The Successors of Genghis Khan - Robert Bedrosian's Armenian ...

THE SUCCESSORS OF GENGHIS KHAN
still, and Malik Ashraf ordered locks to be put on the fore and hind
legs of his mule.161
His army having fled and scattered in every direction, the Sultan
of necessity set out toward Akhlat, and, summoning those whom
he had detailed to defend it, he proceeded to Khoi. Mujir al-Din,
the brother of Malik Ashraf, he dismissed with full honors, while to
TaqI al-Din162 he gave leave to return and intercede for him with the
Caliph al-Mustansir bi'llah. As for Husam al-Din Qaimari,163 he had
fled. His wife, the daughter of Malik Ashraf, the Sultan sent back
with every manner of kindness, her honor unsullied. As for 'Izz
al-Din Ai-Beg, he had been imprisoned in the castle of Dizmar,164
and there he died.
Meantime, news arrived that Chormaghun Noyan had crossed the
Oxus with a great army to attack the Sultan. The Sultan deputed
the vizier Shams al-Din Yulduzchi to defend the castle of Giran165
and entrusted his womenfolk to him. He himself proceeded to
Tabriz, and although he had differences with the Caliph and the maliks
and sultans of Rum and Syria, he sent messengers to each of
them and informed them of the Mongols' approach. The purport of his
message was to the effect that the Tartars were exceedingly numerous
and this time more so than ever and that the troops in that region were
in terror of them. "If," he went on, "you will not assist with men and
equipment, I, who am like a wall, shall be removed, and it will be
impossible for you to resist them. Let each of you give aid to himself,
his children, and the Muslims by [sending] a detachment and a standard,
so that when the report of our concord reaches them they will be
rebuffed and our own troops encouraged. But if you treat this matter
lightly you shall see what you shall see.
Let each of you see to his life; exert your understanding in this matter."
161 This detail is not in Juvaini (HWC, p. 451), whom Rashid al-DIn here follows
very closely. For an account of the Battle of Arzinjan (Erzincan) according to the
Arabic sources and Ibn Bibi, see Gottschalk, p. 191.
162 Also a brother of Malik Ashraf.
163 Afterward the Aiyubid governor of Aleppo, from whence he fled upon the
approach of Hiilegii. See HWC, p. 451 and note 6.
164 East of Marand in Azerbaijan.
165 The present-day Kilan, to the north of the Araxes.
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