[57] _T_ab. 1252 f., 1525: Bal. 421: Al-Bīrūnī, “Chronology of Ancient Nations” (trans. Sachau, London 1879) pp. 41 f. Prof. Barthold is inclined to regard Al-Bīrūnī’s narrative as fictitious (perhaps intended to account for the absence of written records of Khwārizm dating from pre-Muslim times?) _cf._ “Turkestan” p. 1. [58] Barthold, Arab. Quellen 21 f. [59] _T_ab. 1247 f., 1249. For Ghūrak’s latter, Chav. Doc. 204 f. [60] Marquart, Chronologie 5 ff.: Barthold, Arab. Quell. 11 f.: Houtsma as note 2 above. [61] _Cf._ _T_ab. 1418: Bal. 425. [62] _T_ab. 1365. 8, 1518, 1542. 1. [63] Ibn Hawqal 383; I_st_akhrī 328. 4. The latter’s statement that Qutayba here beleaguered the Afshīn of Ushrūsana is almost certainly due to the omission of some words or perversion of the text. On the other hand, there could not be, as in Ibn Hawqal’s account, any question of Musawwida (“Black Robes”) in the ordinary sense of the term as early as 94 A.H. and above all in Ushrūsana. The absence of any reference to levies from _S_ughd in this expedition would seem to favour Prof. Barthold’s theory of a _S_ughdian rising in co-operation with the Turks. The evidence in favour of an accidental omission is, however, very strong. At this point _T_abarī’s narratives, in contrast to the preceding period, become extremely brief. The levies from the four states mentioned met Qutayba at Bukhārā and marched with him into _S_ughd. Naturally the _S_ughdian levies would have awaited his arrival there. Had the omission been intentional it would be difficult to explain why _T_abarī did not include some account of the reasons why _S_ughdian troops were not summoned. In any case it is certain that Qutayba would not have left a hostile _S_ughdian army in his rear, and they must therefore have taken part in the march to the Jaxartes. [64] Cordier, Hist. gen. de la Chine, I. 460: Wieger 1642: _T_ab. 1280. 3. [65] Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, II. 619 ff. For another view of these embassies see Bretschneider, Mediaeval Researches (1910), II. 247 f. [66] Hirth, Nachworte 81. [67] Bal. 425 f.: Yaʿqūbī, Hist. II. 354: Wellhausen, Arab. Reich 275. [68] Yaʿqūbī, Hist. II. 346. 7. [69] See his character-sketch in Wellhausen 277. [70] Bal. 401. 5: _T_ab. 1353. [71] _T_ab. 1364 f., 1356. 13, 1364. 13, 1421. 7, 1418. 13: Bal. 422, 426. [72] Narsh. 57. 4: Fa_z_āʾil Balkh, ap. Schefer, Chrest. Persane, I. 71. 2. [73] Sachau, Khwārizm I, 29: Barthold, Turkestan 189. IV. THE TURKISH COUNTERSTROKE.[74]