by admin » Sat Dec 05, 2020 6:26 am
Section XV. The Reign of Moaz ul dowla BYRAM SHAW, ben Musaood.
THIS Prince was blest with a noble and generous disposition. He had an uncommon thirst after knowledge; he was a great promoter of literature, and a liberal patron of learned men. Many men of letters resorted to his court, particularly Shech Nizami, and Seid Hassen, both poets and philosophers of great fame. Many books were, in this reign, translated from various languages, into the Persian tongue; among the most famous of which, was an Hindoo book, called the Killila Dumna, a fabulous story, pregnant with sound morality, policy, and entertainment.
This book was sent formerly by the King of Hindostan, accompanied by a Chess table, to Noshirwan, sirnamed The Just, King of Iran. Buzurg Chimere his vizier, sirnamed The Wise, was so well versed in all the known languages, that in a few days he translated the Killila Dumna into Phelevi or antient Persic, to the astonishment of the ambassador, who imagined the Sanscrita language was entirely unknown in those parts. But he could form no conception of the chess-board, as that game was, at that time, unknown in Persia. He therefore had recourse to the ambassador, who was esteemed the best player in Hindostan, to have this matter explained to him, who having accordingly discovered to him the principles, Buzurg Chimere sat down with him to play. The first game he obliged the ambassador to draw; the second he chaced his King solitary; and the third he gave him check-mate. The ambassador was so mad to be soiled at his own weapons, that he would play no more. Buzurg Chimere then invented the game of back-gammon, returning a set of those tables, by the ambassador, who having related his adventure with Buzurg Chimere, and given an account of the genius and government of Noshirwan, his master gave up all thoughts of an invasion, which he had been meditating against that King.
The present of the chess-board was intended as an experiment upon the genius of the minister, and to indicate that in the great game of state, attention and capacity were better friends than fortune. While the book, in its whole tenor, strongly inculcated that wise maxim, that true wisdom and policy is always an over-match for strength. The back-gammon table, which was returned, signified, that attention and capacity alone cannot always insure success, but that we must play the game of life according to the casts of fortune.
But to return to our history. Byram Shaw, in the days of his prosperity, went twice into Hindostan, chastising his refractory subjects and Zemindars. The first time he went to reduce Mahummud Balin, who had possession of the government of Lahore, on the part of Arsilla Shaw, whom he defeated, and took, the 27th of Ramsan, in the year 512, but having pardoned him, upon swearing allegiance, he was again reinstated in his government, and the King returned to Ghizni. In the mean time, Mahummud Balin built the fort of Nagore, in the country of Sewalic, whither he conveyed all his wealth, family, and effects; then raising an army, composed chiefly of Arabs, Persians, Afghans, and Chilligies, he committed great devastations upon the Hindoo Rajas, which success so puffed him up, that he aspired at length to the empire.
Byram Shaw being apprized of the intentions of Balin, collected his army, and a second time marched towards Hindostan. Mahummud Balin, with his ten sons, who had each the command of a province, advanced to meet the king, as far as Moultan, with a powerful army. A dreadful battle ensued; but the curse of ingratitude was poured, in a storm, upon the head of the perfidious rebel, who, in his flight, with his ten sons and attendants, fell headlong into a deep quagmire, where they were totally overwhelmed, and every one of them perished.
The King, after this compleat victory, settled the country, and, appointing Sallar Hussein to the chief command of these provinces, returned himself to Ghizni. He soon after publicly executed Cuttub ul dien Mahummud of Ghor, who was son-in-law to Mahummud Balin. This, in its consequences, proved the ruin of his empire. Seif ul dien Souri, Prince of Ghor [A province of the Ghiznian empire.], brother to the deceased, raised a great army to revenge his death. He marched directly to Ghizni, which Byram Shaw, unable to oppose him, evacuated and fled to a place called Kirma, upon the borders of Hindostan. This Kirma had been built by the Afghans to guard a pass in the mountains.
Seif úl dien Souri, without further opposition, entered the capital, where he established himself, by consent of the people, sending Alla ul dien his brother to rule the kingdom of Ghor. Notwithstanding all he could do to render himself popular at Ghizni, the people began to dislike his government, and secretly wished the re-establishment of their former King. Some of the Omrahs, who were of the same principles, laying hold of this favorable disposition, informed Byram Shaw of their ripeness for an insurrection, if he could by any means savour it.
It was now winter, and most of the troops of Ghor had returned, upon leave, to their families, when Byram Shaw, unexpectedly, appeared before Ghizni, with a great army. Seif ul dien being then in no condition to engage him with his own troops, and having little dependance upon those of Ghizni, was preparing to retreat to Ghor, when the Ghiznians intreated him to engage Byram Shaw, and that they would exert themselves to the utmost in his service. This was only a trick for an opportunity to put their design in execution. As Seif ul dien was advancing to engage Byram Shaw, he was surrounded by the troops of Ghizni, and taken prisoner, while Byram Shaw in person put the forces of Ghor to flight.
The unfortunate captive was inhumanly ordered to have his forehead made black, and then to be put astride a sorry bullock, with his face turned towards the tail. He, in that manner, was led round the whole city, insulted and hooted by the mob. He was then put to the torture, and his head sent to Sultan Sinjer, while his vizier Seid Mujud ul dien, was impaled alive.
When this news was carried to the ears of his brother, Alla ul dien, he burnt with his rage, and resolving upon revenge, with all his united powers, invaded Ghizni. Byram Shaw hearing of his coming, prepared himself to receive him. He wrote him a letter, and endeavoured to intimidate him, with the superiority of his troops, advising him not to plunge the whole family of Ghor into the same abyss of misfortune. Alla ul dien replied, "that his threats were as impotent as his arms. That it was no new thing for Kings to make war upon their neighbours; but that barbarity like his, was unknown to the brave, and what he had never heard to have been exercised upon Princes. That he might be assured that God had forsaken Byram, and ordained Alla to be the instrument of that just vengeance which was denounced against him."
All hopes of accommodation being past, Byram Shaw advanced with a numerous army, to give Alla battle. The offer was gladly accepted by his adversary, and the bloody conflict commenced with great fury on both sides. At first the troops of Ghizni, by their superior numbers, bore down those of Ghor; till Alla ul dien seeing his affairs almost desperate, called out to two gigantic brothers, whose name was Chirmil, the greater and the lesser, whom he saw in the front, like two rocks bearing against the torrent. He forced on his elephant towards Byram Shaw, these two heroes clearing all before him. Byram observing him, stood off; but his son Dowlat Shaw accepting the challenge, advanced to oppose Alla. The elder of the heroic Chirmils intervening, ripped up the belly of Dowlat's elephant, and was himself killed by his fall. Alla ul dien, in the mean time, nailed the brave prince, with his spear, to the ground. The other Chirmil, in the mean time, attacked the elephant of Byram Shaw, and after many wounds, brought the enormous animal to the ground; but while he was rising from under the elephant's side, being much bruised by the fall, Byram Shaw escaped with his life, and instantly mounting a horse, joined the flight of his army which was now repulsed on all sides. The troops of Ghor emulating the bravery of their leader, had made such a violent attack as to be no longer resistible.
Byram Shaw fled, with the scattered remains of his army, towards Hindostan; but he was overwhelmed with his misfortunes, and sunk under the hand of death, in the year five hundred and forty seven, after a reign of thirty-five years.