_ 176 _ courage, they sent many of these wretches ‘to Gehenna, the place of horror’.(A) Finally they disappeared into the sea of the martyrdom. Poetry: In an instant they launched themselves out of this world, They escaped from the sufferings of this cold lower world, And caused themselves to reach the summit of Paradise. The author of the Tarih-i Mahmud-Sahi continued by noting that Mahmud I displayed a great dissatisfaction in learning this news. He expressed his desire ‘to cast down these impious men’ (nigunszai-i an bidinan). ‘The armies temporal and spiritual began to move (and) at the prompting of their great ambition set themselves the goal of exterminating these creators of ruin’. The old ruler declared his readiness to strike everywhere ‘this impious group which has taken possession of the sea (in guruh-i bidin ki darya-ra furu girifta)’. He sent a messenger express to the royal freedman Malik Ayaz, Governor of Diu, instructing him to put ships to sea in all haste, to sail against the Portuguese) wherever they were and to ‘burn all these wretches in the fire of his vengeance.’ Whether they take to the sea, even into the shark’s mouth, Or flee even to the limits of Europe (Farang), Or (A) Cf. Koran, Sura XIV, verse 29.
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