When The Khalif Surrendered, Hulaku Put Before Him A Plateful
Of Gold, And Told Him To Eat It.
"But one does not eat gold," said the
prisoner.
"Why, then," replied the Tartar, "did you hoard it, instead of
expending it in keeping up an army? Why did you not meet me at the Oxus?"
The Khalif could only say, "Such was God's will!" "And that which has
befallen you was also God's will," said Hulaku.
Wassaf's narrative is interesting: - "Two days after his capture the Khalif
was at his morning prayer, and began with the verse (Koran, III. 25),
'Say God is the Possessor of Dominion! It shall be given to whom He will;
it shall be taken from whom He will: whom He will He raiseth to honour;
whom He will He casteth to the ground.' Having finished the regular office
he continued still in prayer with tears and importunity. Bystanders
reported to the Ilkhan the deep humiliation of the Khalif's prayers, and
the text which seemed to have so striking an application to those two
princes. Regarding what followed there are different stories. Some say
that the Ilkhan ordered food to be withheld from the Khalif, and that when
he asked for food the former bade a dish of gold be placed before him,
etc. Eventually, after taking counsel with his chiefs, the Padishah
ordered the execution of the Khalif. It was represented that the
blood-drinking sword ought not to be stained with the gore of Mosta'sim.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 495 of 1256
Words from 134914 to 135164
of 342071
