The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians/Wiki Editor Note

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The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians is a book comprising translations of medieval Persian chronicles based on the work of Henry Miers Elliot. It was originally published as a set of eight volumes between 1867-1877 in London. The translations were in part overseen by Elliot, whose efforts were then extended and edited posthumously by John Dowson.

Contents

  • Volume I: Introduction
    • Early Arab Geographers
    • Historians of Sind
  • Volume II: To the Year A.D. 1260
    • Táríkhu-l Hind of Biruni
    • Táríkh Yamíní of 'Utbí
    • Táríkhu-s Subuktigín of Baihakí
    • Jawami ul-Hikayat of Muhammad 'Úfí
    • Táju-l Ma-ásir of Hasan Nizámí
    • Kámilu-t Tawáríkh of Ibn Asír
    • Nizámu-t Tawáríkh of Baizáwí
    • Tabakát-i Násirí of Minháju-s Siráj
    • Jahán Kushá of Juwainí
  • Volume III: To the Year A.D. 1398
    • Jámi'u-t Tawáríkh, of Rashid-al-Din
    • Tazjiyatu-l Amsár wa Tajriyatu-l Ásár, of 'Abdu-llah, Wassáf
    • Táríkh-i Binákití, of Fakhru-d dín, Binákití
    • Táríkh-i Guzída, of Hamdu-lla, Mustaufí
    • Táríkh-i 'Aláí; or, Khazáínu-l Futúh, of Amir Khusru: (History of Alauddin Khilji)
    • Táríkh-i Fíroz Sháhí, of Ziauddin Barani: (History of Firuz Shah)
    • Táríkh-i Fíroz Sháhí, of Shams-i Siráj, 'Afíf
    • Futuhát-i Fíroz Sháhí, of Sultán Firoz Shah
    • Malfúzát-i Tímúrí, or Túzak-i Tímúrí: The Autobio­graphy of Timur
    • Zafar-náma, of Sharafu-d dín, Yazdí
  • Volume IV: To the Year A.D. 1450
    • Táríkh-i Háfiz Abrú
    • Táríkh-i Mubárak Sháhí, of Yahyá bin Ahmad
    • Matla'u-s Sa'dain, of Abdur Razzaq
    • Rawżat aṣ-ṣafāʾ,of Mirkhond
    • Khulásatu-l Akhbár, of Khondamir
    • Dastúru-l Wuzrá, of Khondamír
    • Habib al-Siyar, of Khondamir
    • Táríkh-i Ibráhímí; or, Táríkh-i Humáyúní, of Ibráhím bin Harírí
    • Tuzk-e-Babri; or, Wáki'át-i Bábarí: The Autobiography of Babur
    • Tabakát-i Bábarí, of Shaikh Zain
    • Lubbu-t Tawáríkh, of Yahya bin 'Abdu-l Latíf
    • Nusakh-i Jahán-árá, of Kází Ahmad
    • Táríkh-i Sher Sháhí; or, Tuhfat-i Akbar Sháhí, of 'Abbás Khán Sarwání
    • Táríkh-i Dáúdí, of 'Abdu-lla
  • Volume V: End of the Afghan Dynasty and the First Thirty-Eight Years of the Reign of Akbar
    • Táríkh-i Salátín-i Afághana, of Ahmad Yádgár
    • Makhzan-i Afghání and Táríkh-i Khán-Jahán Lodí, of Ni'amatu-lla
    • Humáyún-náma, of Khondamir
    • Táríkh-i Rashídí, of Haidar Mirzá Doghlat
    • Tazkiratu-l Wáki'át, of Jauhar
    • Táríkh-i Alfí, of Mauláná Ahmad and others
    • Tabakát-i Akbarí, of Nizamuddin Ahmad, Bakhshí
    • Muntakhab al-Tawarikh; or, Táríkh-i Badáúní, of Mullá `Abd al-Qadir Bada'uni
  • Volume VI: Akbar and Jahangir
  • Volume VII: From Shah-Jahan to the Early Years of the Reign of Muhammad Shah
    • Padshahnama, of Muhammad Amín Kazwíní
    • Bádsháh-náma, of Abdul Hamid Lahori
    • Sháh Jahán-náma, of 'Ináyat Khán
    • Bádsháh-náma, of Muhammad Wáris
    • 'Amal-i Sálih, of Muhammad Sálih Kambú
    • Sháh Jahán-náma, of Muhammad Sádik Khán
    • Majálisu-s Salátín, of Muhammad Sharíf Hanafí
    • Táríkh-i Mufazzalí, of Mufazzal Khán
    • Mir-át-i 'Álam, Mir-át-i Jahán-numá, of Bakhtáwar Khán
    • Zínatu-t Tawáríkh, of 'Azízu-llah
    • Lubbu-t Tawáríkh-i Hind, of Ráí Bhárá Mal
    • 'Álamgír-náma, of Muhammad Kázim
    • Ma-ásir-i 'Álamgírí, of Muhammad Sákí Musta'idd Khán
    • Futuhát-i 'Álamgírí, of Muhammad Ma'súm
    • Táríkh-i Mulk-i Áshám, of Shahábu-d dín Tálásh
    • Wakái', of Ni'amat Khán
    • Jang-náma, of Ni'amat Khán
    • Ruka'át-i 'Álamgírí, of the Emperor Aurangzeb
    • Muntakhabu-l Lubáb, of Kháfí Khán
    • Táríkh, of Irádat Khán
    • Táríkh-i Bahádur Sháhí
    • Táríkh-i Sháh 'Álam Bahádur Sháhí
    • 'Ibrat-náma, of Muhammad Kásim
  • Volume VIII: To End of the Muhammadan Empire in India

