[This is a general history from the earliest times up to 658 Hijra (A.D. 1259). The author was Abú 'Umar Minháju-d dín, 'Usmán ibn Siráju-d dín al Júzjání. In the course of his work he mentions many interesting facts concerning himself and his family. He tells us that his ancestor in the third degree, Imám 'Abdu-l Khálik, came from Júzján* to Ghazní to seek a wife, in compliance with a command which he several times received in dreams. Here he gained the good graces of the reigning monarch, Ibráhím, and received in marriage one of his forty daughters, all of whom were “married to illustrious nobles or learned men of repute.” They had a son named Ibráhím, who was father of Mauláná Minháju-d dín 'Usmán, who was father of Mauláná Siráju-d dín, who was father of our author, Minháju-s Siráj. Siráju-d dín was a man of some distinction. He was appointed Kází of the army of Hindustán by Muhammad Ghorí in A.H. 582 (1186 A.D.), and his son refers to him by his titles of “'Ajúbatu-z Zamán afsahu-l 'Ajam—the wonder of the time and the most eloquent man of Persia.”
The author of this work, Minháju-s Siráj, came from Ghor to Sind, Úch and Multán in 624 A.H. (A.D. 1227), and his character for learning must then have been already established, as he tells us that the Fírozí College at Úch was placed under his charge. In the year following, Sultán Shamsu-d dín Altamsh led his armies from Dehli to suppress Násiru-d dín Kubácha, who had succeeded in gaining sovereign authority in those quarters, and after the defeat and death of Kubácha, Minháju-s Siráj was admitted to an interview with Altamsh, and returned in his train to Dehli, where he arrived in Rámazán, 625 (August, 1228). In 629 A.H. he followed Altamsh to the siege of Gwalior, where he was appointed one of the court preachers, and soon afterwards was made “law-officer, and director of the preaching, and of all religious, moral, and judicial affairs.” He abandoned this position in 635, when the forces of Sultán Raziya marched there. After the death of this able but unfortunate queen, we find him at Dehli, writing congratulatory verses upon the accession of her successor, Bahrám Sháh, and when a panic fell upon the city at the threatened incursion of the Moghals, he was called upon to preach and conciliate the minds of the people. Soon after this, in A.H. 639 (1241 A.D.) Bahrám Sháh made him Kází of the capital and of all his territories. But he did not hold this office long. Bahrám Sháh was deposed, and slain at the end of 639 H., and Minháju-s Siráj immediately afterwards tendered his resignation.
In Hijra 640, he started for Lakhnautí, and stayed there until the end of 642. This residence in the capital of Bengal afforded him opportunities for acquiring accurate information respecting that outlying Musulmán territory, and makes all that he says upon that subject of especial value.
At the end of 642, he returned to Dehli and arrived there early in the following year. He was immediately appointed Principal of the Násiriya College, and superintendent of its endowments. He was also made Kází of Gwalior, and preacher in the metropolitan mosque. At the beginning of 644 H. (1246 A.D.) Násiru-d dín Mahmúd ascended the throne, and our author received a prize for his congratulatory ode on the occasion, specimens of which he inserts in his history. The full tide of prosperity had now set in upon him; he received many honours from the Sultán Násiru-d dín, and from the distinguished noble whom he calls Ulúgh Khán-i Mu'azzam, who succeeded Násiru-d dín on the throne, and is better known as Ghiyásu-d dín Balban. The author records the grant of a village which he received in in'ám, and mentions with great complacency the many favours of which he was the recipient. Finally he was honoured with the title of Sadr-i Jahán, and was again made Kází of the state and magistrate of the capital.
In honour of his patron, Násiru-d dín, he named his work Tabakát-i Násirí, and he breaks off his history rather abruptly in the fifteenth year of that monarch's reign, intending, as he said, to resume his pen if life and opportunity were afforded him. The date of his death is not known, but he probably survived Násiru-d dín, as the period of that monarch's reign is stated in this work as extending to twenty-two years, which, however, is an error, as it lasted only twenty years. The eulogistic way in which he always speaks of the successor of Násiru-d dín would induce the belief that the work appeared in the reign of that Sultán, and the fact is proved by his more than once offering up an ejaculatory prayer for the continuance of his reign.
The following careful analysis of the contents of the history has been borrowed from Mr. Morley's catalogue of the MSS. of the Royal Asiatic Society:—
“The Tabakát-i Násirí is divided into twenty-three books, and contains as follows:—
“Author's Preface, in which he dedicates his work to Abú-l Muzaffar Násiru-d dín Mahmúd Ibnu-s Sultán Altamsh, king of Dehli.
