And after his murder the men of MAWSIL made accusations against another young man, and they declared that 'he was a whoremonger', and that 'he committed adultery with Arab women'. Him also they killed, and they dragged his dead body through the streets of the city, and they heaped up wood upon it and burnt it in the fire. And they took his head [566] and carried it about to the doors of the churches, and they scoffed and jeered at the Christians. The persecution and wrath which the men of MAWSIL suffered during these two months, neither the tongue can describe, nor the reed (i.e. pen) write. Wake up then and sleep not, O Lord, and look on the blood of Thy servants which is being poured out without mercy, and be sorry for Thy Church which is being rent in pieces by the persecution.
And in the days in which BOKA was killed, BAITMISH was sent to the western countries. And all the troops of the MONGOLS mounted their horses and rode away to capture 'AROK. And the dwellers in SYRIA were perturbed, and terror, and fear, and trembling fell upon them. And they thought that the MONGOLS were about to attack them. And they also made themselves strong, and they collected many troops, and were prepared to engage [the MONGOLS] in battle. And while being assured that the MONGOLS were occupied with their own affairs, and that they had no care for other people's [concerns], they were not pleased that their gathering should be dissolved with no result. Then they went and encamped against TRIPOLI, a city on the coast of the Great Sea, and they made war upon it strenuously. And those who were inside [the city] sent and asked for help from their kinsfolk the FRANKS who were in the Island of CYPRUS, and a few troops were sent to them by the means of ships on the sea. And [these] having arrived, the citizens became strong, and they stood on the walls, and they waged war with superlative valour for nearly three months, more or less, with those who were outside. And when those outside gained the upper hand, and breached the wall with engines of war, and the Christians saw that they were overpowered by those outside, the greater number of them embarked in ships, and they left and went to CYPRUS. And as for the remainder who were in the city, the ARABS attacked them, and they drew their swords, and they became mixed together, and they killed and were killed. And because of the great slaughter of the ARABS which took place, the ARABS burned with wrath, and they destroyed the wretched city entirely, and they left therein no tower and no church which they did not lay in ruins. And they took therefrom an endless amount of spoil, and they took innumerable sons and daughters prisoners, and they killed an endless number of priests, and deacons, and monks, and nuns. And they left the city a howling wilderness and departed. These things took place at the full moon of the month of NISAN (APRIL), [567] of the year sixteen hundred of the GREEKS (A.D. 1289).
And in this year also about two thousand horsemen of the robber bands of SYRIA gathered together, and they came and crossed the frontier of SINJAR and BETH 'ARBAYE, and they neither plundered nor looted until they arrived in the neighbourhood of PISHABHUR, a village on the banks of the river TIGRIS, where they halted there for the night. And they rose up during the night and crossed the river, and they directed their gaze on WASTAW, a large village of the NESTORIANS, and they burst upon it at the early dawn of the first day of the week, on the fourteenth day of the month of 'AB (AUGUST). Now the villagers thinking that they were merely a few marauders sallied out to engage them. And when they saw how many they were, they went back into the village, and some of them took refuge in the church and were saved, and some of them scattered themselves about in the gardens and vineyards. And those accursed men spread themselves over the sevcn hamlets which were round about it and then they wrought great destruction. And they killed nearly five hundred men, and they took .prisoners nearly one thousand persons, women, and sons, and daughters, and they took treasures, and sheep and cattle without number. And they went back the same day by the way they had come, and they travelled quietly and without fear until they arrived at the river HABURA, over which was a fragile (or, narrow) bridge, and there they were impeded by the weight of the loot and the great number of the prisoners which they with difficulty were carrying away. And thus news [of them] reached the Amir of the MONGOLS who was in MAWSIL, and the MONGOLS without delay made themselves ready and stood up and mounted their horses and pursued them. And they went on and found them, and the greater number of them had crossed the bridge, and were journeying on laden with loot. And those who had not yet crossed the bridge the MONGOLS killed. And they recovered of the spoil three hundred prisoners, women, and sons, and daughters, and they brought them and handed them over to their owners.
