Part 2 of 15
[Section III. The Reign of Amir Ismaiel ben Nasir ul dien Subuctagi.]
ISMAIEL.
SUBUCTAGI dying suddenly, and his eldest son, Mamood, being at Neshapoor, the capital of Chorassan, which was a considerable distance from the place of the King's decease, his second son, Ismaiel, prevailed with his father, in his last moments, to appoint him to succeed till the return of his brother. The reason assigned for this demand, was to prevent other usurpations, which were then feared in the government. Ismaiel therefore, immediately upon the demise of his father, was crowned with great solemnity at Balich. To gain popularity, he opened the treasury, and distributed the greatest part of his father's wealth in presents to the nobility, and in expensive shows and entertainments to the people. He also augmented the pay of the troops, and rewarded small services with the hand of prodigality.
This policy being overacted, had not the desired effect. The nobility, perceiving that all this generosity proceeded from the fear of his brother, ungenerously increased their demands, while the troops, puffed up with pride by his indulgences, begun to be mutinous, disorderly, and debauched.
When intelligence was brought to Mamood of the death of his father, and the accession of his younger brother, he wrote to Ismaiel by the hand of Abul Hassen. In this letter he said thus, That since the death of his royal father, he held none upon earth so dear as his beloved brother, the noble Ismaiel, whom he would oblige to the full extent of his power: but that the art of government required years, experience, wisdom and knowledge, in the affairs of state, which Ismaiel could not possibly pretend to possess, though Subuctagi had appointed him to succeed to the throne in the absence of Mamood. He therefore advised Ismaiel seriously to consider the matter, to distinguish propriety from impropriety, and to give up his title to government without further dispute, which would restore him to the love and generosity of Mamood; for that it was his original intention to confer upon Ismaiel the governments of the extensive provinces of Balich and Chorassan.
Ismaiel shut his ears against all the proposals of his brother, and prepared for his own security, turning the edge of the sword of enmity against him. Mamood saw no remedy but in war, and attaching his uncle Bujerâc, and his brother Nisir, to his interest, advanced with his standards towards Ghizni, while Ismaiel hastened also from Balich to oppose him. When the two armies approached towards one another, Mamood took great pains to avoid coming to extremities, and in vain tried to reconcile matters in an amicable manner. He was therefore forced to form his troops in order of battle, while Ismaiel also extended the lines of war, which he supported by a chain of elephants. Both armies engaging with great violence, the action became extremely bloody, and the victory doubtful. Mamood at length charged the centre of the enemy with such fury, that they trembled as with an earthquake, and turned their faces to fight, taking refuge in the citadel of Ghizni. Thither the conqueror pursued them, and immediately invested the place. Such a prodigious number of the runaways had crowded into Ghizni, that for want of provisions Ismaiel was reduced to the necessity of treating about a surrender. Having therefore received promises of personal safety, he submitted himself, and delivered up the keys of the garrison and the treasury to his brother Mamood.
Mamood having appointed a new ministry, and regulated the government of the country, proceeded with his army towards Balich. It is said, that a few days after the submission of Ismaiel, he was asked by his brother, What he intended to have done with him had his better fortune prevailed? To which Ismaiel replied, That he intended to have imprisoned him for life in some castle, and to indulge him with every pleasure but his liberty. Upon which Mamood made no reflections at that time, but soon after confined Ismaiel in the fort of Georghan, in the manner that he himself had intimated, where he remained till his death, which happened not long after his being deposed.
[Section IV. The History of the Reign of Amin ul Muluc, Emin ul Dowla, Sultan Mamood Ghiznavi, from his Accession to the Year 403.]
MAMOOD I.
We are told by historians, that Mamood [His titles at length, are Amin ul Muluck, Emin ul Dowla, Sultan Mamood Ghiznavi.] was a King who conferred happiness upon the world, and reflected glory upon the faith of Mahomed; that the day of his accession illuminated the earth with the bright torch of justice, and cherished it with the beams of beneficence. Others inform us, that in his disposition, the sordid vice of avarice found place, which however could not darken the other bright qualities of his mind. A certain poet says, that his wealth was like a pearl in the shell; but as poets hunt after wit rather than truth, we must judge of Mamood by his actions, from which it appears, that he was a prince of great economy, but that he never withheld his generosity upon a just and proper occasion. We have the testimony of the Fatti Bilad, wrote by Abu Nisir Muscati, and of the famous Abul Fazil, that no King had ever more learned men at his court, kept a finer army, or displayed more magnificence, than Mamood. All these things could not be done without expence; so that the stigma of avarice must have been owing to particular circumstances of his life, which ought by no means to have stamped his general character with that sordid vice.
