1916.] A unique History of Herat. 175 



JJl*> J^^ a^ Ai^jki** *>/ j ^^ ^f o-iy ^Lk aL.^ 



an 



Sayfi then tells us that after these expeditions the city 

 of Herat remained a mere heap of ruins for sixteen years (a.h. 

 618-634 = a. d. 1221-1236) during which no king or governor 

 attempted to build it again, till in a.h. 634 = a. d. 

 Uktai of the great Khans directed his attention to restoring it. 

 So, the author says, he has given but a brief account of these 

 sixteen years and has written a detailed history from the 34th 

 year (i.e. a.h. 634 = a. d. 1236) down to his own time in a regu- 

 lar and systematic manner, recording the events of each year 

 in chronological order : 



*• 



After the account of the reconstruction of Herat by Uktai 

 in a.h. 634 = a.d. 1236 ( Ch. XI) follows the history of its rulers 

 and governors before the Kurt Maliks of Ghore from a.h. 634 

 to 642 = a. d. 1236—1244. The history of these nine years com- 

 prises Chapters XII 



The remaining portion of the work, Chapters XXI- 

 CXXXVIII, comprising a period of seventy years, a.h. 642- 

 721 = a.d. 1241-1321, treats in detail of the reigns of the first 

 four kings of the Kurt race of Herat, viz. Shams-ud-Din I, 

 Rukn-ud-Din, Fakhr-ud-Din , and Giyag-ud-Din and of the 

 chiefs and nobles who governed the city during that period. 

 The volume closes with an account of the expedition sent by 

 Shams-ud-Din against Furah in Rabi' I, a.h. 721 = a. d. 1321, 

 the year in which his father, the King Giya§-ud-Din, went on a 

 pilgrimage to Mecca, leaving Shams : ud-Din in charge of the 

 government. The history of Malik Giyag-ud-Din, which is the 

 main theme of the last portion of the book and which alone 

 comprises foil. 187^-275*, is full and exhaustive. In nar- 

 rating the events Sayfi enters into minute details and shows ex- 

 traordinary precision. For instance,, in mentioning the time 

 when Baktut marched against Malik Giya>-ud-Din , he says (fol. 

 243*) : 



\\ v^kG r -b (a.h. 718) y** *- Jji" C& cr* u *»+*> )j) 

 Again on fol. 247 b 