And moreover, in this summer the marauders of SYRIA, about two thousand mounted men, sallied out and went to the countries of MELITENE and of HESNA. And KHARBANDA, the captain of the host who was there, heard [of it], and he collected his troops and they made ready and went and engaged them in battle, and they were broken before them. And a large number of those who were with him were killed, and certain of his friends, and his kinsfolk, [568] and the sons of his brothers, an unknown number of persons, were made prisoners. And only he and the forty persons who had fled escaped, and they came and went into the new mansion which he had built in the country of HESNA, in the place which is called in the Aramean language 'HESONA'. And whilst sitting, and grieving and pondering how they could save those of them who had been made prisoners in the war, they all agreed that the war which had taken place in this country had happened because of the Christians, and that it was therefore right to take the money from them and to buy (i.e. ransom) those who had been made prisoners because of them. Then they began to assess every city and country for a certain amount of gold according to the ability of the place [to pay]. But justice could not endure that their object should be actually fulfilled, for it cast down quickly that new mansion upon them, and made an end of them one and all, and except for the one man, the doorkeeper, on whose back a beam fell and hurled him outside the door of that mansion, not one of them was saved.
And at the beginning of the year sixteen hundred and one [of the GREEKS (A.D. 1290)], 'ALA 'ALMISH, the lord of MAIPERKAT, who was also a great persecutor of the Christians, sent secretly and killed the lord of MUSH, who was a Christian and an ARMENIAN by race, and he made the monks of MAR KAWMA to suffer other evils. Then one of the monks who were there burned with anger within himself, and he went to the Camp and made accuations against 'ALA 'ALMISH. Now he possessed freedom of speech with the King of Kings, and the king hearkened unto him with pleasure. And one day when the King of Kings was riding, and he was going to cross a bridge over the river KHAWRAR, the monk seized the bridle of his horse and swore an oath, saying, ' I will not let thee cross until thou commandest that 'ALA 'ALMISH is to be killed', and straightway he commanded and 'ALA 'ALMISH was killed.
And in those days also an Egyptian lawyer, a courageous man, who was known as FARAJ ALLAH, and was a scribe in MAWSIL, made public the treachery of the Persian lawyer 'ABD AL-MOMIN (whom we have mentioned above), who had unjustly killed MAS'UD, the son of BAR KAWTI, and had made the Christians to suffer great evils, and had collected a large sum of money for himself. And the King of Kings having commanded that his history was to be investigated, the PERSIAN was condemned and killed, and the righteousness of God was avenged speedily. And behold, from this time [onwards] the King of Kings recognized, [569] and it was proved to him fully, the falseness and impudence of the ARABS, and that everything they did they did with deceit (or, treachery), and the accepting of persons (i.e. hypocrisy). And straightway he commanded that SA'D AD-DAWLAH, the JEW, who was governor in BAGHDAD, should be the chief of the scribes, that is to say, SAHIB DIWAN, in all the dominion of his kingdom; and that governors should never, never appoint the ARAB to be a scribe, but only the Christian and the JEW, And thus the hatred and ill-will of the ARABS [towards the Christians] grew stronger. Now since that JEW was governor, the administration of the revenue and taxation of the city was committed to him. And the King of Kings sent his brother [to be] governor of BAGHDAD in his place. And he sent his other brother, together with TAJ AD-DIN, the son of MUKHATAS, the Director-General, to MAWSIL, and to MARDIN, and all DIAR BAKR.
