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

THE SUCCESSORS OF GENGHIS KHAN
641/1243—1244,357 and alighted in their own ordos. And God best knows
the truth.
History of the emirs of Khurasan
When Chm-Temiir died, a messenger was sent to the Court of
Qa'an to report his death. A decree was issued that the Emir Nosal
should succeed him in Khurasan and 'Iraq. He was an aged Mongol358
more than one hundred years old. In accordance with that decree
the emirs and the bitikchis359 in the Divan transferred themselves from
Chi'n-Temur's house to his, where they busied themselves with the
affairs of the Divan. Sharaf al-Din Khwarazml departed to wait on
Batu, and Korgiiz, as usual, traveled to and fro.
All at once, Baha al-Din had a dispute with Mahmud Shah of
Sabzavar and set out for the Court of Qa'an, where he presented the
case. A decree was issued that no decision could be reached in the
absence of his adversaries; they must attend together so that an inquiry
might be made. When the malik Baha al-Din returned and
communicated the decree, Nosal and Kiil-Bolat were not pleased
that Korgiiz had been sent for. Nevertheless, he set out and returned
having obtained the governorship for himself, and Nosal had to content
himself with the command of the army until 637/1239-1240 [when]
he died.360
Korgiiz now brought the bitikchis and agents [under his own roof]
and busied himself with the work [of government]. He restored the
affairs of Khurasan and Mazandaran to order, carried out a census,
fixed the assessment of taxes, founded workshops in an excellent
fashion, and created [conditions of] the most perfect justice and
equity. However, Sharaf al-Din returned from Batu, and he and
certain others, being deprived of authority by the presence of Korgiiz,
prevailed upon Edgii-Temur, the eldest son of Chin-Temiir, to seek
his father's office. He sent Tonquz to Qa'an to report how affairs
were proceeding in Khurasan. Certain opponents of Chinqai, Qa'an's
vizier, found an opportunity to report Edgu-Temiir's words. The order
357 There is some mistake here. 1245 was the Year of the Snake.
358 Actually a Kereit. See Horde d'Or, pp. 54-55.
"•> See Glossary.
360 See HWC, pp. 488-89.
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