on behalf of the Samanids, and he is not to be confused with the chamberlain of Muʿizz al-Dawlah; that man died before this year, as we have already mentioned (1).

When his master passed away, he left no one fit to rule after him (2)—neither among his own children nor among his clan (3). The army therefore agreed to pledge allegiance to this Subuktikīn because of his outstanding character (4), the excellence of his conduct, the soundness of his judgment, his bravery, and his piety. Thus sovereignty settled in his hands and thereafter remained with his blessed son, Maḥmūd ibn Subuktikīn.

Subuktikīn campaigned in the lands of India, capturing many of their strongholds, seizing vast amounts of their wealth, and smashing an awe-inspiring number of their idols and temples (5). With the forces under his command he fought battles that would turn children’s hair grey—battles that gladdened friend and dismayed foe (6).

Jaypāl (7), the paramount king of India (8), advanced against him in person with an army that covered both plains and mountains, but Subuktikīn routed them twice and drove them back to their country in the worst of states and the most wretched condition.

Ibn al-Athīr reports in his al-Kāmil that when Subuktikīn confronted Jaypāl in one of those expeditions, there was a spring near them in the pass of Ghūrak. It was their custom that if any impurity or filth were thrown into that spring, the sky would darken, thunder would rumble, lightning would flash, and rain would pour down until the spring was cleansed of whatever had been cast into it. Subuktikīn ordered that some filth be thrown into the spring—since it lay close to the enemy—and they were battered by thunder, lightning, torrents of rain, and bolts until the enemy were forced to flee and return home empty-handed and in disarray. The Indian king then sought peace from Subuktikīn, and the latter agreed—despite initial reluctance on the part of his son Maḥmūd—on condition that Jaypāl pay a large sum of money (9), cede extensive territories (10), deliver fifty elephants, and leave hostages from the leading men of his realm with him until he fulfilled all that he had promised (11).