Indian Antiquary Vol 14

SR No.: 032506
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 418
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

Page 104

86
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1885.
their horses' bridles to their girdles. The him, and marched away towards the mountains Mongols first attacked his right wing, which was of Karmân and Sankuran." D'Ohsson says to well supported by the centre and the left, and PeshAwar. He adds that Saifu'd-din was accomthey had to retire. Saccessive charges cost the panied in his defection by 'Âzam Malik with lives of many men without much affecting the his Ghûrians." This was a serious blow to the result, and towards night each army withdrew to Sultân. its camp. Meanwhile, to mislead his opponents After the capture of Talikan Chinghiz into the notion that he had received reinforce- summered his cavalry in the adjoining mounments, the Mongol general mounted a number tains." The Yuan-shi says that after he had of manikins or puppets, made of felt, etc., taken the city, to avoid the great heat of summer, upon spare camels and horses, and planted them he pitched his camp close by. behind his men. The Sultân's generals were We now come to a great difficulty. Some misled by the mancavre, and wished to retire. of the authorities tell us that on hearing of the He would not hear of this, however, but as on disaster to his people he at once set out for the day before, ordered them to fight on foot. Ghazni, stopping en route to take the fortress of The Mongols this time assailed the left wing, Kerduan, which was destroyed with all its but being met by a volley of arrows, withdrew' people. Erdmann calls this place Kerzewan, again. Having rallied, they renewed the charge and says it capitulated after a month's siege. and 500 of their opponents perished. The Sultån Miles says it was Indarab, i.e., Andarab." then sounded the great trumpet for a charge, Mirkhond apparently says that leaving his and his men remounted and extended out, so as heavy baggage at Baqlan, Chinghiz advanced to enclose the enemy. Kutuku had ordered his upon Bâmiyân by way of Andarab." The men not to lose sight of the tuk or Imperial Jahan-kúshái distinctly makes Bâmiyân the standard, but on noticing these tactics they next point to which Chinghiz directed his could not be restrained and broke, and as the march, but Båmiyan is not only not on the plain was much broken by gullies where their route to Parwan nor even near it, but it is horses stumbled, they fell victims to the better- & very roundabout way to get thither by mounted soldiers of the Sultan, and the greater Andarab. Major Raverty has suggested that part of them perished." According to De la Båmiyân may be a mistake for Walian," and it Croix, Jalálu'd-din reproached the Mongol is certainly consonant with Chinghiz Khan's prisoners he captured with their cruelties, and policy that he should have punished that place drove nails into their ears to revenge the after his men had suffered defeat there. sufferings of his people.
Whether it was Bå miyan or Walian, we are When Chinghiz Khân heard of the disaster told that he laid siege to the place, and met with which had overwhelmed his men he concealed a firm resistance. He built a large mound of his anger, and contented himself with remindedrth, on which he planted his wooden battering Katuku that he had been too accustomed ing engines, which he covered with the wet to victory, and that he should profit by this skins of cows and horses to prevent them from severe lesson. He had a great affection for being fired by the enemy, but the town still him.
held out, and the Mongols' store of ammunition The fruits of the victory were lost to Jalalu'd. began to get exhausted. During the siege din by the disputes which arose among his Muatugan, the son of Jagatai, was killed by subordinates, Amin Malik and Saifu'd-din, who, an arrow from the walls, and Chinghiz was having quarrelled about an Arab horse, part determined to be bitterly revenged, and having of the booty secured in the recent fight, the animated his soldiers to renewed efforts he at former struck the latter over the head with & length captured the town. Every living creawhip. The Sultan did not interfere, as he ture, man and beast, was destroyed, the mother doubted whether the Kankalis would submit to of Muatagan entering the town with the soldiery any decision. Saifu'd-din accordingly left superintended the hecatomb. The buildings * D'Ohsson, Vol. I. pp. 301 and 303.
» D'Ohsson, Vol. I. p. 294; Erdmann, p. 193; Shajrat. * Op. cit., p. 910. $Tabakat-i-Naștri, p. 290 note. | ul-Atrak, p. 173.
Op. cit., vol. I. p. 808.D'Ohsson, Vol. I. p. 294. Tabakat-i-Nasiri, pp. 291 and 1019 notes ** Bretschneider, Notices, &c., p. 62.
91 Op. cit., p. 290, note.