Shah Sheik Muhammad, its prince, joined the standard of Timur himself against Hussain. In 1416 (819 H.) the prince submitted to Shah Rukh, who sent his son Suyurghatmish with "Yengui Shah," a deposed Badakhshan prince, to take possession.1 CHAGHATAI AND HIS SUCCESSORS. His great expeditions over, Chaghatai settled down and lived chiefly at Almālīk, though he maintained a regular service of couriers between his court and Mawara-un-Nahr, to keep him informed of the affairs of that portion of his Khānate, and in spite of the drunken habits to which he, in common with most of the descendants of Chengiz, was addicted, he is said to have attended personally to all the details of administration, and, if strictly, to have ruled justly. He appointed Mughal governors, Buka Bosha at Bukhārā, and Jongsan Taifu at Samrkand; but the government of the Transoxanian appanages as a whole was entrusted to a Muhammadan, Mas'ud Bak, who held the title of "Jumilat-ul-Mulk," Minister of State, and enjoyed the entire confidence of the Khan. Under the minister, Bukhārā rose, phoenix-like, from its ruins; the people who had remained in hiding ever since the terrible times of the invasion by the hordes of Chengiz were gradually coaxed back to their former employments; new buildings began to replace those that had been destroyed, and colleges founded by Mas'ud Bak and others were filled with students. For many years the rigour of Chengiz continued to inspire the rule of his sons, and there appears every probability that under Chaghatai the western part of the Khanate enjoyed fairly good and decidedly strong government. The peace was only once temporarily interrupted by the outbreak of a 1 The principal authorities for the above, in addition to those previously mentioned, are: Cathay, and the Way Thither, by Col. Yule, 2 vols. London, 1866. Book of Ser Marco Polo, by Col. Yule, 2 vols. London, 1874. Erskine's History of India, 2 vols. London, 1854. Turkistan, by Eugene Schuyler, 2 vols. London, 1876. Mongolia, by Prejevalsky (translated), London, 1876. The Russians in Central Asia, by Valikhanof, etc. (translated), London, 1865. religious enthusiast, a sieve-maker named Mahmud Tārānī, who in 1232 (630 H.) appeared at an obscure village near Bukhārā, proclaiming himself inspired by spirits and possessing supernatural attributes. He succeeded in getting together a considerable following, was received with honour by the people of the city, caused the public prayers to be read in his name, confiscated the property of the rich, and spent his time and his unlawful gains in orgies with the captured ladies with whom he filled his house. His supremacy in Bukhārā was short-lived, though it came near to again bringing ruin on the place, for he was killed in a fight between his fanatical followers and a force under Chaghatai's officers, who quickly disposed of the business, but were with difficulty restrained by Mas'ud from giving over the city to vengeance. Chaghatai died in 1241 (639 H.), but there are few particulars regarding his death, save that it occurred among his own people, and great mourning was made for him. He was reputed a man of great dignity, pomp, and magnificence, but open-hearted, brave, and hospitable, passionately fond of the chase, "good was he deemed at trumpet sound, and good "—especially so-" where wassail bowl passed freely round," the two pursuits taking up much of his time, while his chief counsellor and minister, Karachar, carried on the government. But whether personally or by deputy, his State was well administered. He instituted a code of laws, known as Yāssā,2directed especially against lying, lust, and embezzlement. Communication to all parts of his Khanate became fairly safe, and it was a boast that neither guards nor escort were required on any route. He was not much inclined towards the faith of Islam, nor so tolerant as his brother Oktai. In fact, by some Muhammadan writers he is credited with the most sanguinary laws against the Faith, but this seems hardly borne out by history. His immediate successors continued to reside mainly in the eastern part of the Khanate, their wild and wandering nature preferring the free life of the mountain and desert, to 1 Some say in Zi Ka'dah, 638 н. 2 Rather he adopted the Yasa or Code of Chenghiz.-ED. which they were enthusiastically attached, and which they considered as the only one worthy of free and generous men. But the discord so characteristic of Asiatic dynasties was not long in appearing. Wars succeeded to wars, and when not engaged with other and more distant tribes, the rival claimants to the throne fought among themselves. Altogether the dynasty lasted about 140 years, and within that time some thirty of the descendants or kinsmen of Chaghatai ruled over the whole or part of the Khanate, their entire history for this period being one of revolutions, depositions, murders, and usurpations, more frequent than usual even in Oriental story. Sometimes the seat of government was removed entirely to Bukhara on the west, sometimes the Khanate was divided for a while, to be reunited by more fighting, and ultimately partitioned altogether into two, if not into three States. Within a century after Chaghatai's death the Khāns had entirely