It may not be improper to mention one circumstance in the conduct of Mamood, which argued that too great love of money had taken possession of the soul of that mighty prince. Having a great propensity to poetry, in which he made some tolerable progress himself, he promised to the celebrated Phirdoci a golden mher [A mher is about fourteen rupees: this coin was called mher from having a sun stampt upon it. Mher signifies the sun, in the Persian.] for every verse of an heroic poem which he was desirous to patronize. Under the protection of this promise, that divine poet wrote the unparalleled poem called the Shaw Namma, which consisted of sixty thousand couplets. When it was presented, Mamood repented of his promise, telling Phirdoci, that he thought sixty thousand rupees might satisfy him for a work which he seemed to have performed with so much ease and expedition. Phirdoci, justly offended at this indignity, could never be brought to accept of any reward, though the Emperor would, after reflection, have gladly paid him the sum originally stipulated; the poet, however, took ample revenge in a satire of seven hundred couplets, which he wrote upon that occasion.
Mamood, who it is reported was defective in external appearance, said one day, observing himself in a glass, “The sight of a King should brighten the eyes of the beholders, but nature has been so capricious to me, that my aspect seems the picture of misfortune.” The Vizier replied, " It is not one of ten thousand who are blessed with a sight of your majesty's countenance, but your virtues are diffused over all.” But to proceed with our history.
We have already observed, that Mamood was the eldest son of Subuctagi. His mother was a princess of the house of Zabulistan, for which reason she is known by the name of Zabuli. He was born in the year 357 of the Higera, and, as the astrologers say, with many happy omens expressed in the horoscope of his fate. Subuctagi, being asleep at the time of his birth, dreamed, that he beheld a green tree springing forth from his chimney, which threw its shadow over the face of the earth, and screened from the storms of heaven the whole animal creation. This indeed was verified by the justice of Mamood; for, if we can believe the poet, in his reign the wolf and the sheep drank together at the same brook. In the first month of his reign, a vein of gold, resembling a tree of three cubits in circumference, was found in Seistan, which yielded pure gold till the reign of Musaood, when it was lost in consequence of an earthquake.
When Mamood had settled his dispute with his brother, he hastened to Balich, from whence he sent an ambassador to Munsur, Emperor of Bochara, to whom the family of Ghizni still pretended to owe allegiance, complaining of the indignity which he met with in the appointment of Buctusin to the government of Chorassan, a country so long in possession of his father: it was returned to him for answer, that he was already in possession of the territories of Balich, Turmuz, and Herat [Herat is situated in the southern part of the province of Chorassan, in the 34th degree of latitude. It was always a great city, and is very much increased in splendor, since the ruin of the city of Meshed by the Usbecs: it is become the capital of Chorassan. It is the chief staple of all the commerce carried on between India and Persia.], which held of the empire; and that there was a necessity to divide the favours of Bochara among her friends. Buctusin, it was also insinuated, had been a faithful and good servant; which seemed to throw a reflection upon the family of Ghizni, who had rendered themselves independent in the governments they held of the royal house of Samania.
Mamood, not discouraged by this answer, sent Hassen Jemmavi with rich presents to the court of Bochara, and a letter in the following terms: “That he hoped the pure spring of friendship, which had flowed in the time of his father, should not now be polluted with the ashes of indignity, nor Mamood be reduced to the necessity of divesting himself of that obedience, which he had hitherto paid to the imperial family of Samania.”
When Hassen delivered his embassy, his capacity and elocution appeared so great to the Emperor, that, desirous to gain him over to his interest by any means, he bribed him at last with the honours of the Vizarit [The office of Vizier.], but never returned an answer to Mamood. That prince having received information of this transaction, through necessity turned his face towards Neshapoor; and Buctusin, advised of his intention, abandoned the city, and sent the Emperor intelligence of his situation. Munsur, upon this, exalted the imperial standard, and, in the rashness of inexperienced youth, hastened towards Chorassan, and halted not till he arrived at Sirchus. Mamood, though he well knew that the Emperor was in no condition to oppose him, yet gratitude to the imperial family of Samania wrought so much upon his mind, that, ashamed of measuring spears with his Lord, he evacuated the district of Neshapoor, and marched to Murghab. Buctusin in the mean time treacherously entered into a confederacy with Faech, and forming a conspiracy in the camp of Munsur, seized upon the person of that prince, and cruelly put out his eyes. Abdul, the younger brother of Munsur, who was but a boy, was advanced by the traitors to the throne. Being however afraid of the resentment of Mamood, the conspirators hastened to Murve [Murve, or Meru, stands in a very sandy plain, in 37 degrees of latitude, and 88 degrees east from Faro. It was formerly one of the richest and most beautiful towns of Persia; but since the grand invasion of the Tartars into the Southern Asia, it has suffered so much, that, at present, it is but the shadow of its former magnificence.], whither they were pursued by the King with great expedition. Finding themselves, upon their march, hard pressed in the rear by Mamood, they halted and gave him battle. But the sin of ingratitude had darkened the face of their fortune, so that the gales of victory blew upon the standards of the King of Ghizni. Faeck carried off the young King, and fled to Bochara, and Buctusin was not heard of for some time, but at length he found his way to his fellow in iniquity, and begun to collect his scattered troops. Faeck in the mean time fell sick, and soon after vanished in the regions of death. Elich, the Usbec King, seizing upon the opportunity offered him by that event, marched with an army from Kashgar [Little Bucharia. This kingdom extends from 38° 30' of latitude to the 44° 30', and from 105° to the 120° of longitude. It is populous and fertile, but, on account of its great elevation, it is much colder than one would expect from its advantageous situation.] to Bochara, and rooted Abdul Malleck and his adherents out of the empire and the soil of life. Thus the prosperity of the house of Samania, which had continued for the space of one hundred and twenty-seven years to illuminate the firmament of empire, set for ever in the shadows of death.
