to have Sultan Masʿūd’s name struck from the Friday sermon (1) in Baghdad. It so happened that his brother Ṭughril b. Muḥammad b. Malikshāh died, whereupon Masʿūd marched into those lands, seized them, and his resolve grew stronger. He then began assembling troops in order to wrest Baghdad from the hands (2) of the caliph. When the caliph learned of this he was greatly alarmed and made preparations; a number (3) of the leading amirs fled to him, fearing the vengeance of Sultan Masʿūd (4).

The caliph rode out of Baghdad with large hosts that included the judges and the high dignitaries of every rank. They walked before him during the first stage of the march until he reached the great pavilion. He sent an advance detachment ahead of him, while Sultan Masʿūd placed Dubays b. Ṣadaqa b. Manṣūr—the former lord of al-Ḥillah—at the head of his own vanguard (5). Many incidents followed and great battles (6) were fought.

In sum, the two armies met on Monday, the tenth of Ramadan, and engaged in fierce combat (7) in which only five men from the two lines were killed. The caliph then charged the army of Sultan Masʿūd and routed it, but they regrouped, attacked the caliph’s forces, routed them in turn, killed a great many, and captured the caliph. His possessions and baggage were then plundered (8) (9). Among the spoils were four million dinars together with garments, robes of honor, furnishings, textiles, and household wares (10). Truly, we belong to Allah and to Him we return.

News of this flew across the provinces, and when it reached Baghdad the people were thrown into extreme turmoil, shaken outwardly and inwardly. The common folk went to the pulpits and smashed them; they refused to attend the congregational prayers. The women left the city bare-headed, wailing over the caliph and his captivity. Many inhabitants of other towns followed the example of the Baghdadis; a great upheaval ensued and spread throughout the regions. Matters (11) remained thus until the beginning of Dhū al-Qaʿdah, while the scandal echoed through all the lands. King Sanjar then wrote to his nephew Masʿūd warning him of the consequences (12)