References of the Jats in Vol.I

  • Then Hajjáj sent 'Ubaidu-llah, son of Nabhán, against Debal. 'Ubaidu-llah being killed, Hajjáj wrote to Budail, son of Tahfa, of the tribe of Bajali, who was at 'Umán, directing him to proceed to Debal. When he arrived there his horse took fright (and threw him), and the enemy surrounded him and killed him. Some authors say he was killed by the Jats of Budha. ... (p.119) (Al-Baladhuri)
  • The Chach army marches to Siwistán and fights with Matta (p.145) (Chach-Nama)
  • Chach humiliated the Jats and the Lohánas, and punished their chiefs. (p.151) (Chach-Nama)
  • Journey of Matta, Chief of Siwistán (p.153) (Chach-Nama)
  • Muhammad Kásim proceeds to Nírún after the conquest of Debal (p.157) (Chach-Nama)
  • The expedition to Siwistán (p.158) (Chach-Nama)
  • Káka said: "Granting a seat, and investing with a garment of silk, and tying a turban round the head. It is the custom of our ancestors, and of the Jat Samanís." (p.162) (Chach-Nama)
  • Arrival of the Army of the Arabs at Nírún (p.163) (Chach-Nama)
  • Takars, the country of Bait was made over to ... (p.164) (Chach-Nama)
  • Muhammad Kásim prepares to cross to the eastern bank of Mihran with his army. ordered Zakwán bin 'Ulwán al Bikrí with 1500 men to attend on Moka Bisáya, chief of Bait; and the Bhetí Thakurs and the Jats of Ghazní, who had made submission and entered the Arab service, were told to remain at Ságara and the island of Bait. (p.166) (Chach-Nama)
  • Muhammad Kásim calls for Sísákar, the minister and asked them what was the position of the Jats of Lohána in the time of Chach and Dáhir, and how were they dealt with? (p.187) (Chach-Nama)
  • How the whole territory of Jats kept under subjection (p.189) (Chach-Nama)
  • When at Tharí, Ran Mal Sodha came, urged as a petition, that in the time of Khafíf the Jat Bulúchís paid tribute, but that now it seemed that they, through ignorance, had taken their heads from out of the noose of submission. (p.218) (Táríkhu-s Sind, of Mír Ma'súm)
  • On the death of Dúdá...Sammas, the Sodhas, the Jats and Bulúchís left off obeying his orders (p.220) (Táríkhu-s Sind, of Mír Ma'súm)
  • Sultán Muhammad Langáh, the ruler of Multán despatched raised an army consisting of 80,000 horse and foot, composed of men of the Bulúch, Jat, Rind, Dádí, and other tribes. At the head of his large and powerful force, the Sultán set out from Multán. (p.314) (Tarkhán-náma or Arghún-náma)