The Emperor of Ghizni, at this juncture, employed himself in settling the government of the provinces of Balich and Chorassan, which he regulated in such a manner, as to exalt the voice of his fame so high, that it reached the ears of the Calipha of Bagdat, the illustrious Al Kadir Billa, of the noble house of Abbassi. The Calipha sent him a rich honorary dress, such as he had never before bestowed on any King, and dignified Mamood with the titles of The Protector of the State, and Treasurer of Fortune.
In the end of the month Zicada, in the year three hundred and ninety, Mamood hastened from the city of Balich to Herat, and from Herat to Seistan, where he defeated Chiliph, the son of Amid, the governor of that province on the part of the extinguished family of Bochara, and returned to Ghizni. He then turned his face to India, took many forts and provinces; in which having settled his own governors, he again returned to his dominions, where he spread the carpet of justice so smoothly upon the face of the earth, that the love of him, and loyalty gained place in every heart. Having at the same time set a treaty on foot with Elich the Usbec, he had the province of Maver-ul-nere [Transoxiana.] ceded to him, for which he made an ample return in presents of great value; and the strictest friendship, and greatest familiarity, for a long time, subsisted between the Kings.
Mamood, having made a vow to Heaven, that if ever he should be blessed with tranquillity in his own dominions, he would turn his arms against the idolaters of Hindostan, marched in the year three hundred and ninety-one from Ghizni, with ten thousand of his chosen horse, and came to Peshawir, where Jeipal the Indian prince of Lahore, with twelve thousand horse and thirty thousand foot supported by three hundred chain-elephants, opposed him on Saturday the eighth of Mohirrim, in the three hundred and ninety-second of the Higera. An obstinate battle ensued, in which the Emperor was victorious; Jeipal, with fifteen of his principal friends, was taken prisoner, and five thousand of his troops lay dead upon the field. Mamood in this action acquired great fame and wealth, for round the neck of Jeipal were found sixteen strings of jewels, each of which was valued at one hundred and eighty thousand rupees [About 320,000l, of our money.].
After this victory, the Emperor marched from Peshawir, and investing the fort of Bitindi, reduced it, and releasing his prisoners upon the payment of a large ransom and a stipulation of an annual tribute, returned to Ghizni. It was in those ages a custom of the Hindoos, that whatever Raja was twice worsted by the Mussulmen, should be, by that disgrace, rendered unfit for further command. Jeipal in compliance to this custom, having raised his son to the government, ordered a funeral pile to be prepared, upon which he sacrificed himself to his Gods.
In the Mohirrim of the year three hundred and ninety-three, Mamood again marched into Seistan [A maritime province of Persia, lying between Kirman, or the ancient Carmania, and the mouths of the Indus.], and brought Chiliph, who had misbehaved in his government, prisoner to Ghizni. Finding that the tribute from Hindostan had not been paid, in the year three hundred ninety-five he directed his march towards the city of Battea; and leaving the boundaries of Moultan, arrived at Tahera, which was fortified with an exceeding high wall and a deep broad ditch. Tahera was at that time governed by a prince called Bachera, who had, in the pride of power and wealth, greatly molested the Mahommedan governors, whom the Emperor had established in Hindostan. Bachera had also refused to pay his proportion of the tribute to Annindpal, the son of Jeipal, of whom he held his authority.