“Book I.—Account of the Prophets and Patriarchs; of Jesus Christ; of Ishmael and the ancestors of Muhammad; and a history of Muhammad himself to the day of his death.
“Book II.—History of the first four Khalífas; of the descendants of 'Alí, and of the ten Mubashshir.
“Book III.—The Khalífas of the Baní Ummayya.
“Book IV.—The Khalífas of the Baní 'Abbás, to the extinction of the Khálifat in A.H. 656 (A.D. 1258).
“Book V.—The history of the early kings of Persia, comprising the Peshdádians, the Kaiánians, the Ashkánians, the Sásánians, and the Akásira from Naushírwán to Yazdajird.
“Book VI.—History of the kings of Yaman, from Hárisu-r Ráísh to Bádán, who was converted to the Islám.
“Book VII.—History of the Táhirides from the Táhir Zúu-l Yumnain to that of Muhammad bin Táhir, the last king of the dynasty, who was conquered by Ya'kúb Lais, in A.H. 259 (A.D. 872).
“Book VIII.—History of the Saffárides from Ya'kúb Lais to the death of 'Amrú Lais in A.H. 289 (A.D. 901).
“Book IX.—History of the Sámánides from their origin to A.H. 389 (A.D. 998) when 'Abdu-l Malik bin Núh was sent as a captive to Uzjand.
“Book X.—History of the Buwaihides from their origin to the time of Abú-l Fawáris Sharafu-d Daula.
“Book XI.—History of the Ghaznivides from Subuktigín to the death of Khusrú Malik in A.H. 598 (A.D. 1201).
“Book XII.—History of the Saljúks of Persia from their
origin to the death of Sultán Sanjar in A.H. 552 (A.D. 1157); of
the Saljúks of Rúm and 'Irák, from their origin to the time of
Ruknu-d dín Kilij Arslán; and an account of Tughril bin Tugh-
“Book XIII.—History of the Sanjáriya kings, viz., 1. The Atábaks of 'Irák and Azarbáíján from the time of the Atábak Alptigín to that of the Atábak Abú Bakr bin Muhammad. 2. The Atábaks of Fárs, from Sankar to the time of the Atábak Abú Bakr bin Sa'd bin Zangí A.H. 658 (A.D. 1259) when the author wrote. 3. The Kings of Naishápúr from Maliku-l Muaiyidu-s Sanjarí to the defeat and capture of Sanjar Sháh bin Tughán Sháh, by Takash, king of Khwárizm.
“Book XIV.—History of the kings of Nímrúz and Sijistán from Táhir bin Muhammad to Táju-d dín Níáltigín Khwárizmí who was slain by the Mongols in A.H. 625 (A.D. 1227).
“Book XV.—History of the Kurdíya kings, viz: The Atábaks
of Syria, Núru-d dín Zangí and Maliku-s Sálih; and the Ayyú-
“Book XVI.—History of the Khwárizmians, from their origin to the death of Jalálu-d dín Mankburní, in A.H. 629 (A.D. 1231).
“Book XVII.—History of the Shansabániya Sultáns of Ghor, from the origin of the family to the time of 'Aláu-d dín Muhammad bin Abú 'Alí, the twenty-second and last king, who surrendered the city of Fíroz-Koh to Muhammad Khwárizm Sháh in A.H. 612 (A.D. 1215).
“Book XVIII.—The Shansabániya Kings of Bámíán and Tukháristán, from Fakhru-d dín Mas'úd, the first king, to the time of the fifth monarch, 'Aláu-d dín Mas'úd, who was slain by his nephew Jalálu-d dín 'Alí.
“Book XIX.—History of the Shansabániya Sultáns of Ghaznín, from the time of Saifu-d dín Súrí, who conquered Bahrám Sháh Ghaznawi, to that of Kutbu-d dín Aibak, who expelled Táju-d dín Yaldúz, in A.H. 603 (A.D. 1206).
“Book XX.—The Múizziya Sultans of Hindustán, comprising the history of Kutbu-d dín Aibak, and of his son Árám Sháh, whose capital was Dehlí; of Násiru-d dín Kubácha al Mu'izzí and Baháu-d dín Tughril al Mu'izzí; and of the first four Khiljí princes who reigned at Lakhnautí or Gaur, ending with Husámu-d dín Ghiyásu-d dín, who was defeated and slain by Násíru-d dín Mahmúd bin Shamsu-d dín Altamsh, governor of Behár, in A.H. 634 (A.D. 1226).