________________
August, 1884.)
OHINGHIZ KHÅN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
217
Abulfaraj says they also made a number of price of 200,000 dinars. Two of the grandees prisoners, whom they took back with them into of Samarkand, Tseketu-ul-Mulk and Amir the city and cruelly crucified. The next day Umid Büzürg, were appointed to govern the Chinghiz Khân drew his men close up to the city. A portion of the light troops Chinghiz walls, mounted his horse, and blew the great took with him, while he sent another section to trumpet, and the catapults and other batter- his sons in Khuârezm. The elepbants, we are ing engines played merrily on the place. The told, were ordered by Chinghiz Khân to be besieged now lost heart, and on the third day let loose in the fields, and there perished of the Kadhi, the Sheikh-ul-Islam, and some hunger.' The slaughter of the Kankalis and of the chief ecclesiastics went out and were well the drafting off of so many young men, few received by Chinghiz, who offered them safety of whom returned, caused a terrible gap in for themselves and their dependents. They the population and resources of Samarkand. thereupon returned into the city, and opened The former act was probably prompted parthe so-called Prayer Gate, The Mongols thentially by a dread of the turbulence of these proceeded to overthrow the walls, and to drive mercenaries, and partially by revenge upon the out into the open fields the inhabitants, except subjects of Ghair Khan, who had so grievously the dependents of the Kadhi and the Sheikh-ul- wronged him. Ghair Khân was taken to Islâm, who are said to have numbered 50,000 !!! Samarkand, and it was there, in the Kok They entered and proceeded to plunder the Serai, or blue palace, that he was executed. place, and to kill those whom they met with The Yuan-ch'ao-pi-shi does not mention the there. They then invested the citadel. Mean- capture of Samarkand. In the Yuan-shi we while one of the Turkish generals, Alba Khân, merely read that in the fifth month of 1220 called Karas Albi the Arslau Khân by Raverty, Chinghiz Khân captured Sün-sze-kan." The finding himself hard pressed, put himself Kang-mu says that it was the beginning of 1221 at the head of 1,000 horsemen, broke through when he took Sie-mis-sé-kan." The Huang-yuan the Mongol lines, and rejoined his master, the says the same. The Yuan-ski-lei-pen is the only Khuârezm Shah. The rest of the garrison still Chinese authority available to us which gives held out, and the Mongols pressed the attack any details of the capture of Samarkand, with vigour, They at length forced the walls, which it dates in the fifth month of 1220. It and entered the fortress. 1,000 of the defenders adds that Pita, the son of Yeliu Liuko, the took refuge in a mosque, where they were as- king of Liau-tung, was dangerously wounded in sailed with stink pots and showers of weapons. the attack upon the town, where he greatly It was fired, and its garrison captured." The distinguished himself, as did his relative Yelia prisoners were now sorted, the Persians being Kohay." Juchi, Chinghiz Khân's eldest son, separated from the Kankalis, the latter were had advanced almost alone against a body of ordered to adopt the Mongol dress, to partially Muhammadans, when Pitu, who was already Bhave their heads, and to wear the Mongol wounded, seeing the prince in danger of being pigtail. Having been lulled into security they captured and killed, made a special effort, were slaughtered to the number of 30,000, rushed to his rescue, and althongh surroundwith their leaders Barsamas Khân, Tughai ed they cut their way out and rejoined the Khan, Sarsigh Khân, and Ulagh Khân, together army." From the account of the travels of with twenty other of the superior officers of Ch'ang Ch'un which we shall presently turn to, the Khuárezm Shah, Chinghiz then separated it would seem that the general superintendence 30,000 handicraftsmen, whom he assigned as of Samarkand after its capture was made over slaves or servants to the different members of to the famous Yelia Chatsai, whom we have his family. 30,000 other men he made into previously named. Perhaps Abulfaraj refers light troops, while the rest of the inhabitants to him under the corrupt name of Taiephor the were allowed to ransom their lives at the prefect, vide supra. Let us now turn once more 10 Chron. Syr., p. 487.
two grandees of Samarkand, and Taiephor the prefect, 11 Erdmann, p. 386.
op. cit. p. 292 1 Erdmann, op. cit., pp. 386, 387; D'Ohason, vol. I, 15 Bretachneider, Notices, etc., p. 60. pp. 234, 239; Petit de la Croix, pp. 219-227. Abulfaraj 1. De Mailla, tome IX, p. 96. in his Arabic Chronicle says the government of the city
* Bretachneider, Noticos, etc., . 19Gaabil. 44 assigned to Thekat-ol-Mollrai and Al Amir Amid, Yelia Chutei.
36
