________________
OCTOBER, 1884.]
furtively escaped, and in order to gain his purpose had recourse to craft. He ordered a man from Nakhsheb whom he had with him to sound the summons to prayers. Those who obeyed were immediately killed. The pitiless hunting down of the inhabitants continued for forty-one days." Major Raverty says "but twelve persons, some say only four and no more, were left alive in Merv, and these, according to the Rauzat u's Safa, were Hindus."
CHINGHIZ KHAN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
But the situation was much too important and attractive to be deserted so long as there were people within access, and we are told that many who had fled to the deserts and otherwise concealed themselves returned on the withdrawal of the Mongols, over whom a prince Arslan took command. A band of predatory robbers, 10,000 strong, thus gathered round him, with whom he made attacks upon Merv-u'r-Rud, Talikan, etc., and plundered the Mongols of cattle and horses. His authority lasted for six months. From another side the Turkoman Hus Nesa made an attack upon Merv, where Basrah was then administrator. The latter was driven away, and was killed. Kharaja marched to the relief of Merv with 1000 men from Talikan, and having appeared there unexpectedly slew all he could lay his hands upon, and the work was completed by a large army of Afghans and men from Ghazni, who soon after arrived under Khutkhu." The beautiful and prosperous city was now overwhelmed, and it remained desolate until the year 812 hij., when Shah Rukh, the son of the great Timur, ordered it to be rebuilt. 5
59
Let us now revert to Tului. After the capture of Merv, he set out for Nishapur to revenge himself for the death of his brother-inlaw, Tugachar. Nishapur was one of the most famous cities of Asia. Its name means city of Sapor, and during the Sassanian dynasty it was the capital of Khorasan, and was emphatically called Iran. It had been destroyed twice in less than a century. In 1153 by the Oghuz Turks who revolted against Sulțân Sanjar, and in 1208 by an earthquake, but it had risen from its ruins and was a very prosperous and populous place, now prepared for a vigorous resistance, being well fortified, while its walls were lined with 3,000 balistas and
"Erdmann, pp. 416 and 418; Tabakat-i-Nasiri, p. 1034
note.
301
500 catapults. The Mongols on their side also made very extensive preparations. They proceeded to lay waste the province of which Nishapur was the capital, and brought up a great siege train. They had with them 3,000 balistas and 300 catapults, 700 machines for throwing naphtha, 4,000 ladders, and 2,500 loads of stones. These they had brought with them for some distance, although the surrounding mountains furnished an ample supply. The preparations cowed the defenders, and they sent the chief judge of the province, Rukn-u'd-dîn Ali ibn Ibrahim Almoghni, with some notables, and bearing rich presents, offering to pay an annual tribute if the place were spared, but Tului refused any terms, and detained the chief judge. The next day he made the tour of the fortifications, encouraging his men to fight bravely. The assault was given simultaneously from all sides on the 7th of April 1221, the struggle lasted all day and the following night when, the ditches being filled and the walls breached in seventy places, the place was stormed, the attack being especially pressed at the so-called Camel-driver's Gate and the Kharakhusian bastion. The Mongols speedily drove the defenders from the walls, and they now proceeded to an indiscriminate slaughter. Every living thing that was found was put to death, even the cats and dogs. Tugachar's widow headed a tuman or 10,000 men in the bloody work of slaughter, and among their notable victims was Mujir-ul-Mulk, who reviled them bitterly, and was put to death in an ignominious fashion. The carnage lasted for four days, and as Talui had heard that at Merv some people had escaped by hiding among the dead he ordered the heads of the corpses to be cut off, and separate pyramids to be formed of men's, women's, and children's heads. Four hundred artizans were spared, and sent to the far east where, Raverty says, their descendants were still living in Timur's days. Those who hid in the ground were sought out by troops specially left to complete the work. "The walls, towers, and all the buildings of Nishapur were thrown down, and for seven days and nights the water of the neighbouring river, which had been dammed up for the purpose was made to run over it so as to sap what
Erdmann, pp. 417 and 418. Tabakat-i-Nasiri; pp. 1033 note.