When Mamood entered the territories of Bachera, that prince drew out his troops to receive him, and taking possession of strong posts, continued to engage the Mahommedans for the space of three days; in which time they suffered so much, that they were on the point of abandoning the attack: but on the fourth day, Mamood spoke at the head of his troops, and encouraged them to glory. He concluded with telling them, that this day he had devoted himself to conquest or to death. Bachera, on his part, invoked the Gods at the temple, and prepared with his former resolution to repel the enemy. The Mussulmen advanced with great impetuosity, but were repulsed with slaughter; yet returning with fresh courage, and redoubled rage, the attack was continued till the evening, when Mamood turning his face to the holy Caba [The temple of Mecca.], invoked the aid of the prophet in the presence of his army. -- "Advance, advance, cried then the King, our prayers have found favour with God.”—Immediately a great shout arose among the host, and the Mussulmen pressing forward, as if they thirsted after death, obliged the enemy to give ground, and pursued them to the gates of the town.
The Emperor having next morning invested the place, gave orders to make preparations for filling up the ditch; which in a few days was nearly compleated. Bachera, finding he could not long maintain the town, determined to leave only a small garrison for its defence; and accordingly one night, marched out with the rest of his troops, and took post in a wood on the banks of the Indus. Mamood being informed of his retreat, detached part of his army to pursue him. Bachera by this time was deserted by his fortune, and consequently by the most of his friends; he found himself surrounded by the Mussulmen, and he attempted, in vain, to force through them his way: being just upon the point of being taken prisoner, he turned his sword against his breast, and the most of his adherents were slaughtered in attempting revenge. Mamood had in the mean time taken Tahera by assault. He found there one hundred and twenty elephants, many slaves, and rich plunder, and annexing the town and its dependencies to his own dominions, he returned victorious to Ghizni.
In the year three hundred and ninety-six, he formed the design of re-conquering Moultan, which had revolted from his obedience. Amid Lodi, the regent of Moultan, had formerly paid Mamood allegiance, and after him his grandson Daood, till the expedition against Bachera, when he withdrew his loyalty.
The King marched in the beginning of the spring, with a great army from Ghizni, and was met by Annindpal, the son of Jeipal prince of Lahore, in the hills of Peshawir, whom he defeated, and obliged to fly into Cashmire [The kingdom of Cashmire may be reckoned a terrestrial paradise. It is entirely enclosed with high mountains, which separate India from Tartary; insomuch that there is no entrance, on any side, but over rocks of a prodigious height. It consists, in a manner, of one valley of surprising fertility and beauty. The air is temperate and charming; it is neither visited with scorching heat, nor the vicissitude of extreme cold. A thousand little springs, which issue, on all sides, from the mountains, form there a fine river, which, after watering the plains of this delightful country, falls down rocks of an astonishing height into the great river Indus. The inhabitants are astonishingly handsome, and the women especially enchantingly beautiful. The Cashmirians, moreover, are extremely ingenious, and carry the arts of civil life to high perfection. Their beauty, in short, says a Persian author, makes them appear to be of divine race, and their charming country furnishes them with the life of Gods.]. Annindpal had entered into an alliance with Daood, and as there were two passes only by which the Mahommedans could enter Moultan, Annindpal had taken upon himself to secure that by the way of Peshawir, which Mamood chanced to take. The Sultan returning from the pursuit, entered Moultan, by the way of Betinda, which was his first intention. When Daood received intelligence of the fate of Annindpal, thinking himself too weak to keep the field, he shut himself up in his fortified places, and submissively solicited forgiveness for his faults, promised to pay a great tribute, and for the future to obey implicitly the Sultan's commands. Mamood received him again as a subject, and prepared to return to Ghizni, when news was brought to him from Arsilla, who commanded at Herat, that Elich, the King of Casgar had invaded his government with an army. The King hastened to settle the affairs of Hindostan, which he put into the hands of Shockpal, an Hindoo prince, who had resided with Abu Ali, governor of Peshawir, and had turned Mussulman by the name of Zab Sais.
The particulars of the war of Mamood with Elich are these: We have already mentioned that an uncommon friendship had subsisted between this Elich the Usbec King of Kashgar, a kingdom in Tartary, and Mamood. The Emperor himself was married to the daughter of Elich, but some factious men about the two courts, by misrepresentations of the princes to one another, changed their former friendship into enmity. When Mamood therefore marched to Hindostan, and had left the fields of Chorassan almost destitute of troops, Elich took that opportunity, and resolved to appropriate that province to himself. To accomplish his design, he ordered his chief general Sipistagi, with a great force, to enter Chorassan; and Jaffier Tighi, at the same time, was appointed to command in the territory of Balich. Arsilla, the governor of Herat, being informed of these motions, hastened to Ghizni, that he might secure the capital. In the mean time, the chiefs of Chorassan finding themselves deserted, and being in no condition to oppose the enemy, submitted themselves to Sipistagi, the general of Elich.
