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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1884.
decapitated in the view of their fellow-citizens, and men, women, and children were separated, and then divided among their inexorable captors for slaughter, and in this butchers' work the soldiery from Sarakhs, to revenge the death of their Imam, rivalled the Mongols themselves. The artizans and a few young people destined to be slaves were alone spared. The richer citizens were tortured to make them disclose their wealth." The author of the Jihan Kushai says further that the Syed Iz-u'd-din and several others were engaged for thirteen days in counting the corpses, which were found to number 1,300,000. This, no doubt, includes, in addition to the actual inhabitants of Merv, many who had sought shelter there from the neighbouring towns. Orders were given to raze the walls and to burn the Maksnra of the Hainfah Mosque. Tului nominated one of the magnates of the place, who had doubtless been treacherous to his people, and who was named Zia-u'd-din Ali, as governor of its ruins, with Barmias as shahnah, or daruga, and then withdrew.
Soon after its capture news arrived at Mery that the son of the pahluvan Abûbakr Divånah had revolted at Sarakhs. Zis-ud-din set out with the troops at Merv to put down this revolt, while Barmias taking with him the artizans and others in his charge, set out with them for Bukhara, intending to settle there. When the latter had left the place, fancying that it was because he must have heard some news of the approach of the Sultan Jelal-u'd. din, the indomitable, but most imprudent remnant of the inhabitants had the trumpets sounded and broke out into revolt. This was in the beginning of Ramazan 618 hij. Bamias hearing of this returned, went to the gate and summoned the rebels to submit. As none of them obeyed, he revenged himself by killing some people whom he met with about the gate, and then continued his march to Bukhara with his companions, among whom was the Khoja Muhadseb-u'd-dîn of Astarkbâd, who had expressed a wish that Barmias would appoint him Shahnah of Merv during his absence.
Meanwhile Zia-u'd-din returned again from Sarakhs under pretence of restoring order at Merv, to take provisions to its inhabitants,
and to divide the plunder he had with him among them, and sent them a letter by his son, Bahai-ul-Mulk. He seems to have obtained possession of the town again, and proceeded to rebuild the walls and fortifications. Presently Kash-tigin pahlavan, called Nush Tigin by Ra. verty, one of the Sultân's officers, arrived before the place, and proceeded to invest it. The people inside were largely favourable to him, 80 Zia-u'd-dîn withdrew from the place, and marched to attack Meragha. Kush-tigin entered and proceeded once more to collect people, and to introduce cultivation there. Some of the inhabitants, however, were partizans of Zia-a'd-din, and sent to ask him to return. He went, and while halting at the gate sent some of his followers to announce his arrival to his supporters. Kush-tigin having heard of this had him seized and taken before him, and as he knew that his own life would be forfeited if he fell into his opponent's hands he had him put to death, and continued with great confidence his work of restoration. Meanwhile he heard that Kharaja Noyan was marching against Sarakhs. He accordingly collected 1,000 men, and fled towards Seng-pusht. Kharaja pursued and attacked him, and slew the greater part of his men. Three or four days later 200 horsemen approached Mery ander Khutkhu Noyan, called Fiku by Raverty, and offered its people peace. As they refused this, and preferred to trust to their fortifications he sent to Nakhsheb with news of what had occurred to the two commanders, Bertai and Khubai. Raverty mentions one only, and calls him Torbai or Turtai. Bertai arrived five days later with 5,000 men under the command of a general named Ak Málik. They surrounded the place immediately, and speedily occupied it, and sent its defenders to the shambles in parties of ten and twenty until, we are told, they had slaugh. tered 100,000 of them, an immense number considering what had already occurred, unless many of them were strangers who had sought refuge there. They then proceeded deliberately to ruin the markets, palaces, mosques, and other principal buildings. Bertai or Turtai then left again with the Mongol army for Nakhsheb wbile Ak Malik hunted all those who had
** D'Ohsson, vol. I, pp. 285 and 286; Erdmann, pp. 410-414.
55 D'Ohsson, vol. I, p. 287. so Called Murghah by Major Raverty.
