When Baidoo Khan heard of the death of Gunjatoo Khan, he immediately proceeded to Tubreez, and ordered some of the ameers, whom he suspected of disaffection, to be put to death; and on the 8th of Jumadi-il-Avul 694, he ascended the throne in the town of Oojan. He then constituted Togachar, his ameer ul-omra, being mainly indebted to him for his exaltation to the throne, and appointed Jumal-ud-deen Dusunjurwani, his vuzeer.
When the death of Gunjatoo Khan, and the succession of Baidoo Khan became known, Prince Ghazan, the son of Arghoon Khan, the son of Abukai Khan, who had remained governor of Khorasan from the time of his father’s reign to that period, assembled an army, and marched to oppose Baidoo Khan. Baidoo also prepared to repel his invasion, and the contending armies having met, a great battle was fought between them, but it appears with no decided effect, as the chiefs on both sides made an agreement, that the princes should meet in front of both armies, each attended by ten horsemen; and having accordingly met and dismounted, they, after some conversation, finally settled, that the countries of Irak Arabia, Diarbukur, Azurbijan, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, and Room, should be considered the share of Baidoo Khan; and that Prince Ghazan should possess the countries of Irak Ajum, Fars, Khorasan, Khoristan, and Looristan. A treaty was made to this effect, and Prince Ghazan returned towards Awindkoh, where on his arrival he became dissatisfied, and ashamed of the treaty, and returned thence to Khorasan, determined to try his fortune in battle once more: in consequence of his resolution he now took counsel of Ameer Nowroze Ghazi, the commander of his forces.—This chief was the son of Ameer Arghoon Agha Awirat, who, in the time of the sons or grandsons of Chungeez Khan, was thirty years governor of Khorasan. Ameer Nowroze, after the death of his father, entered the service of Arghoon Khan, the son of Abukai Khan, and when Ameer Booka, although a very worthy and powerful man, was put to death on some pretence by Arghoon Khan, Ameer Nowroze fled to the east country, where, as he was a Mussulman, he drew the sword of the faith, and put to death multitudes of the infidels of that part of the country; for a long time also he made war on Prince Ghazan, but in the year 694 he made peace with him, and was received into his service, and made sipahsalar, or commander in chief of his forces. But to return to our narrative. Prince Ghazun repenting of his treaty with Baidoo Khan, determined to try to recover from him the provinces of Irak Arabia and Azurbijan; and, therefore, consulted with Ameer Nowroze on the best mode of attaining his object. Ameer Nowroze Ghazi in reply to his questions said, I will engage to place you on the throne of the Khans, and that Baidoo Khan shall be deposed; but, on this condition only, that you abjure idolatry, and adopt the religion of the last prophet Mahummud, who is the extirpator of all other religions. God in his great goodness opened the heart of Prince Ghazan to conviction, and he immediately accepted these terms; and in the town of Feeroze Koh, which is situated between Oobeh and Gurjistan, he repeated the Kulima, or the profession of faith in the unity of God; and it is said, that on that very day some thousands of infidels were converted from vice and folly to the knowledge of the grace of God: the house of Islam, which in that country had previously become weak and ruinous, by the conversion of Prince Ghazan, was propped and supported. In commemoration of this event, Nowroze Agha raised a pillar of white marble on the spot, which is on the road between Oobeh and Gurjistan, or Georgia; and this stone is to this day called Meer Nowroze’s pillar.
