170 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XII, 



was once more laid waste by Timur in a.h. 783 = a.d. 1381 and 

 their dynasty extinguished in a.h. 791 = a.d. 1389. It was 

 under the Timuride princes early in the 9th century that Herat 

 regained its flourishing condition. It was then the capital of 

 Khurasan and, for about half a century, was celebrated, " not 

 merely for the splendour and dignity of its Court, the archi- 

 tectural beauty of its mosques, tombs, colleges, and palaces, 

 but as being the resort of the greatest divines, philosophers, poets 

 and historians of the age" (History of the Moghuls of Asia, 

 by E. Denison Ross, p. 193, footnote). During the centuries 

 which intervene between the Timuride princes and the rise of 

 the Afghans, the city was devastated four times by the Turco- 

 man and Uzbeks, and consequently it never in these days 

 attained to any thing like its former importance. 



The contents of this volume, as stated above, are divided 

 into about 140 chapters. The first chapter is devoted to an 

 account of the foundation of Herat, the second describes its 

 pre-eminence and is based on those traditions of the Prophet 

 which refer to this city. The history proper begins with the 

 third chapter and ends with the one hundred andlhirty-eighth, 

 covering a period of rather more than a century (a.h. 618-721 m 

 a.d. 1221-1321). Chapters III and IV give an account of Tuli 

 Khan's expedition against Merv led by the order of Chingia 

 Khan in the middle of Rabi <L, a.h. 618 = a.d. 1221. 



Chapter V treats of Tuli's expedition against Nishapur 

 and the general massacre of its people. 



In Chapters VI and VII we read of the destruction of the 

 fortresses called ol^;/^ j( and ^r/ J c^ respectively. 



In Chapters VIII and IX Sayfi gives a detailed account of 

 the two most sanguinary expeditions against Herat, the first 

 of which was led by Tuli, while the second was sent under 



Ilchikdai Nu'in i£*5-j ^t^sdbi who reached Herat in 



Shawwal, a.h. 618 = a.d. 1221. He laid a heavy seige to the 



city which lasted for six months and seventeen days without 



any victory on either side, but succeeded at last after eight 



months in capturing it on Thursday, Jumada I., a.h. 619 = 

 a.d. 1222. 



The following quotations from Chapter IX will give an 

 idea of the author's narrative style : — 



j^c/i-V bjfcjfl «-^j , t w jU* J*p ^timJL J&» 





