The Mulfuzāt Timūry

Livro V - Commencement Of The History, Capítulo XXV

Upon my arrival at Kesh, I sent orders to my son Muhammed Jehangyr to leave Makhān, and bring all my family with him to Kesh: I soon after received a letter from Amyr Hussyn, informing me that the Princes of Badukhshān had raised the standard of rebellion, and that it was incumbent on him to proceed against them. I immediately wrote and sent him an answer, wishing him success, I then took up my abode, and enjoyed myself for some time in the city of Kesh.

At length I received information that Melk Hussyn, the (Valy) ruler of Herat, had invaded the territory of Balkh, and plundered the inhabitants of the country. I therefore placed my foot in the stirrup, and having crossed the river at Termuz, I made forced marches, and having come up with the marauders, took from them all their plunder, and restored it to the owners, and wrote to Amyr Hussyn all the particulars: he immediately requested that I would proceed to his assistance in Badukhshān.

Having restored all the plunder to the people of Balkh, I set out for Badukhshān; but when I arrived at Kundez, the Princes having made their apologies to Amyr Hussyn, he was on his return home, and we met at Kundez; we embraced each other on horseback, we thence proceeded to the plain of Askemush, where we encamped; I entered his tent, and all the jealousy and enmity which had existed in our minds during our separation, was entirely removed.

Soon after this time, Amyr Hussyn was informed that Ak Bughā and Pulād Bughā having strengthened the fortress of Cabūl, had raised the standard of rebellion; on receipt of this intelligence, he came to my tent, and entreated that I would accompany him to Cabūl, and that he would divide that country in a brotherly manner with me, and he wrote with his own hand the following agreement; “if it shall please God that we may subdue the country of Cabūl, it shall be divided in a brotherly manner with the friends of Timūr:” having folded this letter, he placed it before me; confiding in his written promise, I made arrangements for subduing Cabulistān, which much gratified Amyr Hussyn.

This Pulād Bughā, and his brother Ak Bughā, had formerly been two of Amyr Hussyn’s most confidential servants; he had appointed them to the command of the province of Cabūl; this elevation turned their heads, and they raised the standard of independence in that region. In order to subdue them, I took the command of the advanced line of our army, while Amyr Hussyn led on the main body; we departed unexpectedly from Arheng Seray, and crossed the Hindū Kūsh mountains, and by rapid marches, entered the Cabūl territory. When this news reached Ak Bughā, being puffed up with pride, he advanced with an army to meet me; I formed my troops into three divisions, the advance guard was commanded by Jughtai Behader, the second by Shykh Aly Behader, and I in person, brought up the rear; I then gave orders to the advanced division to attack the rebels with vigour, when Jughtai and Ak Bughā met, they exchanged three cuts of the sword, on the fourth cut, Jughtai was wounded, at the fifth cut, Aly Behader joined with his division, and the two armies fought hand to hand; after some hard work, my people began to lose ground, but at this time I came up, and when my warriors saw me, although many of them were severely wounded, they returned to the charge; I then called out to an officer who was standing near me, to take a party and block up the road to the fort, and thereby cut off the retreat of the rebels. At the seventh cut of the sword, Ak Bughā was wounded on the head, which confounded his brain, and he was taken prisoner; his brother Pulād Bughā effected his retreat to the fort, but I encouraged my men to break open the gate with sledges and hammers, which being effected, we entered the citadel, took Pulād prisoner, and I gave quarter to the garrison.

Two days after this event, Amyr Hussyn arrived, and I went out of the fort to meet him; he alighted from his horse, took me in his arms, and congratulated me on my success. As I was greatly incensed against these two rebels, I should have died of vexation if I had not succeeded, I therefore as soon as I was seated in the fort, had ordered them to be brought into my presence, they were brought before me bound; when I saw them, I was convinced by experience, that a Prince should never promote a servant so as to turn his brains, but ought always to keep him between fear and hope, and should appoint a (Kutel) successor as a spy to watch over him. It also came into my mind that no legitimately born person would have acted in the infamous manner these two scoundrels had done; I therefore addressed Bughā, and said to him, “may your face be black, if your mother had been a virtuous woman, you never would have been guilty of such ingratitude to your benefactor, the Amyr Hussyn, who raised you from a low situation to an important command; it has been truly said that ‘a bastard never quits this world till he has injured his patron,’ you are the son of a whore, as you have clearly proved.”

Soon after Amyr Hussyn’s arrival at Cabūl, he appointed agents to all the public offices, quite forgot my services, and never even thanked me; I was ashamed to produce the written agreement he had given me, and when I saw his total want of kindness, I left the retaliation to Providence; but I quitted the fort, mounted my horse, and encamped in the plain.

Amyr Hussyn having made all the requisite arrangements respecting Cabūl, prepared for his departure and while we were seated on horseback, consulted me whether he should make the city of Balkh, the residence of his government; I told him by no means to think of it; but as the evil star of his destiny was then in the ascendant, he would not listen to advice, but went to Balkh, and having arrived there, he repaired the fort of Hindūan, and compelled the inhabitants of the city to remove thither, I returned to my residence of Kesh, and continued there.

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Footnote 94:

This name (Slayer of the Hindūs) was given to these mountains, in consequence of a Hindū army having suffered severely from the cold in these regions; Hindū signifies black.

Footnote 95:

The Bactria of the Greeks, Lat. 36,28, N. Lon. 65,16, E. See Bulkh; Edinburgh Gazetteer.