During this year also the Sultán turned his attention towards Hindustán, in order that he might punish Nawása Sháh, who had turned an apostate from the religion of the faithful, and had rebelled against Yamínu-d daula. Immediately on hearing of the approach of the Sultán, Nawása Sháh was overcome, and Mahmúd, turning the reins of his desire towards the dwelling-place of his generosity, returned to Ghaznín.
When Yamínu-d daula Amínu-l millat Mahmúd Ghaznaví had rested for some time from his toil, he again, in order to strengthen the religion of the Prophet, evinced a desire to make war on the infidels of Hind, and accordingly marched in that direction. When his standards, the symbols of victory, cast the shadow of their arrival over capacious Hind, Pál bin Andpál,* who, for his excessive wealth and numerous warriors, was more distinguished than the other princes of Hind, opposed Mahmúd, and a terrible battle took place. The standards of the faithful became exalted, and those of the infidels were depressed. The Sultán himself having pursued the pagans, killed multitudes of them with the sword, and having arrived at the fort of Bhímnagar,* he encamped his victorious army in its vicinity. That fort was built on the top of a hill; the people of Hind believed it to be the repository of one of their great idols, and for ages had transported thither provisions and treasures; they had filled it with money and jewels, and fancied that by this conduct they approached near to the house of God. When Mahmúd besieged that lofty fort, fear seized upon the hearts of the residents. Their cries for quarter reached up to the hall of the planet Saturn, and having opened the gate of the fort, they threw themselves on the ground before the horse of the Sultán. Yamínu-d daula, with the governor of Juzján, entered into that fort, and gave orders for taking possession of the spoil. The wealth which he obtained consisted of 70,700 mans of gold and silver utensils; and the jewels and gold and robes and movable effects were incalculable. Sultán Mahmúd, having delivered over the fort to a confidential person, hoisted the standard of his return to Ghaznín.*
In the year 400 H. he again exalted his victorious standards, and hastened to the cities of Hind: and after punishing the infidels and scattering abroad the impious, he again turned his steps towards the royal residence of Ghaznín.* In the same year, the king of the kings of Hind, having sent a petition of humiliation to the Sultán, sued for a pacification, and consented to send him fifty elephants, and to pay every year a large sum of money into the royal treasury. By way of subsidy, he appointed 2000 cavalry to serve in the army, which wore the mantle of victory, and swore that his own posterity should observe the same conduct towards the descendants of the Sultán. The Sultán was satisfied with this reconciliation, and merchants began to come and go between the two countries.
In the year 401 H., Sultán Mahmúd of Ghaznín, through a thirst for worldly glory, led his army to Ghor; and the governor of that country, Muhammad bin Súrí, having come out to oppose him with 10,000 cavalry, became the victim of the powerful decree of fate, and having sucked the poison which was in his ring, departed this life. That country came into the possession of the agents of the Sultán.*
In the middle of all this, Shár Sháh, King of Ghurjistán, rebelled against the Sultán and was taken prisoner; the whole of which story, collected into a small compass, amounts to this: In those times, the inhabitants of Ghurjistán* called their rulers by the name of Shár, just as the Hindus call their kings Ráí. In the time of Núh bin Mansúr Sámání the Shár of Ghurjistán was Abú Nasr. This Abú Nasr, from the excessive integrity of his mind, and the inclination which he had towards the society of men of learning, resigned the reins of government into the hands of his son Muhammad. When the star of the prosperity of Yamínu-d daula had travelled to the summit of honour, having sent 'Utbí, the author of the Táríkh-i Yamíní, to the Shár, he demanded his obedience and submission. The Shár attended to his orders and to his prohibitions. The son of Shár Abú Nasr, whom they call Shár Sháh, came to the Sultán, and having been treated with much kindness and courtesy, and decorated with robes of honour, returned to his country.
After some time, the resolution of making war having come again into the mind of the Sultán, he summoned by royal mandate Shár Sháh to his presence, but through sensual imaginations and satanical delusions, he would not obey the order of the Sultán. Yamínu-d daula appointed Altúntásh the chamberlain, and Arslán Jázib, to put him out of the way, and when these two officers arrived near the royal residence of the Shár, Shár Abú Nasr took shelter with Altúntásh, and acquitted himself of all responsibility for the deeds of his son. Altúntásh sent him to Hirát, and Shár Sháh having taken refuge in a fort, gave himself up after a few days, in consideration of quarter, and the chief amírs were sent off to Ghaznín. When he arrived before Mahmúd, the Sultán showed him his mercy by only flogging him, and then shut him up in one of the forts; but the superintendent of the finances, according to the Sultán's orders, supplied him with all the necessaries of life. After this, Yamínu-d daula sent for Shár Abú Nasr from Hirát, and showed great kindness to him; he bought with gold all the villages and estates of the Shárs, and Khwája Ahmad bin Hasan Maimandí took Shár Abú Nasr under the shadow of his patronage. He died in the year 406 A.H. (1014-15 A.D.)*
In the year 405 H. Sultán Mahmúd, again thirsting for a war with the infidels, turned his attention towards the extreme part of Hindustán, and fought a battle with one of the greatest princes of that country. He sent many of the heretics to hell, subdued the city of Nárdín,* and then returned to Ghaznín. In the same year, he led an army to the territories of Thánesar,* the ruler of which was a certain infidel well known, and possessed of elephants which they call the Ceylonese. According to his usual custom, he fought with and plundered the inhabitants, and then returned to Ghaznín.*
During the first years of Sultán Mahmúd's reign, an individual named Mámún governed Khwárizm, and when he died, his son Abú 'Alí became king of that country. He testified friendship to Yamínu-d daula, and married his sister. After the death of Abú 'Alí, his brother Mámún bin Mámún succeeded. He married his brother's wife, the sister of Mahmúd, and according to established usage, he professed allegiance to Sultán Mahmúd. During the last days of Mámún, Yamínu-d daula, having sent a messenger to Khwárizm, ordered Mámún to read the khutba in his name. Mámún consulted on this matter with his ministers of State. Most of them replied, “If you hold your kingdom in disgraceful partnership with any one else, we will not bind on the girdle of obedience; and if you submit to be under the command of another, we will not choose for ourselves the ignominy of your service.” The envoy having heard these speeches, returned and made relation of the circumstance.
After this, the general of the army of Khwárizm, Bináltigín,* and the nobles and amírs of Mámún, repented of their misdeeds, and were terrified at the vengeance of the Sultán. In the middle of all this, when one day, according to established custom, they went to pay their respects to Mámún, the sudden news of his death was divulged to them, but nobody else was informed of the circumstance. Bináltigín then raised the son of Mámún to the Sultánship, and entered into an agreement with all the rebellious amírs, to the effect that, if the Sultán should march towards them they would unanimously make war upon him.