And when they arrived in these countries, a certain Amir, a KURD, who had long been governor of 'ARBIL, and who was known as 'MBAZAR BAG', was afraid of them. And he thought that they were about to make him to suffer sorely, and immediately and swiftly he sought the road to the Camp, for he said that if he should be looked on with the eye of mercy before the King of Kings, every kind of fear would be removed from him. And thus he having gone, these Amirs sent many informers against him in his footsteps (or, on his heels). 'l'he King of Kings thought that he would kill him, but he kept him in a state of hope for the moment. And before [he killed him] he sent a messenger secretly to seize his sons,and his household, and his kinsmen, and his fellow countrymen, so that he might make a thorough ending of them; then they were to kill with their own hands him that was with them.,
Now there was a certain woman who had knowledge of this secret, and she came to the Kurdish Amir by night and informed him about the whoJe matter. 'l'hen the KURD, without the least hesitation, straightway took one of his slaves, and the two of them mounted their horses and fled from the Camp. And they fled like the bird from the snare. And this man flew on his horse so swiftly that he outrode the messenger [of the King of Kings]. And he arrived at his house. And his family fled with all their food, and he took refuge in the mountains, and hills, and savage places which were inaccessible.
And after this the messenger [of the King or Kings] arrived, and he was stupefied and marvelled. Then the King of Kings blazed with wrath and he was inflamed greatly with rage, [570] not only because this man had saved himself from his hands, but he was especially irritated that he had obtained knowledge [of the secret]. Who then from inside the Camp informed that KURD and revealed to him the secret? And he sent troops to patrol the mountains and to hold the roads over them to the KURDS. And because it was the season of winter and heavy snows [lay] on the tops of the mountains where the KURDS were, the troops of the MONGOLS were unable either to cut through them or to master them. Therefore they returned to the plain where the KURDS were farmers and poor labourers and men who paid tribute; and the MONGOLS spoiled and killed them, and they looted and burnt their houses and their stores of grain. These poor people were especiaJly ill-treated by the men of the mountains who were with the and who are called K 'AYASHYE (KAYAJYE?). For these were Christians and by nature hated the ARABS, and they did great injury to the KURDS and committed indescribable atrocities on them. They killed the men without mercy, and they made prisoners of innumerable women, and sons, and daughters. And of their food supplies as much as they were able they carried away, and the rest they burnt in the fire. Therefore by reason of these men of the mountains, the ARABS blazed with wrath against all the Christians, and they said, 'If it were not for these men of the mountains, the MONGOLS would never, never have treated the KURDS evilly, because a very large number of the MONGOLS have become HAGARAYE (i.e. MUHAMMADANS) in our own days, and they would never wish to do evil to the MUSLIMS, unless, perhaps, they were forced [to do so] by their nobles.'
Now the MONGOLS, the summer having come, left the countries of MAWSIL and 'ARBIL and departed, but the KURDS who had come down from the tops of the mountains, and were gathered together in tens of thousands, came to the plain. Then the natives of the country fled before them and took refuge in the cities and fortresses. All the people of the country of 'ARBIL went up to the Citadel, and straightway the KURDS besieged the Citadel. But Divine Providence checked their furious onslaught, and they did not entirely prosper in their attack on the Citadel. And every time they crowded together to make war upon it, seven or eight, more or less, of them were killed.
And when they had been occupied with them for a period of seventeen (or, fifteen?) days, certain FRANKS, [571] about two hundred men, came down the TIGRIS by water to MAWSIL by the command of the King of Kings, as if they were going to BABIL (BAGHDAD) to construct ships there and to go down to BOSRA (AL- BASRAH), and from there by the SEA OF PANTOS (SEA OF SUF?) to attack the EGYPTIANS. And others of the FRANKS, about seven hundred men, went by land; and they remained in BAGHDAD the whole winter--until their plan (or, object) was fulfilled. Now there exist stories about the FRANKS IN BAGHDAD which are worthy of remembrance, but in order that the sequence of our narrative may not be disturbed (or, become confused) we will return forthwith to our plan, and we will make mention of these stories later.
