Chapter IX.

KING KAIKHATO AND MAR YAHBH-ALLAHA.

Now the Church passed some days with matters in this state, when suddenly, a younger brother of the dead king, who was called IRNAGHIN T0NGHIN, burst forth, and was crowned king [under the name of] KAIKHATO; he took the sceptre of the kingdom and sat upon the throne of his brother. He [began to] rule (90) in the year of the Greeks, one thousand six hundred and two [=1291] in the month of Abh (August) of that year All creation was at peace, rebellion died and hid itself, the light of righteousness rose and made itself visible, for Kaikhato, the blessed king, did not turn aside from the way of his fathers. He established in his position every one of those who followed [divers] cults, he paid honour to the leaders of all religions, whether Christians, or Arabs, or Jews, or Pagans. He considered the face of no man [i.e. he was strictly impartial] and he neither turned aside nor swerved from justice, gold being accounted as dross in his sight. His alms were boundless, and there was no end to his gifts in charity. For every one who asked from him received, even as it is written (Luke xi. 10), and he who

202 THE MONKS OF Kf1BLAI KHAN

sought, found ; and experience showed that this was literally true.

Now he came to reign in the month of the year which has been mentioned above. On the day of the festival of the commemoration of Saint Maryam (the Virgin My Lady Mary)--may her prayer be upon (i.e. protect) the world!-- which [is celebrated] in the middle of the month of Abh, he went into the church which TAWUS (DOKUZ) KHATON [the first wife of HULAGO] had set up (91) in the blessed Camp. Now they were at that time in the mountain called ALATAK (ALA DAGH). When our Father the Catholicus celebrated the Mysteries, the king was glad and rejoiced greatly; and he gave gifts to the Catholicus, twenty thousand dinars (Ј10,000) and nine gorgeous dibage, i.e. vestments made of silk with gold threads interwoven. On that day the sons of the kings and the daughters of the queens, and the Amirs, and the nobles, and the troops were gathered together there. And the glory of the Holy Catholic Church became as great, nay greater, than it was before. And the hearts of the Christians gained courage and waxed strong, when they knew the mind of the victorious king and heard his words, for his good qualities and his gracious acts could be felt with hands. And from day to day the glory increased, and the splendour of their Church grew apace, and this took place through the

KING KAIKHATO AND YAHBH-ALLAHA 203

great care and foresight, and the wise rule of Mar Catholicus, [in which] he used his under standing for the glorification of the children of the kingdom (i.e. the Royal Family) (92).

Now because RABBAN SAWMA had already become an old man, the hard life of the Mongols, and the prolonged sojourning in desert places, became intolerable to him. And he caused the victorious King KAIKHATO to promulgate an order for him to build a church in the city of MARAGHAH, and to place therein the vessels and the vestments for the service of the church, which the dead King Arghon had set up in the Camp. And his request was granted by the king. And as soon as he received this permission he at once set out for city of MARAGHAH, taking with him the vessels and vestments for the service of MAR Catholicus. And he laid. the foundations and built a fine church in the names of MAR MARI and MAR GEORGE, the glorious martyr. And there were placed in it the relics of forty martyrs, of MAR STEPHEN [the protomartyr], and MAR JAMES, who was cut into pieces [by the order of WARHARAN V, king of Persia A.D. 421], and MAR DEMETRIUS, the martyr. He furnished it with costly vessels and vestments for the service of every kind, and he founded a series of endowments from which the things which would be required for it could be always provided and maintained. And this [he did] with the help of the illustrious MAR

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YAHBH-ALLAHA (93), the Catholicus. And in the summer of the following year the victorious King KAIKHATO came twice to the Cell which was in MARAGHAH, and he sojourned with Mar Catholicus for three days, and rejoiced with an exceeding great joy. And he gave great gifts and presents to Mar Catholicus, viz., a Paiza of gold, that is to say, the tablet which is called "Sunkor" (see above p. 61), and seven thousand diners (Ј3,500).