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Here's something worthwhile for
Tuesday, February 09, 2010:
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Arabia in 14th Century
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IBN BATTUTA (1304-1377), Arab traveller. A declaration of affection for the Sultan of Mul-Jawa.
While this sultan was sitting in audience, I saw a man with a knife in
his hand resembling a book-binders' tool. He put this knife to his
own neck, and delivered a long speech which I did not understand,
then gripped it with both hands and cut his own throat. So sharp
was the knife and so strong his grip that his head fell to the ground. I
was amazed at his action. The sultan said to me, 'Does anyone do
this in your country?' I replied 'I have never seen such a thing.' Then
he laughed and said 'These are our slaves, who kill themselves for
love of us.' He gave orders that the body should be carried away and
burned, and the sultan's lieutenants, the officers of state, the troops,
and the citizens went out to his cremation. The sultan assigned a
large pension to his children, wife, and brothers, and they were held
in high esteem because of this act. One of those present at this
audience told me that the speech made by the man was a declaration
of his affection for the sultan, and that he was slaying himself for
love of him, as his father had slain himself for love of the sultan's
father, and his grandfather for love of the sultan's grandfather.
Thereafter I withdrew from the audience.
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