And when the KURDS heard that certain FRANKS had arrived in MAWSIL, they imagined that they had come on their account, and they abandoned the Citadel and scattered themselves about in the country .Then those who were in the Citadel, being free from the KURDS, wished to go and bring the inhabitants of the village of BETH SAYYADHE to the Citadel lest they should suffer any harm from the KURDS. Now, according to what is the fact, had they left them in the place where they were they would never have suffered harm. Therefore these men of the mountain, the KAYAJYE, about two hundred mounted men, came down from the Citadel, and went to BETH SAYYADHE, although it was not about them that they were anxious, but about their own advantage more especially. For when they came there they lent the horses which were under them to the ploughmen, and they came before them on foot. And thus they were scattered from each other, like a people without a head, until they arrived close to the city. Then the KURDS who were lying in wait and watching for them burst forth upon them, and although only a very few of them were killed, yet the KURDS made prisoners of most of them, and they looted everything which they found with them.
Now when the marauders and freebooters who were in SYRIA heard that the KURDS had besieged the Citadel of 'ARBIL, they believed that they would besiege SYRIA at the same time, and would loot, and kill, and take prisoners, and carry off [spoil]. Therefore they collected about two thousand men, and came to the help of the KURDS. And when they arrived they could not find them as they expected, for not even they were able to approach the Citadel because of the strength and military ability of those who were inside it. And the Syrian marauders wishing to put them to the test told off about two hundred men of their number, and they approached the [572] gate of the Citadel, and those who were inside came down and fought with them, and they captured from them a certain number of horses, and they went back up into the Citadel. And when the marauders saw that they themselves had neither gained in any way nor done any good by their coming, and that up to that time they had not even joined up with the KURDS, they turned and went back by the way which they had come, men empty and foiled. These things took place on the third day [of the week], on the twenty-seventh day of the month of HAZIRAN (JUNE).
And in the month of TAMMUZ, (JULY) of this year a certain monk, who was an ARMENIAN and a just man, one of those who used to go round about through the countries admonishing [the people] and proclaiming repentance, and reformation, and the confession of sins, arrived at the Citadel of ZAID, and he remained there about a month of days. And his discourses pleased the Christians who were there very very much, and some young men were attracted by him, and they began to assemble about him in the night-time, and they ate, and drank, and conversed about the histories of the holy men and the crowning of the martyrs. And when the power of his utterances became reported to the ARABS, certain of them were smitten with envy, and they went on the night of Friday and took a dead dog and hung it up over the door of the Great Mosque. And when the day broke and the ARABS gathered together to pray, they saw that dead dog, and they burned with wrath. And they all with one mouth said, 'This deed is the work of the Armenian monk and of those who gather together about him'. And they drew their swords and daggers, and they went and seized the wretched monk. and a few of the natives of the city who were with him. For when the people had knowledge of the trick [of the dog], they fled, and all of them hid themselves from before the wrath of [the ARABS]. Then those wicked men took the monk and departed to the Monastery of BA'UTH, and they went into the cells of the monks and carried away all their possessions. And they killed that poor monk there together with two or three natives of the city, and they returned to the city. And they also entered the houses of the believing Christians, and they looted everything which they found in their houses, and they inflicted beatings and tortures on many honourable men. And the city remained for about a month of days without buying and without selling (i.e. trade was paralysed).
And in those days, when FARAJ ALLAH, the Egyptian lawyer, who had some time before brought to light the treachery of the Persian scribe and killed him, saw that he had prospered because [573] his word had been accepted, he began to feel exceedingly proud of himself, and he went to the Camp and poured forth calumnies on TAJ AD-DIN, the son of MUKHATAS, and said, 'He hath collected forty myriads of gold [pieces] for himself'. Then when the JEW who was the SAHIB DIWAN heard his word(s), he became proud and he said within himself, 'If this be certain (or, true) about this man, how much more certain will it be concerning his brother who is the companion of TAJ AD-DIN! For he possesseth more power as governor in the countries, and his hand is more extended in taking and giving.'