But Mamood having by great marches reached Ghizni, he poured onward like a torrent, with his army towards Balich. Tighi, who had by this time possessed himself of the place, fled towards Turmuz at his approach. The Emperor then detached Arsilla with a great part of his army, to drive Sipistagi out of Chorassan; and he also, upon the approach of the troops of Ghizni, abandoned Herat, and marched towards Mavir-ul-nere.
The King of Kashgar, seeing the bad state of his affairs, solicited the aid of Kudir King of Chuton, a province of Tartary, on the confines of China, and that prince marched to join him with fifty thousand horse. Strengthened by this alliance, he crossed, with the confederate armies, the river Gion [The Oxus.], which was five pharsangs from Balich, and opposed himself to the camp of Mamood. That monarch immediately drew up his army in order of battle, giving the command of the centre to his brother the noble Nisir, supported by Abu Nisir, governor of Gorgan, and by Abdulla, à chief, of reputation in arms. The right wing he committed to the care of Alta Sash, an old experienced officer, while the left was the charge of the valiant Arsilla, a chief of the Afgans. The front of his line he strengthened with five hundred chain-elephants, with intervals behind them, to facilitate their retreat, in case of a defeat.
The King of Kashgar posted himself in the centre, the noble Kudir led the right, and Tighi the left. The armies advanced to the charge. The shouts of warriors, the neighing of horses, and the clashing of arms, reached the broad arch of heaven, while dust obscured the face of day. The flame of war might be said to have been blown up to its height, and the clay of the field to be tempered with blood.
Elich advancing with some chosen squadrons, threw disorder into the centre of Mamood's army, and was busy in the affairs of death. Mamood perceived the enemy's progress, leaped from his horse, and kissing the ground, invoked the aid of the Almighty. He instantly mounted an elephant of war, encouraged his troops, and made a violent assault upon Elich. The elephant seizing the standard-bearer of the enemy, folded round him his trunk, and tossed him aloft into the sky. He then pressed forward like a mountain removed from its place by an eartlıquake, and trod the enemy like locusts under his feet.
When the troops of Ghizni saw their king forcing thus his way alone through the enemy's ranks, they rushed on with headlong impetuosity, and drove the enemy with great slaughter before them. Elich, abandoned by fortune and his army, turned his face to flight. He crossed the river with a few of his surviving friends, never afterwards appearing in the field to dispute glory with Mamood.
The King after this victory proposed to pursue the enemy, which was thought unadvisable by his generals, on account of the inclemency of the season, it being then winter, and the troops hardly capable of motion: but the King was positive in his resolution, and marched two days after the runaways. On the third night, a great storm of wind and snow overtook the Ghiznian army in the desert. The King's tents were with much difficulty pitched, while the army was obliged to lie in the snow. Mamood having ordered great fires to be kindled around his tents, they became so warm, that many of the courtiers began to turn off their upper garments; when a facetious chief, whose name was Dilk, came in shivering with cold. The King observing him, said, “Go out, Dilk, and tell the Winter that he may burst his cheeks with blustering, for here we value not his resentment.” Dilk went out accordingly, and returning in a short time, kissed the ground, and thus presented his address: “I have delivered the King's message to Winter, but the surly season replies, that if his hands cannot tear the skirts of royalty and hurt the attendants of the King, yet he will so execute his power to-night on his army, that in the morning Mamood will be obliged to saddle his own horses.”
The King smiled at this reply, but it presently rendered him thoughtful, and he determined to proceed no further. In the morning some hundreds of men and horses were found to have perished with the cold. Mamood at the same time received advice from India, that Zab Sais, the renegado Hindoo, had thrown off his allegiance, and, returning to his former religion, expelled all the officers, who had been appointed by the King, from their respective departments. The King immediately determined to punish this revolt, and with great expedition advanced towards India. He detached some part of his cavalry in front, who coming unexpectedly upon Zab Sais, defeated him, and brought him prisoner to the King. The rebel was fined in four lacks of rupees, of which Mamood made a present to his treasurer, and kept Zab Sais a prisoner for life.
Mamood, having thus settled his affairs in India, returned in autumn to Ghizni, where he remained for the winter in peace. But in the spring of the year three hundred and ninety-nine, Annindpal, sovereign of Lahore, began to raise disturbances in Moultan, so that the King was obliged to undertake another expedition into those parts, with a great army, to correct the Indians. Annindpal hearing of his intentions, sent ambassadors every where to request the assistance of the other princes of Hindostan; who considered the extirpation of the Mussulmen from India, as a meritorious and political, as well as a religious action.
