As the star of the destiny of Mas'úd had reached the limits of misfortune, he listened not to this advice, and having passed the river, he directed his steps in search of Túztigín. During that winter, the rain and the snow fell very heavily in Máwaráu-n nahr, on account of which the Ghaznivides were extremely distressed. In the middle of all this, Dáúd Saljúkí marched from Sarakhs towards Balkh, with the intention of fighting, upon which Mas'úd was obliged to beat the drum of retreat, and Túztigín, following in the rear of the army of Ghaznín, plundered and carried away all the best horses and camels of Mas'úd, and thus disgrace fell upon the army of the Ghaznivides.
After Mas'úd had arrived at his royal residence, having finished repairing the state of confusion into which his troops had been thrown, he turned his attention towards the Saljúkíans, and several times fighting took place between the two parties, the end of which was, that Mas'úd was defeated, and obliged again to return to Ghaznín; on his arrival at which place he put to death some of the nobles and chief men of the State, under the pretence that they had misbehaved themselves during the war. He sent his son Maudúd with an army to Balkh, while he himself, with Muhammad Makhúl and Muhammad's sons, Ahmad, 'Abdu-r Rahmán and 'Abdu-r Rahím moved towards Hindustán, with the intention of remaining during the winter there, and then, when the spring arrived, of turning his attention towards dislodging the Saljúkíans.*
Mas'úd had crossed over the Sind, but all his baggage and property was on the other side of the river, when Noshtigín, with some of his attendants, plundered the treasury, and put Muhammad Makhúl on the throne. According to Hamdu-lla Mustaufí, they seated him on an elephant, and carried him round the camp. Mas'úd upon hearing this fled, and took refuge in a certain saráí, but the rebels seized him, and took him before Muhammad, who confined him and his dependents in the fort of Kírí. Muhammad relinquished the Sultánship to his son Ahmad, upon which Ahmad, who was tainted with insanity, without permission of his father, and in conjunction with the son of Yúsuf bin Subuktigín and the son of 'Alí Khesháwand, went to the fort, and in the year A.H. 433 (A.D. 1041-2), murdered that king, who was the protector of the learned.*
Amongst the learned men who were contemporary with Mas'úd was Shaikh Abú Rihán Muhammad bin Ahmad Bírúní Khwárizmí the astrologer, and author of the book called Tafhímu-t Tanjím i.e., “Explanation of the Science of Astrology,” and also of the Kánún Mas'údí. Another was Abú Muhammad Násihí, who wrote the Kitáb-i Mas'údí, on the theology of Imám Abú Hanífa, upon whom let there be the mercy of God! These books were all compiled in Mas'úd's name.
When Maudúd, who was in Balkh, the tabernacle of the faithful, heard of the murder of his father Mas'úd, he hastened with his victorious troops towards the metropolis of Ghaznín, and Muhammad also marched up from the neighbourhood of the Sind in the same direction. A battle was fought between the uncle and nephew,* but the gale of victory blew upon the banner of Maudúd, and Muhammad with his children, and Noshtigín Balkhí who was at the head of the insurrection, became the captives of the powerful decree of fate, and were all put to death, with the exception of 'Abdu-r Rahím the son of Muhammad. The reason of his salvation was as follows:
During the time that Mas'úd was in prison, it happened one day that 'Abdu-r Rahmán snatched Mas'úd's cap off his head in a very rude manner, upon which 'Abdu-r Rahím took it from him, and placed it back again on the head of his uncle, at the same time reproaching and abusing his brother. In short, having taken vengeance on his father's murderers, Maudúd built a village and a caravanserai upon that spot where he had gained the victory, and called it Fathábád.* He then hastened to Ghaznín and Kandahár, where he made firm the carpet of justice, and exalted the standard of his power by bringing into the kingdom of Ghaznín and Kandahár several of the cities of Hind; but even during the prosperous days of Maudúd the empire of Khurásán remained just the same as before, in the possession of the Saljúkíans, whom he could never conquer.
Maudúd died, after he had reigned seven years,* on the 20th of Rajab, 441 H. (1049-50 A.D.).
Historians have related that Sultán Mas'úd, during the latter days of his reign, appointed his son Majdúd to subdue some of the cities of Hind, who brought into the courtyard of subjection Multán and several other cities. Possessed of a powerful army, upon hearing of the death of Mas'úd, he aspired to absolute dominion, and the vapour of pride ascended into the hall of his brain.* Maudúd, hearing of this, formed an army to extinguish the fire of the insurrection of Majdúd, who also moved out with a numerous army and arrived at Láhor, about the time of the 'I'du-z zuhá, where, having celebrated the festival of sacrifices, he was found dead by the courtiers in his tent on the morning of the third day of the festival. The truth of the circumstance, whatever it was, has not been written.
After this event, as many of the cities as pertained to Sultán Mas'úd came also under the tribunal of Maudúd, and the Kings of Máwaráu-n nahr also testified their submission, but the Saljúkíans, as they had always done, offered opposition and resistance. In the year 435 H. (1043-4 A.D.) Maudúd sent an army desirous of warfare, under his chamberlain, to Khurásán; but Alp Arslán, on the side of the Saljúkíans, having come out to meet the Ghaznivides, defeated them, and in the same year a horde of Saljúk Turkománs broke into the territories of Garmsír. Maudúd having appointed an army to dislodge them, a dreadful battle was fought on both sides, and the Ghaznivides having obtained the victory, took many of the Saljúkíans prisoners.
In the same year some of the rulers of Hindustán, having entered Láhor with 5000 cavalry and 75,000 infantry, seized that city. The Musulmáns who were there sent a messenger to Maudúd asking for help, and Maudúd was obliged to lead his army thither; but before the arrival of that army at Láhor, dissensions sprang up among the infidels, who began to direct their steps towards their own country. The men of Láhor pursued them, and the Hindus took shelter on a spacious and lofty mountain. The army of Láhor surrounded that mountain, and the Hindus, after displaying their courage and prowess, asked for quarter, which was granted them upon this condition, that they should deliver over to the Musulmáns every fort in the cities of Hind which were in their possession. Owing to this brilliant victory, all the princes of Hind came again under obedience to Maudúd.
In the middle of Rajab of the year 441 H. (1049-50 A.D.) Maudúd, with the intention of making war on the Saljúkíans, marched from Ghaznín at the head of a numerous army; but being seized with colic on the first stage, he was obliged to send 'Abdu-r Razzák with the army to Sístán, which was in the possession of the Saljúkíans, whilst he himself returned to Ghaznín, where he died shortly afterwards.
When Maudúd departed to another world, his son Mas'úd,* by virtue of his father's will, succeeded to the throne; but as he was of a tender age, and not capable of administering the offices of royalty, the chief ministers of the State removed him, after the expiration of a month, and unanimously agreed to the sovereignty of his uncle 'Alí bin Mas'úd bin Mahmúd, whom they surnamed Baháu-d daula, and whose reign was extended to nearly two years; at the end of which time, on account of the hostile invasion of 'Abdu-r Rashíd, he fled from Ghaznín.