Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (15/94)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

The greater share of life that could have been of benefit has passed away; so slow down, and do righteous deeds in what remains.

[Then the year 616 AH began]

In that year Shaykh Muḥyī al-Dīn ibn al-Jawzī, the muḥtasib of Baghdad, ordered the elimination of offenses and the smashing of musical instruments, in direct opposition to the decree of al-Muʿaẓẓam. His order on the matter was issued at the very beginning of the year ⦗1⦘—praise and gratitude belong to Allah.

Genghis Khan and the Tatars’ Crossing ⦗2⦘ of the Jayḥūn River

During the same year the Tatars, accompanied by their ruler Genghis Khan, crossed the Jayḥūn River and entered from their homeland. They had been dwelling in the mountains of Ṭamghāj, in the lands of China; their language differed from that of the other Tatars, and they were the bravest and most enduring of them in battle. The reason for their crossing of the Jayḥūn ⦗3⦘ was that Genghis Khan had dispatched merchants of his, carrying great sums of money, to the dominions of Khwarazm Shah to purchase ⦗4⦘ cloth for clothing. The local deputy wrote to Khwarazm ⦗5⦘ Shah, informing him of the vast wealth they possessed. Khwarazm Shah then sent word ordering that they be killed and that their property be seized ⦗6⦘, and this was carried out. When news of the incident reached Genghis Khan, he sent threats to Khwarazm Shah. What Khwarazm Shah had done was anything but commendable. When the threats arrived, some advisers ⦗7⦘ urged Khwarazm Shah to march against them, so he advanced while they were wholly preoccupied with fighting Qashlī Khan. Khwarazm Shah plundered their goods and carried off their women and children as captives. They then turned upon him in ruin and fought him for four days in a battle the like of which had never been heard: the Tatars fought for their families, whereas the Muslims fought for their own lives, knowing that if they fled they would be annihilated. A great multitude was slain on both sides, until the horses slipped in the blood. About twenty thousand Muslims were killed, and many times that number of Tatars. The two sides then disengaged, each withdrawing to his own land. Khwarazm Shah and his followers sought refuge in Bukhara and Samarqand; he fortified the cities and left a large garrison in them. Khwarazm Shah then returned to his own country ⦗8⦘ to muster numerous armies.

The Tatars meanwhile headed for Bukhara, which contained twenty thousand fighting men. Genghis Khan besieged it for three days; its inhabitants requested safe-conduct, which he granted, and he entered the city, displaying good conduct toward them as a stratagem and deceit, while the citadel held out against him.

(1) Manuscripts A and B read: “By eliminating immoral practices and destroying places of amusement,” which he carried out at the start of this year. (2) Manuscripts A and B read: “and their crossing.” (3) Present in manuscript T only. (4) Manuscript T reads: “yabtadha’un.” (5) Manuscripts A and B read: “the Sultan Khwarazm-Shah.” (6) Manuscript A reads: “so he sent [for] their killing and seizure.” In manuscript B: “so he sent to him [orders] to kill them and seize them.” (7) Manuscripts A and B read: “So he did that, whereupon Genghis Khan grew angry and sent a threat to Khwarazm-Shah, to which he acceded.” (8) Found in manuscript T only.

مضى أكثرُ العُمْرِ الذي كانَ نافعًا … رويدكَ فاعملْ صالحًا في الذي بقي [ثم دخلت سنة ست عشرة وستمئة] فيها أمر الشيخ محيي الدين بن الجوزي محتسب بغداد بإِزالة المنكر، وكسر الملاهي عكس ما أمر به المعظم، وكان أمره في ذلك في أول هذه السنة (١) وللّه الحمد والمنة. جنكيز خان [وعبور التتار] (٢) نهر جيحون. وفيها عبرت التتار نهر جيحون صحبة ملكهم جنكيز خان من بلادهم، وكانوا يسكنون جبال طمغاج من أرض الصين ولغتهم مخالفة للغة سائر التتار، وهم من أشجعهم وأصبرهم على القتال، وسبب دخولهم نهر [جيحون] (٣) أن جنكيز خان بعث تجارًا له ومعهم أموال كثيرة إِلى بلاد خوارزم شاه يتبضَّعون (٤) ثيابًا للكسوة، فكتب نائبها إِلى خوارزم (٥) شاه يذكر له ما معهم من كثرة الأموال، فأرسل إِليه بأن يقتلهم ويأخذ (٦) ما معهم، ففعل ذلك، فلما بلغ جنكيز خان خبرهم أرسل يتهدد خوارزم شاه، ولم يكن ما فعله خوارزم شاه فعلًا جيدًا، فلما تهدده أشار (٧) من أشار على خوارزم شاه بالمسير إِليهم، فسار إِليهم [فأقبل] وهم في شغل شاغل بقتال كشلي خان، فنهب خوارزم شاه أموالهم وسبى ذراريهم وأطفالَهم، فأقبلوا إِليه محروبين، فاقتتلوا معه أربعةَ أيام قتالًا لم يُسمع بمثله، أولئك يقاتلون عن حريمهم والمسلمون عن أنفسهم، يعلمون أنهم متى وَلَّوا استأصلوهم، فقُتل من الفريقين خلقٌ كثيرٌ، حتى إِن الخيول كانت تزلق في الدماء، وكان جملة من قتل من المسلمين نحوًا من عشرين ألفًا، ومن التتار أضعاف ذلك، ثم تحاجز الفريقان وولَّى كل منهم إِلى بلاده ولجأ خوارزم شاه وأصحابه إِلى بخارى وسمرقند، فحصَّنَها وبالغ في كثرة مَنْ تركَ فيها من المقاتلة، ورجع [خوارزم شاه] إِلى بلاده (٨) ليجهز الجيوش الكثيرة، فقصدتِ التتارُ بخارى وبها عشرون ألف مقاتل، فحاصرها جنكيز خان ثلاثة أيام، فطلب منه أهلها الأمان، فأمَّنهم ودخلها فأحسنَ السيرةَ فيهم مكرًا وخديعة، وامتنعت عليه القلعةُ

(١) أ، ب: بإزالة المنكرات وكسر الملاهي ففعل ذلك في مستهل هذه السنة. (٢) أ، ب: وعبورهم. (٣) عن ط وحدها. (٤) ط: يبتضعون. (٥) أ، ب: السلطان خوارزم شاه. (٦) أ: فأرسل بقتلهم وبأخذ. وفي ب: فأرسل إِليه بقتلهم ويأخذ. (٧) أ، ب: ففعل ذلك فغضب عند ذلك جنكز خان وأرسل يتهدد خوارزم شاه فأشار. (٨) عن ط وحدها.