Accordingly the princes of Ugeïn, Gualiar, Callinger, Kinnoge, Delhi, and Ajmere, entered into a confederacy, and collecting their forces, advanced towards the heads of the Indus, with the greatest army that had been for some hundreds of years seen upon the field in India. The two armies came in sight of one another in a great plain near the confines of the provinces of Peshawir. They remained there encamped forty days without action: but the troops of the idolaters daily increased in number. They were joined by the Gickers and other tribes with numerous armies, and surrounded the Mussulmen, who fearing a general assault were obliged to entrench themselves.
The King having thus secured himself, ordered a thousand archers to his front, to endeavour to provoke the enemy to advance to the entrenchments. The archers accordingly were attacked by the Gickers, who, notwithstanding all the King could do, pursued the runaways within the trenches, where a dreadful scene of slaughter ensued on both sides, in which five thousand Mussulmen in a few minutes were slain. The enemy at length being cut off as fast as they advanced, the attack became fainter and fainter, when on a sudden the elephant upon which the prince of Lahore, who commanded the Indians in chief, rode, .took fright at the report of a gun [According to our accounts there were no guns at this time, but many Eastern authors mention them, ascribing the invention to one Lockman.], and turned his face to flight. This circumstance struck the Hindoos with a panic, for, thinking they were deserted by their general, they immediately followed the example. Abdulla, with six thousand Arabian horse, and Arsilla, with ten thousand Turks, Afghans, and Chilligis, pursued the enemy for two days and nights; so that twenty thousand Hindoos were killed in their flight, together with the great-multitude that fell on the field of battle.
Thirty elephants with much rich plunder were brought to the King, who, to establish the faith, marched against the Hindoos of Nagracot, breaking down their idols and subverting their temples. There was at that time in the territory of Nagracot, a famous fort called Bimé, which Mamood invested, after having destroyed the country round with fire and sword. Bimé was built by a prince of the same name, on the top of a steep mountain, and here the Hindoos, on account of its strength, had deposited the wealth consecrated to their idols in all the neighbouring kingdoms; so that in this fort there was a greater quantity of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls, than had been ever collected into the royal treasury of any prince on earth. Mamood invested the place with such expedition, that the Hindoos had not time to throw troops into it for its defence, the greatest part of the garrison being before carried into the field. Those within consisted for the most part of priests, a race of men who, having little inclination to the bloody business of war, in a few days solicited to be permitted to capitulate. Their request being granted by Mamood, they opened the gates, and fell upon their faces before him; and, with a few of his officers and attendants, he immediately entered the place.
In Bimé were found seven hundred thousand golden dinars, seven hundred maunds [The least maund in India is about thirty-seven pounds avoir-dupoise. of gold and silver plate, forty maunds of pure gold in ingots, two thousand maunds of silver bullion, and twenty maunds of various jewels set, which had been collecting from the time of Bimé. With this immense treasure the King returned to Ghizni, and in the year 400 prepared a magnificent festival, where he displayed to the people his wealth in golden thrones, and in other rich ornaments, in a great plain without the city of Ghizni; and after the feast every individual received a princely present.
In the following year, Mamood led his army towards Ghor. The native prince of that country, Mahommed of the Soor Tribe of Afgans, a principality in the mountains famous for giving birth to the Ghorian Dynasty, who succeeded to the throne after the extirpation of the royal house of Ghizni, with ten thousand troops, opposed him. From morning to noon the fire of war flamed, and justice was done to valour on both sides. The King, finding that the troops of Ghor defended themselves in their intrenchments with such obstinacy, commanded his army to make a feint of retreating, to allure the enemy out of their fortified camp, which accordingly succeeded. The Ghorians being deceived, pursued the army of Ghizni to the plain, where the King, facing round with his troops, attacked them with great impetuosity and slaughter. Mahommed was taken prisoner and brought to the King; but in his despair he had taken poison, which he always kept under his ring, and died in a few hours. His country was annexed to the dominions of Ghizni.
Some historians affirm, that neither the sovereigns of Ghor, nor its inhabitants, were Mussulmen, till after this victory; whilst others of good credit assure us, that they were converted many years before, even so early as the time of the famous Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet.
Mamood, in the same year, was under the necessity of marching again to Moultan, which had revolted; but having soon reduced it, and cut off a great number of the chiefs, he brought Daood, the son of Nazir, the rebellious governor, prisoner to Ghizni, and confined him in the fort of Gorci for life.
