Historians who wear the mantle of praises, and composers clothed in the garb of felicity, have related that Sultán Mahmúd loved his younger son Muhammad better than Mas'úd. On account of this, he preferred him as the heir-apparent, and one day, before the taking of 'Irák, he asked Mas'úd how he would behave towards his brother. Mas'úd answered, “I shall follow the example of my father, and behave towards my brother in the same way as you behaved to yours.” I have mentioned the quarrel of Mahmúd with his brother Isma'íl before, so there is no need of a repetition. My only object in mentioning this is, that when Mahmúd heard this speech from Mas'úd, it entered into his mind that he would remove Mas'úd to a distance from the metropolis of Ghaznín, so that after his death war and quarrelling might not take place between the two brothers. On this account, having undertaken a journey to 'Irák, when he had brought that country into the courtyard of subjection, he gave it to Mas'úd, and said, “You must swear that after my death you will not oppose your brother.” Mas'úd answered, “I will take this oath at the time when you feel an aversion to me.” Mahmúd said, “Why do you speak to me like this?” Mas'úd answered, “If I am your son, I surely have a right to your property and treasures.” Mahmúd said, “Your brother will render to you your dues: do you swear that you will not carry on war with your brother, and that you will not display enmity towards him?” Mas'úd said, “If he will come and swear that according to our precious laws he will render to me my due out of your worldly effects, then I will promise not to display enmity towards him, but he is now in Ghaznín, and I in Re; how then can the affair be furthered?”
Mas'úd, from his excessive haughtiness, and from his covetousness to obtain the idle vanities of the world, showed his presumption and spoke in this harsh manner to his father. The Sultán bade him adieu, and directed his steps towards Ghaznín, where, after his arrival, he laid his side on the carpet of weakness, and died, either of consumption or of disease of the liver,* (for there are two opinions urged on this point) on Thursday, the 23rd of Rabí'u-l ákhir, 421 H.* (1030 A.D.). His funeral rites were performed on a night whilst it was raining, and he was buried in the blue palace at Ghaznín.
Among the learned men who flourished during the time of Sultán Mahmúd, one was 'Utbí, who composed the Táríkh-i Yamíní, which is an account of the descendants of Subuktigín. That book has been translated Abu-s Sharaf Násir bin Zafar bin Sa'du-l Munshí-l Jarbádkání, and the translation is well known among men.
Another of the learned men of that time was 'Unsurí, who was the greatest poet of his age, and was always composing odes and quatrains in praise of Sultán Mahmúd. The following is one of his quatrains:—
“You are that monarch whom in the east and west,
Jews, Fire-worshippers, Christians, and Musulmáns
Name when they count their beads, and ejaculate the praises of God,
Saying, Oh God, give me an end that is laudable (Mahmúd).”
They say that 'Unsurí composed many verses in praise of Sultán Mahmúd, and out of the many books which he wrote in the name of the Sultán there was one book, viz., Wámik o'Azrá. which is now lost.
Another of the poets, who was a panegyrist of the Sultán Mahmúd was 'Asjudí, who derived his origin from Merv. When Somnát was taken he composed a kasídah in praise of the Sultán of laudable virtues, the beginning of which runs thus:
“When the acute-minded Sultán made his expedition to Somnát,
He made his own exploits the standard of miracles.”
Another of the poets contemporary with Sultán Mahmúd was Farrukhí, who, from the excessive generosity of the Sultán, having amassed great wealth, determined to go to Samarkand. When he drew near that city, he was attacked by highwaymen and plundered of all that he had. Having arrived in Samarkand he showed himself to nobody, but after a few days he hoisted the flag of his return, having given utterance to the following lines:—
“I have seen all the charms of Samarkand,
I have looked upon its gardens, its villas, its valleys, and its
deserts.
But since my purse and my pockets are without dirhams,
My heart has folded up the carpet of pleasure from off the court-
yard of hope.
From the learned men of every city
I have heard that there is one kosar and eight paradises;
I have seen thousands of rivers and thousands of paradises:
But what profit if I always return with a thirsty lip?
The eye seeing wealth, and not having the money in the hand,
Is like a head cut off in the midst of a golden basin.”
Firdúsí was another one of the poets contemporary with Sultán Mahmúd: his history is well known. It is written in the books of learned authors, that during his first years Firdúsí took great pleasure in versification. It happened that at one time he received ill-treatment from somebody, upon which he set out for Ghaznín, which was the royal residence of the Sultán Mahmúd, with the intention of lodging his complaint. When he arrived near that city, he saw in a certain garden three persons who were sitting together, and seemed to be very intimate. He conjectured that they were the servants of the Sultán, and said within himself, “I will go to them, and tell them some of my business; perhaps I shall gain some advantage by it.” When he came near the resting-place where 'Unsurí, 'Asjudí, and Farrukhí were sitting, those individuals were astonished at him and said, “He will spoil our quiet converse.” They communed with one another, and agreed to tell this person that they were the poets of the Sultán, and that they held no intercourse with any one who was not a poet; that they would recite three verses, to which it would be difficult to add a fourth, and that they would say that whoever would make a fourth verse would be admitted into their society, and unless he could do so he would be excluded.
When Firdúsí arrived where they were sitting, they played off upon him that which they had determined among themselves. Firdúsí said, “Recite your verses.” 'Unsurí said, “The moon has no brightness like your cheek.” Farrukhí said, “There is not a rose in the rose-garden like your face.” 'Asjudí said, “Your eye-lashes pierce through a coat of mail.” Firdúsí, upon hearing those verses, instantly replied, “Like the spear of Geo in the fight with Pushan.” The poets were astonished at his readiness, and inquired about the story of Geo and Pushan. Firdúsí told them the story at full length, and accordingly, when he arrived at Court, he experienced kind treatment, and Mahmúd told him that he had made a paradise of his Court, and it was owing to this that he assumed his titular name of Firdúsí.
Having afterwards been appointed to compose the Sháh-náma,
he wrote a thousand verses, and took them to the king, who
highly applauded them, and made him a present of a thousand
dínárs. When Firdúsí had finished writing the Sháh-nàma,
he took the book, which contained 60,000 verses, to the Sultán,
expecting that he would get a dínár for each verse, as he had
done before; but some envious persons of mean disposition, indulging
their malignity, wondered what must be the value of
that poet who was worth being exalted by such a large gift, and
they made the Sultán give him 60,000 dirhams instead. When
Firdúsí came out of the bath, and they brought those dirhams
before him, he was exceedingly vexed at the circumstance, and
gave 20,000 dirhams to the bath-keeper, 20,000 to a sherbet-