Therefore he began to flatter FARAJ ALLAH, and he showed him that this course of action would be injurious not only to TAJ AD-DIN, but that his brother would be hurt far more, Then the wretched FARAJ ALLAH saw that he could neither suppress the command of that man, nor stand up against it, and that if he went back on his own word(s) the Amirs of the Camp would condemn him and kill him. And certain men said unto him, 'Write a document thyself [and say]. that thou didst say what thou didst say through drunkenness, and that "these two persons, that is to say, TAJ AD-DIN and his companion, have [not] acted oppressively, and that they have never taken from any man anything unjustly", and give it to the SAHIB DIWAN, and he will arrange thy business forthwith, and will save thee, and, moreover, he will make thee a companion and an associate of these [men]. Then FARAJ ALLAH accepted this [advice] implicitly, and he wrote the document in these [words] and he gave it to the SAHIB DIWAN.
Then that treacherous JEW, as soon as the document fell into his hand, took it and went to the King of Kings [and said], 'What dost thou command in respect of the man who yesterday uttered that statement and today hath written that document? ' And the King of Kings replied, 'In truth such a man as this is worthy of death'. And straightway they killed FARAJ ALLAH there. And [the JEW] also proved that he had two companions in MAWSIL who were worse than he was, and [the King of Kings] commanded that they also should be killed. And [he sent] hurriedly to MAWSIL MUWAYAD, the son of MUWAYAD the scribe, and AMIR AD-DIN, the son of MUHTASEB, a native of 'ARBIL.
And after some days the Amir MATTAI, an excellent man and a great pillar of the Christians who were in the country of MAWSIL, was sent from the Camp to the city of SI'IRAD to receive from them (i.e. the people) the customary gift of the MONGOLS. Now the citizens [574] were haters of the Christians, and they disliked the Christ-like man who ruled over them, and they drew their swords and daggers and attacked him in the mansion in which he lived, and there they killed him on the second day [of the week], on the thirty-first day of the month of TAMMUZ (JULY) of that year. Then the sons of this man whose life had been taken wickedly went to the Camp quickly, and made manifest the impudence of the ARABS who were there. And the command went forth, 'The killers shall be killed, and the natives of the city shall be mulcted of ten myriads of gold [dinars]'. And thus they came to the city and they killed seven or eight of the satraps who were there.
And in the beginning of the year sixteen hundred and two [of the GREEKS (A.D. 1291)] an accusation was brought against the Amir, a KURD, who was known as SEJAL AD-DIN LA-ZAKAI, from the country of GAZARTA of KARDU. And his case was investigated before BAITMISH, the strong man, and he was killed in the country of MAWSIL, both he and one of his sons.
And in these days certain men of the ISHMAELITES disguised as merchants were sent to MAWSIL so that they might leap upon the Amirs and commanders who were therein and kill them, and that a Christian and a JEW might no longer rule in the place. And if they could not [leap upon them] they were to kill them secretly and craftily. Now therefore, having arrived in MAWSIL and alighted at one of the inns according to the custom of merchants, they quarrelled with each other and began to fight the one with the other. And a certain man who was near them and heard their quarrel was perplexed about the meaning of their talk, and he went quickly and informed the Amirs about these [men], and they sent hurriedly and arrested them. And when they began to torture them, one of them, an old man, said, 'Ye have no need to torture us; we three men have come to kill you. And three other men have gone to BABII. to kill the JEW who is there. And three others have gone to the Camp to kill the SAHIB DIWAN, who is there'. Then the Amirs straightway crucified (or, impaled) these men, and they sent to BABIL and arrested easily [the three men there] and killed [them]. And as for those [three men] who had gone to the Camp, their petition was replied to, and their aim was fulfilled without toil and trouble.
Now, observe the marvellous character of the manner in which Nature directeth affairs. For even if it erreth in a certain case, and exalteth a fool, and maketh him prosperous, and raiseth him on high, yet it is only for a short time. [575] Then that act is corrected very easily, and it seemeth as if Nature itself repenteth of its error, and it goeth back and bringeth low its high estate (1).