Country of the Jats

Sir H. M. Elliot[1] writes quoting Ibn Khurdádba about the Country of the Jats: From the frontier of Kirmán to Mansúra, eighty parasangs; this route passes through the country of the Zats (Jats), who keep watch over it. From Záranj, capital of Sijistán, to Multán, two months' journey. Multán is called "the farj of the house of gold," because Muhammad, son of Kásim, lieutenant of Al Hajjáj, found forty bahárs of gold in one house of that city, which was henceforth called "House of Gold." Farj (split) has here the sense of "frontier," A bahár is worth 333 mans, and each man two ritls.

The zat race

Sir H. M. Elliot [2] quotes Ibn Haukal and writes that Makrán contains chiefly pasturages and fields, which cannot be irrigated on account of the deficiency of water. Between Mansúra and Makrán the waters from the Mihrán form lakes, and the inhabitants of the country are the Indian races called Zat. Those who are near the river dwell in houses formed of reeds, like the Berbers, and eat fish and aquatic birds. Another clan of them, who live remote from the banks, are like the Kurds, and feed on milk, cheese, and bread made of millet.

Al Idrisi mentions

  • Al Idrisi mentions that The greatest king of India is the Balhará, which signifies "king of kings." After him comes the Makamkam, whose country is Sáj. Next the king of Sáfan or Tában, then the king of Jába, then the king of Juzr, and then the king of Kámrún, whose states touch China.[3]
  • Mámhal is situated between Sind and India. Upon the confines of the desert just mentioned there dwells a hardy race called Mand (Med). They graze their flocks to within a short distance of Mámhal. These people are numerous. They have many horses and camels, and they extend their incursions as far as Dur (Alor) upon the banks of the Mihrán, and sometimes they penetrate even as far as the frontiers of Makrán. [4]

History of the Jats and Meds

Sir H. M. Elliot [5] quotes Mujmalu-t Tawarikh and writes that an account of the Jats and Meds is given in the first part of the original work, I shall commence mine by making them the subject of it.

[p.104]: The Jats and Meds1 are, it is said, descendants of Ham. They dwelt in Sind and (on the banks of) the river which is called Bahar. By the Arabs the Hindús are called Jats. The Meds held the ascendancy over the Jats, and put them to great distress, which compelled them to take refuge on the other side of the river Pahan, but being accustomed to the use of boats, they used to cross the river and make attacks on the Meds, who were owners of sheep. It so came to pass that the Jats enfeebled the Meds, killed many of them, and plundered their country. The Meds then became subject to the Jats.

One of the Jat chiefs (seeing the sad state to which the Meds were reduced) made the people of his tribe understand that success was not constant; that there was a time when the Meds attacked the Jats, and harassed them, and that the Jats had in their turn done the same with the Meds. He impressed upon their minds the utility of both tribes living in peace, and then advised the Jats and Meds to send a few chiefs to wait on king Dajúshan (Duryodhana), son of Dahrát (Dhritaráshtra), and beg of him to appoint a king, to whose authority both tribes might submit. The result of this was satisfactory, and his proposition was adopted. After some discussion they agreed to act upon it, and the emperor Dajúshan nominated his sister Dassál (Duhsalá), wife of king Jandrát (Jayadratha), a powerful prince, to rule over the Jats and Meds. Dassal went and took charge of the country and cities, the particulars of which and of the wisdom of the princess, are detailed in the original work. But for all its greatness, and riches and dignity, there was no bráh-man or wise man in the country. She therefore wrote a long letter to her brother for assistance, who collected 30,000 bráhmans from all Hindústán, and sent them, with all their goods and dependents, to his sister. There are several discussions and stories about these bráhmans in the original work.

