In 1293, enemies tried to poison the emperor’s ear against Bayan, and they seemed to have succeeded; for Kublai despatched his heir, the Prince Teimur, to supersede him in the frontier command.  Bayan beat Kaidu once more, and then made over his command with characteristic dignity.  On his arrival at court, Kublai received him with the greatest honour, and named him chief minister of state and commandant of his guards and the troops about Cambaluc.  The emperor died in the beginning of the next year (1294), and Bayan’s high position enabled him to take decisive measures for preserving order, and maintaining Kublai’s disposition of the succession.  Bayan was raised to still higher dignities, but died at the age of 59, within less than a year of the master whom he had served so well for 30 years (about January, 1295).  After his death, according to the peculiar Chinese fashion, he received yet further accessions of dignity.

The language of Chinese historians in speaking of this great man is thus rendered by De Mailla; it is a noble eulogy of a Tartar warrior:—­

“He was endowed with a lofty genius, and possessed in the highest measure the art of handling great bodies of troops.  When he marched against the Sung, he directed the movements of 200,000 men with as much ease and coolness as if there had been but one man under his orders.  All his officers looked up to him as a prodigy; and having absolute trust in his capacity, they obeyed him with entire submission.  Nobody knew better how to deal with soldiers, or to moderate their ardour when it carried them too far.  He was never seen sad except when forced to shed blood, for he was sparing even of the blood of his enemy....  His modesty was not inferior to his ability....  He would attribute all the honour to the conduct of his officers, and he was ever ready to extol their smallest feats.  He merited the praises of Chinese as well as Mongols, and both nations long regretted the loss of this great man.”  De Mailla gives a different account from Rashiduddin and Gaubil, of the manner in which Bayan first entered the Kaan’s service. (Gaubil, 145, 159, 169, 179, 183, 221, 223-224; Erdmann, 222-223; De Mailla, IX. 335, 458, 461-463.)

NOTE 4.—­As regards Bayan personally, and the main body under his command, this seems to be incorrect.  His advance took place from Siang-yang along the lines of the Han River and of the Great Kiang.  Another force indeed marched direct upon Yang-chau, and therefore probably by Hwai-ngan chau (infra, p. 152); and it is noted that Bayan’s orders to the generals of this force were to spare bloodshed. (Gaubil, 159; D’Ohsson, II. 398.)

NOTE 5.—­So in our own age ran the Hindu prophecy that Bhartpur should never fall till there came a great alligator against it; and when it fell to the English assault, the Brahmans found that the name of the leader was Combermere = Kumhir-Mir, the Crocodile Lord!