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 135

APRIL, 1885.)
CHINGHIZ KHAN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
117
their knives, stones, &c. &c. Preparations D'Ohason says it was afterwards also known to renew the attack on the fortress were now as Nerretu. It was built on rook, and the vigorously made, but the governor was a man approach to it was so dimealt that a narrow of resources. A large number of big stones were path, half a league long, had to be traversed, planted, so that a slight touch would send them along which only two mon could pass to
olling to the bottom, and other stones as big reach it. Minhaj-i-Saraj describes it “as as millstones were fastened to beams, and these an exceedingly strong fortress, the like of which were fastened to the battlements by ropes. for height and for solidity was not to be found Meanwhile the garrison was divided into two anywhere. From Herat to Kalyan was a dissections, one behind the ramparts, the other tance of 20 farsangs, the road mounting all behind the great blocks of stone, and orders the way to the foot of the rock on which the were given that no one should move till the fort was planted. From the foot of this rock drums sounded. When at dawn next day the to the ramparts was another farsang." The Mongols sent a force of 10,000 against the height of the rock was about 1,000 cubits and fortress, they were allowed to mount up about the face of it like a wall, so that no living two arrow flights before the Musalmans showed thing could mount it save reptiles. The sumthemselves. When only a hundred yards separat- mit was a plateau of a considerable extent. ed them the kettle-drums were beaten inside, Within the fortress the inhabitants had dug all raised a shout, the ropes were cut and the geven wells in the solid rock, which were mill stones, beams, &c. went rolling down, and supplied with perennial water. we read that from the summit of the hill to The Mongols had already attacked the place the bottom the Mongols and renegades lay twice without result, and feeling that they were prostrate together, and a great number of the certain to return, and would employ against Mongol grandees, Noyans and Bahadurs," went them the soldiery at Herat, the garrison deterto hell." This disastrous assault, which we are mined to compromise the people at the latter told took place in the year 620 Hj. i.e. 1223, place so much with the Mongols that they put an end to the siege, which was now raised. would have to make common cause with them. A few days later the Mongols made another They accordingly wrote to Abubekr and Manattempt to surprise the fortress of Tulak, bat gatai,o saying they were willing to surrender, had to retire after losing many men.
but that fearing the Mongols greatly they first Having traced the operations of Ogotai and wished to obtain a promise in writing from Chagatai, let us turn to the third army which their Khan that their lives would be safe. The was sent against Herat. When the news of two governors already named promised to Jelalu'd-dîn's victory at Parwan reached secure this, and also proposed to re-open comKhorasan, according to Minhaj-i-Saraj, in munications between the two places. This every town and city of Khorasan, wherever was what the people at Kalyan desired, in order Mongol shahnahs or commissaries were station- to secure their purpose. They thereupon ed the people sent them to hell. Among the despatched 70 brave men, disguised as merplaces where an outbreak occurred after this chants, who having concealed their arms in their fashion was Herat, which, unlike the other bales entered the place separately and assassinagreat cities of Khorasan, had been spared by ted the two governors, whereupon the citizens the Mongols, as I have already described. of Herat pat to the sword all the dependents of The special chronicle of Herat, written by the murdered chiefs, and elected two others of Mu'ayinu'd-din Muhammad El Esfezari, gives their own." Malik Mubarizu'd-din Sebzevari, some interesting details of this revolt, which who had been nominated governor of Firuzkoh have been abstracted by D'Ohsson,
by the Khuárezm Shah Muhammad, and disNot far from Herat, in the district of Badghiz agreeing with the people there had gone on to was a very strong fortress, called Kalyun.' | Herat, had the military supervision of the
• Tabaklt-i-Nişiri, pp. 1065-1070. • Labakat-i-Nigiri, p. 1042. Erdmann calls it Kalebuin and D'Ohsson Calioun. D'Ohsson, Vol. I. p. 311.
10 Called Mingtai' by D'Ohason and Mengbai by Erdmann.
11 D'Ohsson, Vol. I. p. 311 and 312.