Note 189 — ARAB REFERENCES.1

In the fourth year of his reign about a.d. 758 the Khalífah Jaâfar-al-Mansúr189 (a.d. 754–775) the second ruler of the house of Abbás appointed Hishám governor of Sindh. Hishám despatched a fleet to the coast of Barádah, which may generally be read Balabha, under the command of Amru bin Jamál Taghlabi. Tabari (a.d. 838–932) and Ibni Asír (a.d. 1160–1232)190 state that another expedition was sent to this coast in a.h. 160 (a.d. 776) in which though the Arabs succeeded in taking the town, disease thinned the ranks of the party stationed to garrison the port, a thousand of them died, and the remaining troops while returning to their country were shipwrecked on the coast of Persia. This he adds deterred Appendix V. Arab References, a.d. 851–1350. Capitals. Vála or Valabhi. Al Mahdi191 (a.d. 775–785) the succeeding Khalífah from extending the eastern limits of his empire. Besides against Balaba the Sindhi Arabs sent a fleet against Kandhár apparently, though somewhat doubtfully,192 the town of that name to the north of Broach where they destroyed a temple or budd and built a mosque. Al Bírúni193 (a.d. 1030) writing of the Valabhi era describes the city of Balabah بلبہ‎ as nearly thirty jauzhans (yojanas) that is ninety miles to the south of Anhilvára. In another passage194 he describes how the Bánia Ránka sued for and obtained the aid of an Arab fleet from the Arab lord of Mansúrah (built a.d. 750) for the destruction of Balaba. A land grant by a Valabhi chief remains as late as a.d. 766. For this reason and as the invaders of that expedition fled panic-struck by sickness Valabhi seems to have continued as a place of consequence if the expedition of a.d. 830 against Bala king of the east refers to the final attack on Valabhi an identification which is supported by a Jain authority which places the final overthrow of Valabhi at 888 Samvat that is a.d. 830.195