History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c14.48

v1.c14.48

In ancient Persian history Rustam (the Persian Bhīma) is said to have married a daughter of the king of Kabul and also an historical Persian Emperor married another king's daughter. Persian Empire often included Kābul and Zābul (modern Ghazni) and adjourning territory upto the Indus. The people of Kābul and its king were thus undoubtedly Aryans and had marriage relations with the Iranian Aryans as well as with the Indo-Aryans. Ethnologically the Afghans are shown by Risley as Turko-Iranians *i. e.* Aryans mixed with Turkish blood. But they are certainly mainly Aryans though their own beliefs in modern days point to a different origin. They claim descent from a Jewish ancestor a belief which can be easily explained. It is a remarkable fact observable even in the Panjab that Indo-Aryans when converted to Mahomedanism turn by the stronger influence of religious zeal from the east to the west for the tradition of their descent. Many Rajputs, therefore, who plainly by appearance, customs and history are none but Indian Kshatriyas claim descent from members of the family of the Arabian prophet and thus pose as true Sayyads. The Afghans similarly, since their conversion, look for descent among the ancestors of the Arabs in the mythological history of Ebrahim and Musa (Abraham and Moses). But they are unquestionably Aryans by ethnology and by history. During the invasion of the Greeks too we find they are treated as Aryans and Indians. The country from Haraivati (Sarasvati) a name of the Persians is called Arachosia and Archosia is said by Isidorus to be also called by the Parthians "White India" (p. 319 Ancient India by Plotemy McCrindle). Kabul is not mentioned by Greek writers; perhaps it was not then important. But Kabul was treated as India by later Persians and also Arabs as appears from their maps. "In the map given in Masatch or Mamatch, the Hirmand (Helmund) is styled the river of Hind and Sind *i. e.*, its western boundary and east of it was Hind and Sind and Kabul was a province of Hind". Thus it continued to be down to its conquest by the Turks (p. 62 Raverty) about 1020 A. D.