Untitled

122 ,
. NOTES
l
ON THE SECOND DISCOURSE
<
XVII. Npt l
e on Anecdote XIV.
t (Text, pp! 34-6 ; Persian notes, rf5i-2.)
'Ah' ibn Qarib, known as "the Great Chamberlain" (Hdjib-i-Buzurg)
was one of the principal nobles of Sultan Mahmdd of Ghazna. On the (
death of this monarch, he raised his younger .son the Amir Abti Ahmad
Muhammad to the throne. A quarrel (
shortly arose between him and his
brother Sultan Mas'iid, who was then at Isfahan. The latter marched on
Ghazna, and when he reached Herat 'All ibn Qarib deposed Abu
Ahmad 'Muhammad and imprisoned him in the Castle of Kuhshir
near Ghazna. On Dhu'l-Qa'da 3, A.H. 421 (Nov. 2, 1030) he waited at
Herat on Sultan Mas'rid, who, however, seized him and his brother the
Chamberlain Mankitarak and cast them both into prison, after which
they were no more heard of. * r
XVIII. Note on the House of Muhtaj of Chaghaniyan.
(/Text, p. 36; Persian notes, pp. 163-6.)
The noble and influential House of Muhtaj, which had its home at
Chaghaniyan in Transoxiana, produced many notable men during tl.e
Samani and Ghaznawi periods. Concerning some of the most famous bf
these Mirza Muhammad has collected from various sources the following
particulars.
(1) Abti Bakr Muhammad ibnu'l-Muzaffar ibn Muhtaj was given the
chief command of the armies of Khurasan by the Amir Nasr II ibn
Ahmad the Samani in A.H. 321 (A.D. 933), which position he held until
the latter part of his life, when, being attacked by a chronic illness,
he resigned in favour of his son Abii 'Ali Ahmad, died in A.H. 329
(A.D. 941), and was buried at Chaghaniyan.
(2) This son, A bit 'Ali Ahmad, defeated and killed Makan ibn
Kakiiy the Daylami in A.H. 329 (A.D. 941), and it was on this occasion
ttyat the celebrated despatch of his secretary Abu'l-Qasim Iskafi (alluded
to in Anecdote III, pp. 16-18 supra) was penned. He extended the
Sa'manid authority over Jurjan, Tabaristan, Zanjan, and Kirmanshah.
In A.H. 333 (A.D. 944-5) the Amir Niih I ibn Nasr II ibn Ahmad
dismissed him from the Government of Khurasan, whereupon he rebelled,
/deposed the Amir (who fled to Samarqand), overran Khurasan, 'and
captured Bukhara. Finally in A.H. 344 (A.D. 955-6^ he fell a victim to
the plague at Ray and was buried with his father at Chaghaniyan.
(3) Abu'l-'Abbas Fadl ibn Muhammad, brother of the above, who
appointed him in A.H. 333 (A.D. 9445) Governor of the Jaftal province
(modern 'Iraq-i-'Ajam). He subdued Dinawar and Nihawand. When his'
brother rebelled against the Samanids, as abowe mentioned, he supported
them, in spite of which he incurred their suspicion in A.H. 336 (A.D. 947-8)
and was imprisoned at Bukhara, after which all future trace of him
disappears.
(4) Abu'l-Muzaffar 'Abdu'llah ibn Ahmad, son of Ne. 2, who, in
A-H. 337 (A.D. 948-9), when his father made peace with Amir Nuh I
the Samanid, was sent as a hostage to Bukhara, where he dw.elt as
an honoured guest until he was killed by a fall from his horse in A.H. 340
(951-2), and was buried at Chaghaniyan.