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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

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T.R. thousand people followed bis example. Toghhic Tymûr was at this time twenty years of age, and he died ten years later in 76411.=1362 A.D.

V.B.   In the anarchy following on the death of Amfr Kazghan, the Jalâyr north of

Samarcand, and the Suldoz in Kish and Nakhshab became independent, and others set up for themselves in different parts of the country.

T.R.      Toghlûc Tymûr on becoming King of the Chaghtây s'Lcis found this anarchy
reigning in Mâwarânahar, and in Rabi Thâni 761H.=1359-60 A.D., thirty years after the death of Tarmashfrin Khan, invaded the country, and restored a short lived order. At Khujand he received the submission of Amir Bâyzid Jalâyr, and at Kârshi drove Amir Hiji Birlâs, to retreat across the Oxus into Khurâsân. Tymûr, who now first appears on the scene of Asiatic politics, it the history of which his career fills so eventful a page, appealed to him not to desert the country without a struggle, and himself, collecting a force at Kish, advanced to Khazâr to oppose the enemy who were coming on plundering the country under the guidance of Hâjf Muhammad Shah Yasavi.

But Toghlûc meantime had reached the capital, and Tymûr, unable to check the

invaders, turned and repairing to him there, tendered submission. Toghhic was favorably impressed by the rising conqueror, and reinstating him in the Government of Kish and its dependencies, retired from the country. On his departure the Amin Hâjf Birlâs, Khizr Yasavi, and Tymûr united in revolt against the Moghol. Consequently Toghhic again invaded Mâwarânahar with a numerous army in Jamddi Awwal of the following year. The Amirs Biyzid and Bayân Suldoz submitted, _and accompanied the Moghol army to Samarcand, but Hâjf Birlâs and his brother,

Aydko, opposing, were driven into Khurâsin. They escaped to Sabzwâr, and were there slain by the people of Karâsha, in the Juwen bulûk or " district." In after years, when Tymtir conquered Khurisân, he avenged their death by a massacre of the people, and grant of the country in fief to the heirs of his murdered kinsmen. In this second campaign, Toghlûc, on the recommendation of the Amir Hamfd, Kurulkût, one of the wisest and most influential of the Jattah nobles, re-confirmed Tymûr in the Government of Kish, and, in the same winter, took the field against Amir Husen, who held out at Kundûz. Toghlûc crossed the Wakhsh river, and passed through the narrow and difficult pass of Darband Ahanin="iron barrier," beyond which he was joined by Kaikhusro of Khatlin, who had deserted from Amir Husen, then in full flight down the Oxus. Toghhic crossed the river to Kundûz, and passed the spring and summer in subjugating the country up to Hindû Kush. He returned to Samarcand in the autumn ; executed Bayân Suldoz, and many other troublesome Chiefs, and having established his son, Ilyâs Khoja, as governor of Mâwarinahar, with Begjik, a Jattah noble, as minister, and Tymur as councillor,

M

returned to ogholistin.

V.B.   On the departure of the Moghol army, Tymûr disagreed with Begjik, and,

effecting his escape with his wife, Olja Turkân, joined Husen in the Khivi desert. From this date commenced that extraordinary career of this second world conqueror of modern times—the "scourge of God" over the whole Asiatic continent, the China region excepted. Here we are only concerned to notice that portion of his devastating career connected with the history of this country.

Tymûr was born in the Shahrisubz suburb of Kish on Tuesday, 5th Sha'ban 736H.=1333 A.D., and was the son of Turghây, the Chief of the Birlâs tribe, and Governor of Kish on behalf of the Amir Kazghan. His father sent him for service to the Court, and Kazghan being favorably impressed by the bearing of the youth, gave him in marriage the celebrated Olja Turkân Khâton (the daughter of his son, Salah Khân), the devoted partner of his early adventures and misfortunes ; and appointing him Ming-bdski=" commander of a thousand," took him along with his army on the campaign against Husen Kurd of Khurâsân.

Both Amir Kazghan and Turghây died soon after this expedition, and Husen, succeeding his father in the Government, appointed Tymûr to the charge of Kish in