The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c20.31.1

v1.c20.31.1

territory, penetrating as far south as Kerala. Such sudden raids by enemy kings were quite familiar features of Indian history up to comparatively recent times. The evidence of Rājaśekhara gains substantial support from the *Murūj ul-Zahab*, a work by the contemporary Arab traveller Mas‘ūdī (*c.* 890-956 A.D.).¹ The following relevant passages may be collected from his work. After referring to the Balharī kings of Mānkīr, he says; “one of the neighbouring kings of India, who is far from the sea, is Ba’ūrah, (بَوْرَة) who is lord of the city of Qanūj (قنوج). This is the title given to all the sovereigns of that kingdom. He has large armies in garrisons on the north and on the south, on the east and on the west, for he is surrounded on all sides by warlike kings.² After criticising Jāḥiẓ, who supposed that the river Mihrān (Indus) came from the Nile, Mas‘ūdī says that that author “did not know that Mihrān of Sind comes from well-known sources in the highlands of Sind, from the country belonging to Qanūj in the kingdom of Ba’ūrah and from Kashmīr, Kandahar, and aṭ-Ṭāfin……”³ Further on, in Chapter XVI, he tells us that “the king of Qanūj, who is one of the kings of Sind, is Ba’ūrah; this is the title common to all kings of Qanūj…This king has four armies according to the four quarters of the wind. Each of them numbers 700,000 or 900,000 men. The army of the north wars against the prince of Multan and with the Musulmāns his·subjects, on the frontier.