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NOTES r
*
I. The Dynasty of Ghur or House of Shansab.
(Text, pp. 1-25 Persian notes, pp. 90-2.)
The kings of Ghdr, under whose patronage our author flourished*
claimed descent from Dahhak (Dahak, Azhidahaka) the legendary tyrant
of, ancient Persia, who, after a reign of a thousand years, was finally
overthrown by Firidun. Shansab, the more proximate ancestor from
whom they derived their name, is said to have been contemporary with
the Prophet'?* cousin* and son-in-law 'AK ibn Abu Talib, to have accepted
Islam at his hands, and to have received from him a standard and
recognition of his rule. It was a* source of pride to the family that during
the Umayyad period they refused to conform to the order for the public
cursing in the pulpits of the House of 'AH.
> Our principal source of information concerning this dynasty is the
*Tabaqdt-i-Ndsiri l
, but the history of Herat entitled Raivddtrf l-Janndt
by Mu'fnu'd-Din of Isfizar also contains a pretty full account of them.
This, however, was composed nearly three centuries later (in the latter
part of the fifteenth century), and, moreover, exists only in manuscript.
The independent sway of the House of Shansab endured only about
67 years (A.D. 1148-1 2 is) 2
from the time when ,
they shook off the yoke
of the House of Ghazna to the time when they succumbed to the power
of tne Khwarazmshahs. They were divided into two branches, who
ruled respectively over Ghrir with their capital at Firtiz-ktih, and over
Tukharistan with their capital at Bamiyan. The relationship existing
between the chief members of the dynasty mentioned in this book is
shewn in the following table.
*
'Izzu'd-Din Husayn
1
'Ala'u'd-Din*
Husayn,
Baha'^d-Din Sam Fakhru'd-Din Mas'iid
called
Jahdn-suz, the
World-consumer
9 "
r~
Ghiyathu'd-Din Shihabu'd-Din Shamsu'd-Dfn Husamu'd-Dfn
(or Mu'izzu'd-Din) Muhammad 'All
Of these 'Ala'u'd-Din Husayn of Fi'niz-ktih was the most powerful
and important,' and raised the glory of his House to its highest point.
To avenge the death of *his two brothers Qutbu'd-Din Muhammad and
Sayfu'daDin Stiri he made war on Bahramshah, entered and occupied
, his capital Ghazna, and looted, massacred and burned it for seven days,
thus earning the title of Jahdn-suz, the "World-consumer." He reigned
from VH. 545 to 556 (A.D. 1150-1161).
1 Published in the Bibliotheca fndtca, and translated by Major H. G. Raverty
with bopious notes. Sections xvii-xix (pp. 300-507) of vol. i of the translation are
devoted to this dynasty.
2 See Stanley Lane-Poole's Mohammadan Dynasties, pp. 291-294.