THE history which goes by both these names is a work in prose, by Mír Khusrú, who died in 1325 A.D. It contains an interesting account of the first years of the reign of Sultán 'Aláu-d dín Khiljí (whom he also styles Muhammad Sháh Sultán), from his accession to the throne in 695 H. (1296 A.D.) to his conquest of Ma'bar at the close of 710 H. (1310 A.D.) It is most probably the same work as that which is quoted by some of the general historians, under the name of Táríkh 'Aláu-d dín Khiljí; but, if so, it has not been closely examined, for several facts of interest have escaped the compilers.
It will be observed that this small work contains much information on the subject to which it relates. The mode of warfare of that period, especially, receives illustrations such as can be obtained from no other work. The style in which it is composed is for the most part difficult, as the whole is constructed of a series of fanciful analogies, in the same manner as the preface to the Bakíya Nakíya and the I'jáz-i Khusruví of the same author, and the Odes of Badar-cháchí, and the treatises of Mirzá Katíl and several other works, in which fancy is predominant over sense. Every portion is devoted to a selection of words connected with one particular subject. For instance, among the passages translated below, one portion, p. 69, is composed of words derived from architecture; another, p. 71, is derived from words descriptive of the powers and anatomy of the hand; another, at p. 73, is composed of words used in the game of chess. I have not thought it necessary to adhere closely to the similes in every part. Those which are used in the passages noted above are of themselves sufficiently tedious in translation, though certainly ingenious in the original.
It may easily be conceived that a work so composed contains much that is forced, trivial, and unnatural; but we can forgive that for the solid information we are occasionally able to extract from it. Indeed, these puns, riddles, and analogies, are even valuable on one account, for the author rarely mentions a date which is not comprised in a sentence containing some kind of enigma, so that we can easily ascertain the correctness of a date, if we have reason to doubt the correctness of the numerals. The following are instances:—“When the boat of the moon's crescent entered the stream of clouds (abr)”—of which the initial letter being alif, or one, the first day of the month is signified. Again, “When the computation of the month Ramazán had reached that stage, that the first period of the fast (syám) had departed, and the last had not yet arrived”—that is, that eleven days of the month had elapsed. Meaning, that by rejecting the first and last letters of syám, only yá remains, of which the numerical value is eleven.
The Khazáínu-l Futúh contains many Hindí words, shewing
how partial the author was to that language compared with his
Muhammadan contemporaries. Thus we have Kath-garh, pard-
'Aláu-d dín Khiljí, on the 19th of Rabí'u-l-ákhir, 695 H. (Feb. 1295), left Karra Mánikpúr, of which he was then governor, on his expedition to Deogír, and after taking immense booty from Rám Deo, the Ráí of that country, he returned to Karra on the 28th of Rajab of the same year. His accession to the throne on the 16th of Ramazán, 695 H. (July, 1296), after murdering his uncle and father-in-law, Sultán Jalálu-d dín. His arrival at Dehli, where he again mounted the throne, on the 22nd of Zí-l hijja of the same year. His rules, regulations, justice, and liberality. The cheapness which prevailed in his time.
The Sultán determined upon adding to and completing the Masjid-i Jámi' of Shamsu-d dín, “by building beyond the three old gates and courts a fourth, with lofty pillars,” “and upon the surface of the stones he engraved verses of the Kurán in such a manner as could not be done even on wax; ascending so high that you would think the Kurán was going up to heaven, and again descending, in another line, so low that you would think it was coming down from heaven. When the whole work was complete from top to bottom, he built other masjids in the city, so strong that if the nine-vaulted and thousand-eyed heavens were to fall, as they will, in the universe-quake, on the day of resurrection, an arch of them would not be broken. He also repaired the old masjids, of which the walls were broken or inclining, or of which the roof and domes had fallen.”
“He then resolved to make a pair to the lofty minár of the Jámi' masjid, which minár was then the single (celebrated) one of the time, and to raise it so high that it could not be exceeded. He first directed that the area of the square before the masjid should be increased, that there might be ample room for the followers of Islám.”
“He ordered the circumference of the new minár to be made double that of the old one, and to make it higher in the same proportion, and directed that a new casing and cupola should be added to the old one.” The stones were dug out from the hills, and the temples of the infidels were demolished to furnish a supply. The building of the new fort of Dehli, and the repairs of the old one. “It is a condition that in a new building blood should be sprinkled; he therefore sacrificed some thousands of goat-bearded Mughals for the purpose.” He also ordered repairs to be made to all the other masjids and forts throughout the kingdom.
As the tank of Shamsu-d dín was occasionally dry, 'Aláu-d dín cleaned it out and repaired it, and erected a dome in the middle of it.
“The following is the account of the victory which the champions of the triumphant army obtained, on the first occasion, during the reign of this Sanjar-like Sultán, may God protect his standards! over the soldiers of the accursed Kadar, in the land of Járan Manjúr, when the subtle (mú-shikáf) Tátár, accompanied by an army, like an avenging deluge, came as presumptuous as ever from the Júdí mountain, and crossed the Bíáh, and Jelam, and Sutlej,* and the advancing wave of the hellites burnt down all the villages* of the Khokhars in such a way that the flames extended as far as the suburbs of the city, and ruin hurled its ravages upon the houses. Such a wailing arose, that the sound reached his majesty the king of kings.
“He despatched the late Ulugh Khán, the arm of the empire, with the whole of the right wing (hand) of the army, and the powerful chiefs* and the officers* who were the support* of the state, and he named him for the purpose of wielding the sword of holy war; that so, making themselves ready with power, they might go and lay their hands upon the infidel.” “The Khan sped swift as an arrow from its bowstring, and made two marches in one until he reached the borders of Járan Manjúr, the field of action, so that not more than a bow-shot remained between the two armies. That was a date on which it became dark when the day declined, because it was towards the close of the month, and the moon of Rabí'u-l ákhir waned till it looked like a sickle above the heavens to reap the Gabrs. Arrows and spears commingled together. Some Mughals were captured on Thursday, the 22nd of Rabí'u-l ákhir, in the year 695 H. (Feb. 1296 A.D.). On this day the javelin-head of the Khán of Islám fell on the heads of the infidels, and the standard-bearers of the holy war received orders to bind their victorious colours firmly on their backs; and for honour's sake they turned their faces towards the waters of the Sutlej, and without the aid of boats they swam over the river, striking out their hands, like as oars impelling a boat.”
The Mughals were defeated, “though they were in number like ants and locusts,” with a loss of twenty thousand men left dead on the plain. Many took to flight, and many were taken prisoners, “and the iron collars, which were desirous to be so employed, embraced them with all respect.” On the return of the Khán to the King, he was received with many thanks and honours, and a festival was held in celebration of the event.