In the year 402, the passion of war fermenting in the mind of Mamood, he resolved upon the conquest of Tannasar [A city thirty miles to the west of Delhi.], in the kingdom of Hindostan. It had reached the ears of the King, that Tannasar was held in the same veneration by idolators as Mecca was by the Mussulmen; that there they had set up a whole tribe of rich idols, the principal of whom they called Jug Soom; that this Jug Soom, they pretended to say, existed when as yet the world existed not. When the King reached the country about the five branches of the Indus, he wanted that, according to the treaty that subsisted between him and Annindpal, he should not be disturbed in his march through that country. He accordingly sent an embassy to Annindpal, advising him of his intentions, and desiring him to send guards for the protection of his towns and villages, which he would take care should not be molested by the followers of his camp.
Annindpal agreed to this proposal, and prepared an entertainment for the reception of the King, issuing out an order for all his subjects to supply the royal camp with every necessary of life. He, in the mean time, sent his brother with two thousand horse to meet the King, and deliver this embassy to those who approached the throne: “That he was the subject and slave of the King; but that he begged permission to acquaint his majesty, that Tannasar was the principal place of worship of the inhabitants of that country; that if it was a virtue required by the religion of Mamood to destroy the religion of others, he had already acquitted himself of that duty to his God, in the destruction of the temple of Nagracot: but if he should be pleased to alter his resolution against Tannasar, Annindpal would undertake that the amount of the revenues of that country should be annually paid to Mamood, to reimburse the expence of his expedition: that besides, he, on his own part, would present him with fifty elephants, and jewels to a considerable amount.”
The King replied, “That in the Mussulman religion it was an established tenet, that the more the glory of the prophet was exalted, and the more his followers exerted themselves in the subversion of idolatry, the greater would be their reward in heaven: that therefore, it was his firm resolution, with the assistance of God, to root out the abominable worship of idols from the face of the country of India. Why then should he spare Tannasar?”
When this news reached the Indian king of Delhi, he prepared to oppose the invaders, sending messengers all over Hindostan to acquaint the Rajas that Mamood, without any reason or provocation, was marching with an innumerable army to destroy Tannasar, which was under his immediate protection: that if a mound was not expeditiously raised against this roaring torrent, the country of Hindostan would be soon overwhelmed in ruin, and the tree of prosperity rooted up: that therefore it was adviseable for them to join their forces at Tannasar, to oppose with united strength the impending danger.
But Mamood reached Tannasar before they could take any measures for its defence, plundered the city, and broke down the idols, sending Jug Soom to Ghizni, where he was soon stripped of his ornaments. He then ordered his head to be struck off, and his body to be thrown on the highway. According to the account of the historian Hago Mahommed of Kandahar, there was a ruby found in one of the temples which weighed four hundred and fifty miskal [A miskal is thirty-six rutty, and a rutty seven-eighths of a carat, so that the size of this ruby is too improbable to deserve any credit.].
Mamood, after these transactions at Tannasar, proceeded to Delhi, which he also took, and wanted much to annex it to his dominions. But his nobles told him, that it was impossible to keep the Rajaship of Delhi, till he had entirely subjected Moultan under the Mussulman government, and exterminated the power and family of Annindpal prince of Lahore, who lay between Delhi and the northern dominions of Mamood. The King approved of this counsel, and he immediately determined to proceed no farther against that country, till he had accomplished the reduction of Moultan and Annindpal. But that prince behaved with so much policy and hospitality, that he changed the purpose of the King, who returned to Ghizni. He brought to Ghizni forty thousand captives and much wealth, so that that city could now be hardly distinguished in riches from India itself.
[Section V. The History of the Reign of Sultan Mamood, from the Year 403, to his Death in the Year 419.]
In the 403d year of the Higera, the next in com- mand to the famous Arsilla, governor of Herat, reduced the province of Girgistan, and brought Nisir, the prince of that province, prisoner to Ghizni. Mamood at this time wrote to the Calipha of Bagdad, Al Kadir Billa, of the noble house of Abassi, "That the greatest part of the kingdom of Chorassan was under his jurisdiction, and that he hoped he would order his governors to give up the remainder.” The Calipha, fearing his great power, which might fall upon his other dominions, consented to this demand.
The King, in the year 404, drew his army against the fort of Nindoona, which is situated upon the mountains of Belnat, and was in the possession of the Indian prince of Lahore. Annindpal by this time was dead, and his son had acceded to his government. When Pitterugepal, for that was the young prince's name, saw that he could not stand against the King in the field, he drew off his army towards Cashmire, leaving a good garrison for the defence of the place. Mamood immediately invested it, and, with mining, and other arts of attack, assiduously employed himself; so that, in a few weeks, the governor seeing his walls in ruins, was under the necessity of begging to capitulate. The King granted his request, took every thing of value out of the place, appointed a governor, and set out without delay for Cashmire, upon which Pitterugepal abandoned that province, and fled to the hills. Mamood plundered Cashmire of all its great wealth, and having forced the inhabitants to acknowledge the Prophet, returned with the spoil to his capital of Ghizni.
