a city of Asia, situated in the province of Zabulistan, 10 days journey from Balkh, and eight from Gazna. It is remarkable only for its dreadful catastrophe when taken by Jenghiz Khan in 1221. At that time the city belonged to Sultan Jalalodin, the last of the famous Mahmud Gazni's race. Jenghiz Khan was at that time about to attack Gazna, that prince's capital; but was stopped by the garrison of Gazna, which he had hoped would give him no trouble. In this, however, he was disappointed. The people had for a long time expected an attack; and had therefore ruined the country for five or six leagues round, while the peasants had carried away the stones, and every thing that could be of use to the besiegers. Accordingly, Jenghiz Khan having erected wooden towers, and planted his engines upon them, was in a short time obliged to give over his attacks till millstones and other materials could be brought from a great distance. The walls of the city were very strong, so that the engines of the Moguls made but little impression; and the garrison making frequent and furious sallies cut off whole squadrons of their enemies, and frequently overthrew their towers and engines. This exceedingly chagrined Jenghiz Khan; who one day returning from a fruitless attack, and hearing of the defeat of one of his generals by Jalalodin, swore to be revenged on Bamiyan. This fury cost the life of one of his grandchildren; who exposing himself too much, to please his grandfather, was slain with an arrow.—At last, however, by the numberless multitude of the Moguls, who continued the attacks without intermission, the city was taken, after its walls had been ruined in many places, and the bravest soldiers and officers of the garrison slain in its defence. The mother of the young prince who had been killed entering with the troops, and more deserving the name of a fiend than a woman, caused the throats of all the inhabitants to be cut, without excepting one. She even gave orders to rip up the bellies of all the women with child, that not an infant might be left alive. In short, to gratify the rage of this inhuman monster, the buildings were all levelled with the ground; the cattle, and every living creature, destroyed; insomuch that the hardened Moguls themselves gave this place the name of Maulbalig, which in their language signifies the unfortunate city. A strong castle has since been built out of its ruins.