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0222 Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1
Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1 / Page 222 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000196
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succession to Turghay. But anarchy and disorder soon spread all over the country, V.B. and brought about the invasion of Toghhuc above noticed. Tymûr, after his escape from Samarcand, wandered a toilsome and adventurous month in the desert, where he was captured by the slave-hunting Turkman. He, however, effected his escape with Olja, and returning secretly to Kish, raised a band of adventurers, and sought a career for himself by a raid into Sistân. Here he was wounded by an arrow in the right foot and lamed for life, and thus got the name of Tymûr Lang=" Tymûr the Lame," the famous Tamerlane of history.

Whilst he was laid up with this wound Amir Husen seized Balkh, and Tymtir joined him there. At this time their united forces numbered only fifteen hundred men. Ilyâs Khoja sent a force against them, but it was defeated near Kundtiz in 765H.= ] 363 A.D., and as he presently heard of the death of his father, Toghhic, Ilyas hurried off from Samarcand to secure the throne at Almaligh. Tymtir on this drove the Jattah out of Mawaranahar, and returning from Tashkand entered Samarcand, and was well received. He held a Curultcty and set Kabil Shah on the throne.

In the following spring 'Ryas returned with a large army to recover Mawara- T.R. nahar, and was met in opposition by the Amirs Husen and Tymûr. A battle ensued on the muddy plain of Lae=" Mud" on the banks of the Bâda.m river between Chinas and Tâshkand in Ramazan 766 H.=1364 A.D. In the fight Husen quarrelled with Tymûr, and quitting the field, retired to Sale Sarae. Tymûr thus deserted withdrew to Karshi and Balkh, whilst Ilyâs advancing set siege to Samarcand. A plague now broke out in his camp, and he was forced to retreat as best he could, having lost many men and most of his cattle.

Tymtir and Husen now warred for the mastery, and, finally, after years of V.B. alternate reconciliations and hostilities, Husen surrendered at Balkh, and was there executed 771 H.=1369 A.D. Tymtir now held a Curulay, and in Turk fashion was raised aloft on a white felt, and proclaimed King of Mawaranahar as Amir Tymûr Gûrikan, with the title of Shah Sahibi Karan, on Wednesday, 12th Ramazan of the same year (Z.N.T.). From this he crossed to Samarcand, and fixing it as the capital of the Chaghtay Empire now revived in his person, built its fort, and established the Yûsao of Changiz as the law of the land (T.R.).

In the winter following this the restless Jattah again invaded Mawaranahar. T.R. Tymûr drove them across the Syhon, and subjugating the Kumza and Ortagtamûr tribes on the frontier, returned to his capital. Whilst he was absent on this expedition the Shah of Badakhshan, Shekh 'Ali, invaded Kundtiz, and plundered the country; consequently Tymûr at once set out again to punish him.

He marched by way of Talkhan and Kishm, forced the obstinately defended Z.N.T. passes of Gokus and Jurm, and came up with the Badakhshi Shah in the deep and strongly barricaded glen of Artunj-darra, at the junction of two swift torrents. Tymûr drove him from this position to Canagh Aolang, where crossing the head waters of the Jyhon, the fugitive King stood to defend its passage. Sheik 'Ali was here taken prisoner, and his army dispersing for the most part escaped into the neighbouring glens. In the pursuit Tymûr got entangled in the mountains, and was surrounded and nearly captured in a deep and winding defile by a party of the Badakhshi highlanders.

His escape was merely due to the impudent temerity of his few attendants, who rushing in amongst the ignorant Tajik, slapped them in the face, and with affronted dignity demanded if they knew who it was they dared to press around so disrespectfully. On hearing the already dread name of the rising conqueror, the simple mountaineers at once tendered submission, and suing for pardon, restored the prisoners and captives they had captured. Tymûr in after years often referred to this fight as the hardest and most perilous of the many he had engaged in, and the country as the most rugged and difficult of any he had seen in all his varied experiences. Yet he did not fail to punish in an exemplary manner his soldiers who, on this occasion, allowed themselves to be captured by the enemy.