Sultán Sa'íd Shamsu-d dín sent armies several times from
Dehli, and having conquered the province of Behár he stationed
his officers there. In 622 (1225 A.D.) he invaded Lakhnautí and
Ghiyásu-d dín advanced his boats up the stream to oppose him,
but peace was made between them. Shamsu-d dín accepted thirty-
It was destined from all eternity by the most high and holy God that the country of Hindustan should be placed under the protection of the great king, the light of the world and religion, Sultán Abú-l Muzaffar Altamsh. [The exordium goes on at some length in a similar inflated style of eulogy of the monarch and of Dehli his capital.]
It is related by credible persons that Sultán Shamsu-d dín was chosen by the destiny of Providence in his early age from the tribes of Albarí* in Turkistan for the sovereignty of Islám and of the dominions of Hindustan. His father, whose name was Yalam Khán, had numerous dependents, relatives, and followers in his employ. The future monarch was from his childhood remarkable for beauty, intelligence, and grace, such as excited jealousy in the hearts of his brothers, so they enticed him away from his father and mother with the pretence of going to see a drove of horses. His case was like that of Joseph: “They said, father, why dost thou not trust Joseph with us, for we are sincere friends to him? Send him with us in the morning, that he may amuse himself and sport, and we will take care of him.” When they brought him to the drove of horses, they sold him to the dealer. Some say that his sellers were his cousins. The horse-dealers took him to Bukhárá, and sold him to one of the relations of the chief judge of that city. For some time he remained with that great and noble family, the chiefs of which nourished and educated him like a son.
A credible person has related, that he heard in the gracious words of the king himself, that on a certain occasion one of the members of the family gave him a piece of money and ordered him to go to the bázár and buy some grapes. He went to the bázár, and on the way lost the piece of money. Being of tender age, he began to cry for fear; and while he was weeping and crying, a fakír came to him, took his hand, purchased some grapes, and gave them to him, saying: “When you obtain wealth and dominion, take care that you show respect to fakírs and pious men, and maintain their rights.” He gave his promise to the fakír, and whatever fortune and power he obtained he always ascribed to the favour shewn him by that fakír. It is firmly believed that no king so benevolent, so sympathising, and so respectful to the learned and to elders as he was, ever rose by his native energy to the cradle of empire.
From that noble and distinguished family, he was purchased by a merchant whose name was Hájí Bukhárí, and he sold him to another merchant named Jamálu-d dín Chast Kabá, who brought him to Ghazní. No Turk equal to him in beauty, virtue, intelligence, and nobleness, had at that time been brought to that city. Mention of him was made before his majesty Sultán Mu'izzu-d dín Muhammad Sám, who ordered that a price should be named for him. He was coupled with another Turk named Aibak, and a thousand dínárs in refined gold was fixed as the price of each, but Jamálu-d dín Chast Kabá demurred to sell him for this price, so the Sultán gave orders that nobody should purchase him. After this, Jamálu-d dín Chast Kabá stayed one year in Ghazní, and then went to Bukhárá, carrying the future Sultán with him. After staying there three years, he again brought him back to Ghazní; but no one, for fear of the king's orders, ventured to purchase. He had been there one year, when Kutbu-d dín* returned to Ghaznín with Malik Nasíru-d dín Husain, after the invasion of Nahrwálá and the conquest of Guzerát. He heard an account of Shamsu-d dín, and asked the permission of Sultán Mu'izzu-d dín to purchase him. The Sultán said that orders had been passed that he should not be purchased in Ghazní, but he might take him to Dehli and buy him there. Kutbu-d dín consigned to Nizámu-d dín Muhammad the management of the business, and ordered him to take Jamálu-d dín Chast Kabá with him to Hindustán that he might purchase Shamsu-d dín there. According to these directions, Nizámu-d dín brought them to Dehli, and Kutbu-d dín purchased him and the other slave for one lac of chítals. The other slave was a Turk, whose name was Aibak, but this was changed to Tamgháj,* and he became chief of Tabarhindh. He was slain in the battle fought between Táju-d dín Yalduz and Kutbu-d dín. Altamsh was made chief of the guards. Kutbu-d dín called him his son and kept him near his person. His rank and honour increased every day. Marks of intelligence were evident in all his actions, so he was elevated to the rank of Amír-shikár (chief huntsman). When Gwálior was taken he became amír of that place. After that he obtained the district and town of Baran and its dependencies. Some time after this, when the proofs of his energy, bravery, and heroism were fully displayed, and had been witnessed by Kutbu-d dín, the country of Badáún was entrusted to him. When Sultán Mu'izzu-d dín Muhammad Sám returned from Khwárizm, after being defeated in the battle of Andkhod by the armies of Khítá, the Kokhar (Gakkar) tribes broke out in rebellion, and the Sultán marched against them from Ghazní. Kutbu-d dín, according to his orders, brought up an army from Hindustán, and Shamsu-d dín accompanied him with the forces of Badáún. In the height of the battle, Shamsu-d dín rode into the stream of the Jailam, where that wretched rabble had taken refuge, and exhibited great bravery, galling the enemy so with his arrows that he overcame their resistance, and sent them from the tops of the waves into the depths of hell: “they drowned and entered the fires.”
The Sultán in the midst of the battle observed his feats of daring and courage, and enquired who he was. When his majesty was enlightened upon this point he called him into his presence and honoured him with especial notice. Kutbu-d dín was ordered to treat Altamsh well, as he was destined for great works. His majesty then ordered the deed of his freedom to be written out and graciously granted him his liberty.
When Sultán Kutbu-d dín expired at Lahore,*
the commander-