forsaken the desert tribes, to visit and linger in the more luxuriant plains of Mawara-un-Nahr. It was, according to Ibn Batuta, one of the charges brought against Tamāṣhirīn, that he always remained there, and for four years had not visited Almālīk, or the eastern dominions of his family. In the end the Khāns became mere puppets in the hands of powerful Amīrs, who set them up and deposed or murdered them at pleasure; until finally came the famous Timur, who permitted them no actual authority whatever, save the use of their names at the head of state papers, or coupled with his own on the coinage of the realm. Over Khurasan and the territories beyond the Hazāra range all influence may be said to have ceased with Chaghatai. KARA-HULĀKU, YASSU, ORGANAH, AND ALGHU, at ALMĀLĪK. Six months after Chaghatai's death his brother, the mighty Oktai, having caroused more deeply than usual, died at Ķarākorum, the 11th December, 1241 (639 H.), and his death set almost the whole of the successors of Chengiz squabbling for his throne, among the most violent as regards party spirit and warlike temper being some of the representatives of Chaghatai. For the time being it ended in Tūrākīnah, Oktai's widow, being appointed regent; but there were set up lasting disputes among the rival claimants, and the seeds of much future mischief were sown. For long after, the disputes regarding the succession to the throne of the Great Kaan became inextricably mixed with the affairs, more especially of the eastern part, of Chaghatai's Khanate, and it is impossible to give an intelligible account of the latter without occasional references to the former. Chaghatai left a numerous family, but as a successor he nominated, or Karachar, the minister, set up, a grandson and a minor-Kara Hulākū; a widow of the late Khan, by name Ebūskūn, assuming the regency. Her first step was to order the execution of Madjīd-ud-din, the physician, and Hadjir, the favourite wazir, of her late husband, accusing them of having been concerned in his death; the more probable reason being to get rid of possible obstacles in the way of her ambition.1 She, however, was only able to maintain her position as long as the interregnum which followed Oktai's death lasted. Oktai's son, Kuyūk, was no sooner elected supreme Kaan, than he removed all his adversaries, including Ebuskun herself, nominated Yassū Mangah as chief in 1247 (645 H.), and spread disunion and disorder, not only in Almālīk, but throughout the Khānate, even Mas'ud Bak having to fly from Bukhārā before him, and take refuge with Bātū, the Khan of the Western Kipchak. Yassū was an exceptional drunkard and a debauchee, but, fortunately for his Muhammadan subjects, took for his Vazir and adviser a pious and learned man, Khwājah Bahā-ud-dīn of Marghanian, who seems to have endeavoured, unfortunately ineffectually, to disarm his enemies by showing them every kindness. At the end of a three years' reign, Kuyūk by dying gave place to Mangū as supreme Ķaān, and in 1252 (650 H.) Kara Hulāku, with Ebūskūn, were reinstated in their former 1 I have here followed in places almost literally the excellent narrative of Vambery, which appears both succinct and accurate. dignities. Habesh Amid, a creature of Ebūskūn's, was appointed Wazir, whose first step was to imprison Bahā-ud-dīn, and, in spite of the eloquent verses addressed by the latter to the princess, he caused him to be sewn up in a felt bag and kicked and trampled to a shapeless mass. Yassu lost his throne for refusing to acknowledge Mangu's authority, and in restoring Kara Hulākū, one of the conditions was, that the latter should put his rival out of the way, which Hulākū no doubt would have done, but died himself before he could carry out the order. The government of the Khanate then fell into the hands of his widow, Organah Khātūn, who, in 1252 (650 H.), had Yassū promptly executed, and reigned happily in Almālīk for ten years after. Organah was one of the three Mughal graces, of whom Vassaf says: "Three such forms of beauty, loveliness, grace and dignity had never been produced by all the painters"-at any rate the Mughal painters-" of creation, aided by the brushes of the liveliest imagination." They were the sisters, and at the same time the wives of the Mughal Princes of Kipchak, Persia, and the Chaghatai Khanate. If not a convert to Islām, Organah had a decided leaning in that direction, and showed much kindness to the Muhammadans on many occasions. She must, moreover, have had great tact as well as beauty, for not only as the wife of Hulākū, and then for ten years of independent rule, but subsequently as the wife of Alghu, she was one of the most influential persons in the state. So long as Mangū lived, this "wise and energetic " lady was allowed to govern in peace; but in 1259 (658 н.), he died, and a war of succession broke out between Irtuķbūka,1 the third son of Tului,2 and his brother Kubilai, for the Imperial throne. The former nominated in supersession of Organah, Alghu, the son of Baider, and grandson of Chengiz; and the latter, Apis-ga, the son of Būrī, and great-grandson of Chengiz. Alghū, anticipating his rival, drove out 1 Really Arikbuka.-ED. 2 Tului Mangü Hulāku Irtukbüka Kubilai, and six others less known |