Account of the Amír Abúl-Abbás-Mámún-Khwarism-Sháh and the Conclusion of his History, and how his Kingdom devolved upon his Son.

When the kingdom of Khwarism came from Mamún to his son Abú-Alí, and the country of Khwarism and Jurján was ceded to him, he took the Sultán’s sister in marriage, and by that affinity became powerful, and the families became one, and this stability was smoothly settled until the end of his life. And when the period of his life was cut short, his brother, Mámún-’bn-Mámún, sat in his room, who sent to the Sultán, and demanded his brother’s wife in marriage, and offered evi­dences of greater purity and sincerity of obedience. The Sultán returned a favourable reply to his request, so that the affairs of those two kingdoms became duly regulated by an interwoven and asso­ciated unity, until the Sultán demanded that, throughout his kingdom, the public-prayer ac­knowledgment should be made and the coinage struck in his name, and sent an ambassador to stir in that matter. He called his chiefs, followers, and principal courtiers, to consult on this affair, who all twisted out their necks from this command, and exhibited averseness, dislike, and disdain thereat, and said, “Whilst your kingdom has endured as it was delivered to you, that is elevated and autocratical, and whilst it remains preserved and indivisible, we gird up the loins of service; but if you choose to become the subject of another’s will, we will draw our swords to resist, and, depriving you, will propose the sovereignty to another.” The messenger returned, and reported directly to the Sultán the words which he had himself heard. But the people of Khwárism afterwards began to think of the consequences of their words and of the wrong which they had done to their Supreme Sovereign, and began to be ter­ribly alarmed at the issue thereof. And the foremost of all was Inaltagin, Commander of the Forces of Mámún. They were engaged in arranging that affair, and, by craft and treachery, they arrived at this conclusion, that one day, unexpectedly, when they went to offer the usual salutations at Court, intelligence of the king’s demise was brought out from within, although they know not how it had occurred, and all the people assembled to inaugurate his son. And they put him in his father’s place; and they knew that the Sultán would enquire into this event, and take vengeance for this offence. They therefore entered into an oath with one another, to oppose the Sultán, and entered upon a covenant of mutual fidelity and support, that if, on the Sultán’s part, there should be any proceedings against them, they would be all one hand in hand, and resolutely answer him. This resolution affected the fortune and the empire of the Sultán, and such a determi­nation nearly concerned the happiness of his life, since, by reason of the opposition of that kingdom, opposition would increase in his own, and other lands be drawn in thereby. The Sultán, therefore, with a perfect army, marched to Khwarism; and Inaltagin made an attack, by night, upon his advanced guard, and Abú-Abdallah-Táí, who was with the advanced guard, stood up to fight with them. Intelligence of this engagement reached the Sultán, who turned towards them with his forces, and from the time of the unfurling the flag of morning until the equalization of the sun (noon) the battle endured. And the Khwárismians firmly kept their footing, in the hope of victory and conquest, not considering that treachery is a collar, on one side of which is transitory shame and on the other eternal fire, and that ingratitude to benefactors is the cause of ruin and punishment, and invokes destruction and misfortune. And when the day began to decline, through the blows of horses and the wounds of elephants an innu­merable multitude of the army lay lifeless upon the plain of that battle-field; the rest took to flight and became dispersed in the midst of the forests, on the shore of the Jihún. Nearly five thousand men were made prisoners. And Inalta­gin (or Nibaltagin) made an effort, if perchance he might pass over the Jihún and save his life, but knew not that to the deceitful the dark path of the narrow valley of treachery blocks up the road of safety, and stops up the means of preservation and the egress of salvation, and that the retribution of evil designers inevitably arrives. For, when he was seated in the boat, a dispute arose with another man for some cause, and he joined in the altercation between them, upon which he seized Inaltágín, and gave him to a sailor, at the prow of the boat, to deliver him up to the army of the Sultán. The Sultán ordered that he and the other prisoners should be presented before him, when he questioned them upon the cause of their heat against their benefactor. And when Inaltagin saw that he could not escape he gave an insolent reply, and the rest of the prisoners threw their heads before him (were reckless and defied him) and returned blush-causing and shameless replies, so that they carried trees opposite the monument of Mámún, and drew (impaled) them all upon trees, and wrote this inscription upon the columns (or cloister) of the monument: “This is the grave of such a one, son of such a one, one of his dependants who rebelled against him, and one of his servants who made his blood flow; but God took by the hand Yamin-Addoulah-wa-Amin-Al Millat, until he obtained vengeance upon them and miserably punished them, an example to all who behold and a sign to all who understand.” As to the other prisoners he tied halters round their necks, and sent them to Ghazna, and retained them in dungeons. After some time he released them all, and sent them, with the other troops in his service, to the regions of Hind. He committed Khwarism to the great Chamberlain Altontásh, that he might follow after the rest of those wicked people, and dig them all up by the root. Thus the land of Khwarism was tranquillized and civilized. Such was the decree of mighty Wisdom.