return from the river Indus, Noshtigin, and the sons of 'Ali Kheshawand, and Yusuf bin Subuktigin, all of whom bore enmity towards him, seized him and delivered him over to his brother, Muhammad Makhul: he was imprisoned in a strong fort, and was killed in the year 430 H. (1038-9 A.D.). His reign lasted twelve years. In the year 422 H. (1031 A.D.) Mas'ud mounted the throne of Ghaznin. He appointed Abu Suhail Hamaduni to the administration of Hirat, and having written out a farman, he delivered over the governorship of Ispahan to 'Alau-d daula Ja'far bin Kakuya.
19.2
'Alau-d daula was the son of the maternal uncle of Majdu-d daula bin Fakhru-d daula Dailami, and in the language of Dailam they call a maternal uncle by the word "Kakuya." This Kakuya was at first the viceroy of 'Irak, but afterwards he arrogated to himself absolute dominion. In the year 423 H. (1032 A.D.) Altuntash hajib, conformably with Mas'ud's order, proceeded from Khwarizm to Mawardu-n nahr against 'Alitigin, who had subdued Samarkand and Bukhara. On the confines of Balkh he was joined by 15,000 men from the army of Ghaznin, and Altuntash first marched to Bukhara, which he took, and then directed his steps towards Samarkand. 'Alitigin having come out of the city with the intention of fighting, drew up his army near a certain village, on the one side of which was a river and numerous trees, and on the other a mountain, equal in height to the revolving heavens. When Altuntash came up to that spot, the flame of battle was kindled, and in the middle of the fight a band of men, who had lain in ambuscade, rushed out and charged the army of Khwárizm. They wounded Altuntásh mortally, but that brave man concealed the circumstance, and conducted himself with such resolution that many of the army of 'Alítigín were killed, and the rest, who escaped the sword, were taken prisoners.
19.3
When it was night, Altúntásh sent for the nobles and generals of the army, showed them his wound, and said, "I shall never recover from this wound: do you now make your own arrangements." That very night they sent a messenger to 'Alítigín, and brought about a reconciliation, and then returned to Khurásán. The next day Altúntásh died, and his son Hárún took his place. Khwája Ahmad bin Hasan Maimandí died in the year 424 H., and Mas'úd having sent for Abú Nasr Muhammad bin 'Abdu-s Samad, who was the accountant of Hárún, appointed him wazír, which post he filled up to the last days of the life of Mas'úd. In the midst of all these events, the Saljúkians, having passed over the Jíhún, settled in the vicinity of Naishápúr. When, after a little time, they had obtained strength, they began to show hostilities towards Mas'úd. In the year 426 (A.D. 1034-5), Sultán Mas'úd led his army towards Jurján and Tabaristán, because his governors in 'Irák had implored help from him. Abú Suhail Hamadúní, the governor of Re, sent an army to reduce to obedience the inhabitants of Kumm and Sáwa, who had rebelled. Sultán Mas'úd returned from Jurján to Ghaznín, and then wished to march to Hind; but some of the amírs and chief men of the State hinted to him that it would be proper first to go to Khurasan and dislodge the Saljukians; but he listened not to the proposal, and hastened to Hindustan.
19.4
During his absence the Saljukians perfected their power, and 'Alau-d daula bin Kakuya having rebelled, drove Abu Suhail Hamaduni out of Re. In the year 428 H. (A.D. 1036-7), Mas'ud returned from his expedition, and when he obtained intelligence of the victories of his enemies, he repented of his attack upon Hindustan. After he had made preparation for war, he marched to Balkh, and the inhabitants of that place informed him that during his absence the victorious standards of Tuztigin had several times crossed over the river, and his men had murdered and plundered the people. Mas'ud told them that he would defeat him in the cold season, and that in the spring he would engage in eradicating the Saljukians. The nobles and deputies complained to him and said: "It is two years since the Saljukians have taken Khurasan, and the people seem inclined to submit to their government; it is first necessary to dislodge them, and then we will turn our attention to the execution of other important matters." One of the poets on this occasion composed the following verses, and sent them to the Sultan. "Your enemies were ants, they grew into serpents: Kill the ants which have become serpents: Give them no rest, delay no more; For if they have time, the serpents will become dragons."
19.5
As the star of the destiny of Mas'ud had reached the limits of misfortune, he listened not to this advice, and having passed the river, he directed his steps in search of Tuztigin. During that winter, the rain and the snow fell very heavily in Mawardu-n nahr, on account of which the Ghaznivides were extremely distressed. In the middle of all this, Daud Saljuki marched from Sarakhs towards Balkh, with the intention of fighting, upon which Mas'ud was obliged to beat the drum of retreat, and Tuztigin, following in the rear of the army of Ghaznin, plundered and carried away all the best horses and camels of Mas'ud, and thus disgrace fell upon the army of the Ghaznivides. After Mas'ud had arrived at his royal residence, having finished repairing the state of confusion into which his troops had been thrown, he turned his attention towards the Saljukians, and several times fighting took place between the two parties, the end of which was, that Mas'ud was defeated, and obliged again to return to Ghaznin; on his arrival at which place he put to death some of the nobles and chief men of the State, under the pretence that they had misbehaved themselves during the war. He sent his son Maudud with an army to Balkh, while he himself, with Muhammad Makhul and Muhammad's sons, Ahmad, 'Abdu-r Rahman and 'Abdu-r Rahim moved towards Hindustan, with the intention of remaining during the winter there, and then, when the spring arrived, of turning his attention towards dislodging the Saljukians.
19.6
Mas'ud had crossed over the Sind, but all his baggage and property was on the other side of the river, when Noshtigin, with some of his attendants, plundered the treasury, and put Muhammad Makhul on the throne. According to Hamdu-lla Mustaufi, they seated him on an elephant, and carried him round the camp. Mas'ud upon hearing this fled, and took refuge in a certain sarai, but the rebels seized him, and took him before Muhammad, who confined him and his dependents in the fort of Kiri. Muhammad relinquished the Sultanship to his son Ahmad, upon which Ahmad, who was tainted with insanity, without permission of his father, and in conjunction with the son of Yusuf bin Subuktigin and the son of Ali Kheshawand, went to the fort, and in the year A.H. 433 (A.D. 1041-2), murdered that king, who was the protector of the learned. Amongst the learned men who were contemporary with Mas'ud was Shaikh Abu Rihan Muhammad bin Ahmad Biruni Khwarizmi the astrologer, and author of the book called Tafhimu-t Tanjim i.e., "Explanation of the Science of Astrology," and also of the Kanun Mas'udi. Another was Abu Muhammad Nasihi, who wrote the Kitab-i Mas'udi, on the theology of Imam Abu Hanifa, upon whom let there be the mercy of God! These books were all compiled in Mas'ud's name.