Mamood, in the year 406, returned with an army to Cashmire, to punish some revolted chiefs, and to be. siege some forts which he had not reduced in his former expedition. The first of those forts was Lokote, very famous for its height and strength, which entirely defeated the King's utmost efforts; for not being able to reduce it all the summer season, he was obliged, on the approach of winter, to abandon his enterprise, and return to Ghizni. On his way home, he was led astray by his guides, and fell into an extensive morass covered with water, from which he, for several days, could not extricate his army, so that many of his troops perished upon that occasion.
Abul Abas, king of Charizm, in the course of the same year, wrote to Mamood, to ask his sister in marriage. The King agreed to the match, and sent her to Charizm, according to the desire of Abas. In the year 407; a tribe: of plunderers rising against Abul Abas, and defeating him, he fell into their hands, and was put to death. Mamood having had advice of this disaster, marched to Balich, and from thence to Charizm, and when he arrived at Hisserbund, on the frontiers of that country, he ordered his general, Mahommed Taï, to advance before him with a detachment. When the Mussulmen were at prayers in their camp, Himar Tash, the general of the Charizmians, rushed upon this detachment from a neighbouring wood, and making a great slaughter, put them to flight. Mamood, having received intelligence of this affair, supported them with several squadrons of his best horse. The runaways deriving courage from this reinforcement, returned to the charge, routed the enemy, and took their chief prisoner, whom they carried before the King.
Mamood advancing to the fort of Hazar Asp, perceived that the troops of Charizm were prepared to receive him in the field before it: but they were soon defeated, their general, Abistagi, a native of Bochara, taken prisoner, and the murderer of Abul Abas met the just vengeance due to his crime. Mamood spent some time in regulating the government, which he bestowed upon the noble Hajib, with the title of King of Charizm: he annexed also to his government the province of Orgunge [The famous city of Urgens, capital of Turkestan.]. Returning to Balich, Mamood gave the government of Herat to his son the prince Musaood, appointing Abu Sul his vizier; and the government of Gurgan he conferred upon his younger son, the Noble Mahommed, under the care of Abu Bicker. After the final settlement of the affairs of Charizm, the Ghiznian army were cantoned, for the winter, at Balich.
In the beginning of the year 409, as soon as the sun began to awake the children of the spring, Mamood, with a hundred thousand chosen horse and thirty thousand foot, raised in the countries of Turkistan, Maver-ul-nere, Chorassan, and the adjacent provinces, undertook an expedition against Kinnoge, which, from the time of Gustasp [Hystaspes, the father of the first Darius, king of Persia.], the father of Darab, to this period, had not been visited by any foreign enemy. Kinnoge was distant from Ghizni three months' march, and seven great rivers [These were the principal branches of which the Indus is composed.] rushed across the way. When Mamood reached the confines of Cashmire, the prince, whom he had established in that country, sent him presents of every thing curious and valuable in his kingdom, and waited to have the honour of expressing his loyalty. When the King, with much difficulty, had conducted his army through the mountains, he entered the plains of Hindostan, drove all opposition before him, and advanced to Kinnoge [Mamood's route lay through the mountains behind Cashmire; and he must have entered Hindostan by the way of Tibet.].
He there saw a city which raised its head to the skies, and which, in strength and structure, might justly boast to have no equal. The Indian prince of this rich city, whose name was Korra, and who affected great pomp and splendor, being thus unexpectedly invaded, had not had time to put himself in a posture of defence, or to collect his troops together. Terrified by the great force and warlike appearance of the King, he, in his embarrassment, resolved to sue for peace, and accordingly went out, with his family, to the camp, where he submitted himself to the mercy of Mamood. Some authors relate, that he even turned a true believer.
The King of Ghizni tarried in Kinnoge only three nights, and then turned his face towards Merat, the prince of which place, by name Hirdit, retreated with his army, leaving only a garrison, which was obliged to capitulate in a few days. The terms were two hundred and fifty thousand rupees and fifty elephants, to be paid by the Raja, besides the plunder of the city. The Sultan marched from thence to invest the fort of Mavin, upon the banks of the river Gihon, now called the Jumna. The Prince of Mavin coming forth to make his submission, at the head of his troops, a quarrel accidentally ensued between some soldiers, and immediately the action became general. Calchunder, for that was the prince's name, and most of his troops, being driven into the river, he drew his sword against his own wife and children, and, having dispatched them, turned it in despair upon himself. The fort immediately surrendered, where the conqueror found much treasure and rich spoil, among which were seventy elephants of war.