The behaviour of the ARABS hath [long] been made manifest in the world, and up to the present day no JEW hath ever been raised to a position of exalted honour among them; and except as a tanner, or a dyer, or a tailor [the ARAB] doth not appear among the JEWS. But truly the honourable ones and the fortunate among them [exalt] the art of healing and the art of the scribe; but in situations in which others will not demean themselves to work, they will work.[And at this time when the MONGOLS were ruling over these western countries, they did not honour every one who was worthy of honour, and they did not make those who had descended from the loins of kings to rule over the cities and villages which were in subjection to them. With the MONGOI.S there is neither slave nor free man; neither believer nor pagan; neither Christian nor JEW; but they regard all men as belonging to one and the same stock. And every one who approacheth them and offereth to them any of the mammon of the world, they accept it from him, and they entrust to him whatsoever oflice he seeketh, whether it be great or whether it be little, whether he knoweth how to administer it, or whether he doth not. All they demand is strenuous service and submission which is beyond the powcr [of man to render].
Therefore this JEW triumphed in every way, and attained the greatest glory and honour possible in the time of 'ARGHON, the King of Kings, and he alone brought all political matters to a succcssful issue, and much else besides. To the nobles of the Camp he paid no heed, and he reduced the taking and giving of their hands, and he treated with contempt the principal Amirs and the directors of general affairs. The man who could confer a favour (or, benefit), or who could do harm, was never seen at the Gate of the Kingdom, unless perchance [he was] a JEW. And through this state of affairs many of the JEWS who were on the fringes of the world gathered together to him, and they all with one mouth said, 'Verily, by means of this man the Lord hath raised on high the horn of redemption (or, deliverance), and the hope of glory for the sons of the HEBREWS in their last days'.
Therefore, when they were boasting proudly of their exaltation, and occupied with their power, suddenly [516] 'ARGHON, the King of Kings, perceived (i.e. was attacked by) paralysis, and he was grievously afflicted with the disease for a month of days. And the wretched JEW was perplexed by his illness, and with great care he endeavoured in every way possible to heal him. Then the Amirs and the nobles of the Camp who despised the JEW utterly, having lost all hope of [saving] the life of 'ARGHON, [behaved] as if the JEW himself, through the evil of his machinations, was the cause of the sickness of 'ARGHON. And they began to roar at the wretched man like lions, until 'ARGHON ended his life on the fourth day of the week, at the end of the LATTER KANON (JANUARY) of the year (A.D. 1291). Then God stirred up His wrath against the JEWS who were in every place. This SA'D AL-DAWLAH, the SAHIB DIWAN, they killed there. And with great care [the Amirs and nobles] sent ambassadors into all the countries which were under the dominion of the MONGOLS, and they seized his brethren and his kinsfolk, and they bound them with chains, and they plundered their stores of food, and they took their sons, and their daughters, and their slaves, and their handmaidens, and their flocks and herds, and all their possessions. And he who was killed by them was killed, and those who were left [alive] returned to their original stations. The man who yesterday was an officer, and could bind and set free, and was arrayed in royal apparel, was to-day swathed in sackcloth, and had dirty discoloured hands as if he was a dyer and not a scribe, and a beggar going round from door to door and not an officer. The trials and wrath which were stirred up against the JEWS at this time neither tongue can utter nor the pen wrrite down.
Then in BABIL (BAGHDAD), when [the report of] the murder of this JEW was heard, the ARABS armed themselves and went to the quarter of the JEWS, because the JEWS were all living together in one quarter in BABIL. And when they wanted to go in and plunder them, the JEWS rose up against them in great strength, and they fought against the ARABS, and killed and were killed; and they did not leave alive [any JEWS] to rule over them. 'Now,' said they, 'when this JEW became great and exalted, he commanded that a palace should be built for him in TABRIZ, and he buried many pots filled with gold and silver in the walls thereof.' Now this [fact] only became known at that moment, for it was only when [the MONGOLS] were torturing them (i.e. the JEWS), they showed them the places where the pots were, and so they dug [in the walls] and brought them out. Now the whole period during which [577] the JEW was Director and Governor was two years, more or less. And he was killed and his name (i.e. fame) perished, and because of him the JEWS throughout the world were hated and ill-treated.
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