A long time passed before Sind became flourishing. The original work gives a long description of the country, its rivers and wonders, and mentions the foundation of cities. The city which the queen made the capital, is called Askaland.2 A small portion of the

[p.105]: country she made over to the Jats, and appointed one of them as their chief; his name was Júdrat. Similar arrangements were also made for the Meds. This government continued for twenty and some1 years, after which the Bhárats lost possession of the country.

History of The Kingdom of Kashmír And Hál

Sir H. M. Elliot [6] quotes Mujmalu-t Tawarikh and writes that It is said that Hál was the descendant of Sanjwára, son of Jandrat and of the

[p.107]: daughter of King Dahrát. He inherited in Hindústán the dominion which had been occupied by Jandrat and Dassal and their descendants. He became a very important personage, and built a fine capital and several cities. His country was remarkable for the superior quality of the cloth that was manufactured there. The exportation of this fabric, without the stamp of the king, was prohibited. This stamp was an impression of his foot with saffron.1

It happened that the wife of the king of Kashmír bought some of that cloth, and having made up a dress of the same, she appeared before her husband, who at the sight of the stamp got jealous, and asked her whence she got the cloth, and what stamp was on it. His wife replied that she had bought it from a merchant. The merchant was sent for, and the king made enquiries about it. The merchant said that the stamp on the cloth was an impression of king Hál's foot.2 On hearing this the king of Kashmír swore he would go and cut off the foot of king Hál. His Wazír observed,- "that place is the land of the brahmans, you will gain no victory there." The king of Kashmír did not heed this advice, but marched out with his army. When Hál heard of the king of Kashmír's intentions, he was alarmed; he sent information to the bráhmans and told them the king of Kashmír's threat, and said it behoved them therefore to throw obstacles in his way. The bráhmans offered up their prayers, and counselled him to have an elephant made of clay, and to have it placed in front of the battle-field. Hál did so, and when the king of Kashmír's soldiers advanced under their commander-in-chief, flames burst from the elephant and burnt many of them.

The king of Kashmír was then compelled to sue for peace, (at the conclusion of which,) Hál sent many presents to him. And the king of Kashmír, in order to fulfil his oath, cut off the leg of an image made of wax, and returned by the river.3 He was advised

[p.108]: not to proceed by water on account of its turbulence. In compliance with this advice he travelled along the bank (sáhil) until he reached a stage some parasangs distant from the country of Kashmír, when the waters subsided.1 In that place he built many houses and villages. The sea in Hindí is called Sávandar2 (Samu-dra). Hence that place was called Sávandí, and it exists to this day. He also built temples and superb cities in many places. At length, intelligence of an enemy came to him from Kashmír, he then returned to his country, and suppressed his foes. The Government remained for a length of time in the hands of his descendants, and all the Hindús were obedient to them. In the country of Sind there were three kings, until at length the territory of the Hindús came under the authority of King Kafand, after he had by his valour subdued them. A bráhman had blessed him and said that the whole sovereignty should devolve upon him.

References

  1. ↑ The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians/II. Ibn Khurdádba,p.14
  2. ↑ The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians/V. Ibn Haukal (Ashkálu-l Bilád),p.40
  3. ↑ Sir H. M. Elliot: The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians/VIII. Al Idrísí,pp.75-76
  4. ↑ Sir H. M. Elliot: The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians/VIII. Al Idrísí,pp.79
  5. ↑ The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians/I. Mujmalu-t Tawáríkh,pp.103-105
  6. ↑ The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians/I. Mujmalu-t Tawáríkh,pp.107-108
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