After prince Ghazan had become a Mussulman, he raised an army and marched to Azurbijan and encamped at Rai, whence he despatched an eloquent ambassador to Baidoo Khan, to demand the murderers of his uncle Gunjatoo Khan. The ambassador, however, returned without accomplishing his mission, and Ghazan Khan then, openly aided by Ameer Nowroze, commenced to make war on Baidoo. Baidoo Khan also was not backward in preparing to oppose him, and their armies soon approached each other; kurauwuls or advance parties (which are called yuzuk in Persian) having met, a battle between them ensued, and those of Baidoo were defeated. Ghazan, notwithstanding their success, still made as if he were desirous of peace, and sent messengers twice to Baidoo, to state in a friendly manner, that the battle between the light troops had been fought without his knowledge, and that the request for the surrender of the murderers of Gunjatoo Khan was not made from motives of enmity, but from a desire that justice should be done; that it was imperative on kings to punish the ingratitude of servants who had treacherously murdered their lord and master, however long their punishment might be delayed, that their example might deter others from the like treason; that Gunjatoo Khan was his uncle, but that he was also Baidoo’s cousin. Baidoo also returned an answer in a friendly style, and it was agreed that the two princes should meet in friendship,* and that they should settle their differences without the intervention of any other person. On the appointed day, therefore, the two kings accompanied by their troops approached each other, and each, followed by a few horse, met in the centre of their armies, and after the usual compliments and salutations, Prince Ghazan demanded he should possess the country of Anjo Fars, and Irak, which had formerly belonged to Arghoon Khan. Baidoo Khan very liberally granted his request, and the princes then agreed to meet at an entertainment the next day, and after that return to their respective countries. Baidoo Khan and his ameers made this engagement, with an intention to put Ghazan to death next day at the entertainment, during a display of fireworks. When the two kings returned to their tents, Ghazan began to suspect that he was in danger, and being aware of the treachery of the infidels, he immediately marched towards Khorasan. The next day, when Baidoo learned his departure, he was extremely grieved at it; and Prince Ghazan also, in apology, despatched a messenger to him to say, that he had placed the utmost confidence in his elder brother, Baidoo Khan, but that as he was aware his, Baidoo’s, ameers entertained treacherous designs, he had been obliged to quit him, without leave, and return to Khorasan. Baidoo Khan, on his part, openly made many professions of kindness and friendship, and gave an order that Mullik Islaum Jumal-ud-deen should deliver up the province of Anjo Fars to Prince Ghazan, with the exception of the revenues realized. The servants of Prince Ghazan having carried this order to Fars, Jumal-ud-deen produced another order forbidding the surrender of the province, and the servants of Prince Ghazan were obliged to return. About this time Ameer Nowroze went to Baidoo Khan as an ambassador, but, in reality, to enquire into the state of the provinces of Azurbijan and Irak Arabia, and to see how the ameers of that part of the country were affected towards Baidoo; he, accordingly, on his arrival there, entered into a secret agreement with Ameer Togachar, that they should in concert depose Baidoo Khan and raise Prince Ghazan to the throne. Baidoo Khan detained Ameer Nowroze several days, but the latter having sworn that, if he were released, he would proceed to Khorasan and deliver up Ghazan to Baidoo, he was at length allowed to depart. After Nowroze had arrived in Khorasan, as a mode of fulfilling his engagement to Baidoo, he sent him a large copper vessel, which in Persian is called a kazan;* Baidoo and his ameers were astonished at his deceit, and were afterwards much ashamed of their folly in dismissing Nowroze. About this time, Ghazan Khan’s intention being to march towards Azurbijan, Khwajeh Suddur-uddeen Zunjani joined him in Subzwar, and disclosed the sentiments of regard entertained towards him by the ameers of Baidoo Khan. On the 1st Zikad 694, Ghazan Khan, with a well-appointed army, commenced his march, and appointed Meer Nowroze with Suddur Jehan, Khwajeh Ahmud Khalidi, and others, to command the advanced-guard of his troops, which is called by the Moghools buroonghar, and after despatching them, marched towards Azurbijan. When Ameer Nowroze had, by forced marches, arrived at a village two stages from the camp of Baidoo Khan, Ameer Togachar, and Ameer Choban Suldooz, with other ameers of Irak, hearing of the arrival of Ameer Nowroze, immediately proceeded to the camp of Ghazan Khan; but it is said, that the first who joined the camp of Ghazan was Ameer Choban Suldooz.
When Baidoo Khan became aware of the defection of these ameers he lost all confidence, and retreated, and Ameer Nowroze was despatched in pursuit of him, and having overtaken him near Nukhchiwan, he seized him and brought him to Tubreez, where he was put to death; he reigned only eight months.