When the army of Malik Fíroz witnessed these transactions from the opposite bank, they were greatly excited, and to appease them 'Aláu-d dín distributed gold amongst the nobles and officers and thus gained their goodwill. Everyone felt himself compelled to proffer his allegiance, so they all returned to Dehli in company with him, and in the month of Zí-l ka'da 695 H. he arrived at the palace.
The garrison of the fort refused to open the gates, upon which 'Aláu-d dín placed bags filled with gold in his mangonels and discharged them into the fort, which had the effect of persuading them to abandon their resistance.
Two sons of Malik Fíroz, Kadar Khán and Arkalí Khán, who were at Múltán, were brought to Dehli and deprived of their eyes. So it is, that in this world the wise are depressed and the unworthy raised to honour and prosperity.
Sultán 'Aláu-d dín then ascended the throne in perfect security, and protected all the provinces of the empire by his great power. Towards the beginning of his reign, Prince Katlagh Khwája, son of Dúá,* advanced with a large army, like drops of rain, towards Dehli, in order to conquer, massacre, and plunder. Sultán 'Aláu-d dín advanced against him at the head of a large army for the purpose of carrying on a holy war, actuated by pure faith, sincere intentions, the hope of resurrection, and the determination to bring destruction on the infidels. Without placing his troops in array, he attacked the enemy, and put many to the sword; and the remnant, in sorrow, loss, and disappointment, returned to their native country. Pardon go with them!
The rest of the transactions of 'Aláu-d dín's reign shall be recorded in their proper place for the information of my readers. Praise be to God, who hath poured his blessings upon the good, and from whose worship advantages are derived!
When Sultán 'Aláu-d dín, the Sultán of Dehli, was well established in the centre of his dominion, and had cut off the heads of his enemies and slain them, and had imparted rest to his subjects from the fountain of his kindness and justice, the vein of the zeal of religion beat high for the subjection of infidelity and destruction of idols, and in the month of Zí'l-hijja 698 H. (1298 A D.) his brother Malik Mu'izzu-d dín* and Nusrat Khán, the chief pillar of the state and the leader of his armies, a generous and intelligent warrior, were sent to Kambáyat, the most celebrated of the cities of Hind in population and wealth. Its air is pure, its water clear, and the circumjacent country beautiful and charming both in scenery and buildings. With a view to holy war, and not for the lust of conquest, he enlisted under their banners about 14,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry, which, in their language, are called dakk.”*
They went by daily marches through the hills, from stage to stage, and when they arrived at their destination at early dawn they surrounded Kambáyat, and the idolaters were awakened from their sleepy state of carelessness and were taken by surprise, not knowing where to go, and mothers forgot their children and dropped them from their embrace. The Muhammadan forces began to “kill and slaughter on the right and on the left unmercifully, throughout the impure land, for the sake of Islám,” and blood flowed in torrents. They plundered gold and silver to an extent greater than can be conceived, and an immense number of brilliant precious stones, such as pearls, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds, etc., as well as a great variety of cloths, both silk and cotton, stamped, embroidered, and coloured.
They took captive a great number of handsome and elegant maidens, amounting to 20,000, and children of both sexes, “more than the pen can enumerate,” and thirteen enormous elephants, whose motions would put the earth in tremor.” In short, the Muhammadan army brought the country to utter ruin, and destroyed the lives of the inhabitants, and plundered the cities, and captured their offspring, so that many temples were deserted and the idols were broken and trodden under foot, the largest of which was one called Somnát, fixed upon stone, polished like a mirror, of charming shape and admirable workmanship. It stood seven yards high. Its position was such as if it was about to move, and its expression such as if it was about to speak. If the introducer of idolatry were to look on it he would become enamoured of its beauty. The infidels objected to people going near it. Its head was adorned with a crown set with gold and rubies and pearls and other precious stones, so that it was impossible for the eyes to trace the redness of the gold on account of the excessive lustre of the jewels, and a necklace of large shining pearls, like the belt of Orion, depended from the shoulder towards the side of the body.
The Muhammadan soldiers plundered all those jewels and rapidly set themselves to demolish the idol. The surviving infidels were deeply affected with grief, and they engaged “to pay a thousand thousand pieces of gold” as a ransom for the idol, but they were indignantly rejected, and the idol was destroyed, and “its limbs, which were anointed with ambergris and perfumed, were cut off. The fragments were conveyed to Dehli, and the entrance of the Jámi' Masjid was paved with them, that people might remember and talk of this brilliant victory.” “Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. Amen!”
After some time, among the ruins of the temples, a most beautiful jasper-coloured stone was discovered, on which one of the merchants had designed some beautiful figures of fighting men and other ornamental figures of globes, lamps, etc., and on the margin of it were sculptured verses from the Kurán. This stone was sent as an offering to the shrine of the pole of saints, Shaikh Murshid Abú Is'hák Ibráhím bin Shahriár. At that time they were building a lofty octagonal dome to the tomb. The stone was placed at the right of the entrance. “At this time, that is, in the year 707 H. (1307 A.D.), 'Aláu-d dín is the acknowledged Sultán of this country. On all its borders there are infidels, whom it is his duty to attack in the prosecution of a holy war, and return laden with countless booty.”
When Sultán Úljáítú was fully established upon the throne, Shaikhu-l Islám Jamálu-d dín, towards the close of the year 703 H. (1303 A.D.), came to the court of the Protector of the world, and was received with distinguished honours and kindness. He was nominated to the government of Fárs, but declined the appointment, and returned to his independent principality of Kais.
In the beginning of this year, the Malik-i 'Azam, Margrave of Hind, Takíu-d dín 'Abdu-r rahmánu-t Tíbí, who was endowed with great power and dignity, departed from the country of Hind to the passage (ma'bar) of corruption.* The king of Ma'bar was anxious to obtain his property and wealth, but Malik Mu'azzam Siráju-d dín, son of the deceased, having secured his goodwill by the payment of two hundred thousand dínárs, not only obtained the wealth, but the rank also of his father.
Malik Mu'azzam Fakhru-d dín Ahmad and Búká Elchí were, by order of the just king, Gházán, appointed, in the year 697 H., as ambassadors to Tímúr Káán,* with presents of cloths, jewels, costly garments, and hunting leopards, worthy of his royal acceptance, and ten túmáns (one hundred thousand pieces) of gold were given to him from the chief treasury, to be employed as capital in trade. Fakhru-d dín laid in a supply of necessaries for his voyage by ships and junks, and laded them with his own merchandize and immense jewels and pearls, and other commodities suited to Tímúr Khán's country, belonging to his friends and relations, and to Shaikh-l Islám Jamálu-d dín. He was accompanied on the voyage by an army of expert archers, Turkí and Persian.