YUNUS AND THE MOGHUL ULUS ENTER TÁSHKAND; PEACE IS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN SULTÁN AHMAD MIRZÁ AND OMAR SHAIKH MIRZÁ AND SULTÁN MAHMUD KHÁN.

THE story of the quarrels and contests that arose between the two brothers, Omar Shaikh Mirzá and Sultán Ahmad Mirzá, is a long one, and has no place in this history; it has however been given in detail in the history of Mir Khwánd. But it is, nevertheless, necessary to mention in this book, that on the death of Shaikh Jamál Khar, Táshkand passed into the [power and] jurisdiction of Omar Shaikh Mirzá, as did also Sháhrukhia, which has a fortified castle [kalah]. Mirzá Sultán Ahmad became an enemy to Omar Shaikh Mirzá on the subject of these two places, and a fierce dispute arose between them. When the hostility of Mirzá Sultán Ahmad was directed against Táshkand, Omar Shaikh Mirzá desired the Khán [to come and help him] in Táshkand.

The same year that the Khán had left Ush and had given it over to Muhammad Haidar Mirzá, Omar Shaikh Mirzá, after the arrival of the Khán, dismissed Muhammad Haidar Mirzá, who went to Káshghar, where he was thrown into prison. The Khán was then in Moghulistán. When autumn [tirmáh]* set in and the hostility of Mirzá Sultán Ahmad was directed against Táshkand, Omar Shaikh Mirzá invited the Khán to [come and help him in] Táshkand. He gave Sairám to the Khán. In the same way that he had given him Ush out of Andiján, so he gave him Sairám out of Táshkand. When the Khán turned towards Sairám, the Moghuls, who could not on any terms put up with towns and cultivated lands, having led astray the Khán's younger son, Sultán Ahmad Khán, fled back to Moghulistán. The Khán did not follow them, for in the family of the Moghul Khákáns there remained no rivals [of the Khán] who were worth con­sidering. So he let the people go back to Moghulistán, while he himself went on to Sairám and there passed the winter.

The Khán also sent his elder son, Sultán Mahmud Khán, against Sultán Ahmad Mirzá, with 30,000 men. From the side of Farghána came Omar Shaikh Mirzá, with an army 15,000 strong. These three armies neared each other, and a desperate conflict was about to ensue, when the news of what was passing reached his Holiness Násiruddin Ubaidullah (may God bless his hidden soul). He at once set out, sending a person in advance to announce that he was coming. When the tidings reached the three Sultáns, they all halted where they were. When his Holiness arrived, he alighted in the camp of Sultán Ahmad Mirzá, and sent messengers to the Khán and to Omar Shaikh Mirzá, begging them to make peace. No one could resist the entreaties of the blessed mind of his Holiness. Such was his spiritual and moral influence, that he calmed these three Pádisháhs, who had each come for some object of his own, with an army in fighting order, and caused them to sit together on one carpet [zalicha],* while he sat in their midst and dictated to them conditions of peace, to which they assented. Táshkand was to be made over to Yunus Khán. The two brothers who disputed with each other the possession of Táshkand, were to give up their dispute and concede the place to the Khán.

His Holiness Mauláná and Sayyid Ná Mahdumi Mauláná Muhammad Kázi (upon whom be mercy and forgiveness) has written in the appendix [zail] to his “Salsalat ul Arifin,” that this occurrence is among the miracles of his Holiness [i.e. of Násiruddin Ubaidullah]. It is related there: “the meeting was so solemn that, in the intensity of my emotion [dahasht] I overturned the table-cloth [dastár khwán]; when the meeting was terminated his Holiness said: ‘It is well, I must now retire, for I am an old man and can only bear a certain amount of fatigue.’

“The three kings returned, each one, to his own army. His Holiness departed in the direction of the river of Khojand and performed his ablutions [vazu] at the waterside. Turning to me he said: ‘Mauláná Muhammad can write an account of my deed.’ His Holiness the Mauláná says that this was his reason for under­taking the composition of his book—the Salsalat ul Arifin.

“In short, Sultán Ahmad Mirzá repaired to Samarkand, Omar Shaikh Mirzá to Farghána, and Sultán Mahmud Khán to Táshkand. Yunus Khán also went to Táshkand, and his Holiness, following him, met him again there. I [Muhammad Kázi] have heard from my uncle, that one day in the assembly of his Holiness [Násiruddin Ubaidullah] the conversation turned upon Sultán Mahmud Khán, and one of those present said: ‘It is strange how proud this prince is of his own grandeur.’ His Holiness replied: ‘Proud as the Pádisháh may be, I will make him fill his skirt with earth [khák]; glory and grandeur belong to God alone. Hence how can even Sultán Mahmud Khán be proud.’ It chanced that at that very moment the Khán came to pay his respects to his Holiness. It was prayer time, and his Holiness had risen for prayer. When prayers were about to begin, a censer was noticed in which were some embers. His Holiness said: ‘Embers and censers, while prayer is proceeding, are abhorrent. Therefore the fire must be extinguished with some earth.’ In spite of the number of people present, the Khán sprang up and, going outside, filled his skirt with earth, which having brought in, he sprinkled on the fire; this he repeated several times, until the fire was extinguished. And he begged of those present that they would allow him to perform, quite alone, this service of fetching the earth. After the Khán's departure all the companions of his Holiness expressed great wonder.”

This peace and meeting of the Kháns in Táshkand took place in 890. His Holiness remained for a while in Táshkand and then returned to Samarkand. It was the practice of all the princes of that time, to employ one of the disciples of his Holiness as a medium of communication with him. Sultán Mahmud Khán employed for this purpose Mauláná Kázi. About this matter I have heard many anecdotes, which, please God, I will give in their proper place.