National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

succession to Turgháy. But anarchy and disorder soon spread all over the country, V.B.
and brought about the invasion of Toghlúc about noticed. Tymúr, after his escape
from Samarcand, wandered a toilsome and adventurous month in the desert, where he
was captured by the slave-hunting Turkmán. 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 Sístán. Here he was wounded by an arrow in the
right foot and lamed for life, and thus got the name of Tymúr Lang="Tymúr the
Lame," the famous Tamerlane of history.
Whilst he was laid up with this wound Amír Husen seized Balkh, and Tymúr
joined him there. At this time their united forces numbered only fifteen hundred
men. Ilyás Khoja sent a force against them, but it was defeated near Kundúz in
765H.=1363 A.D., and as he presently heard of the death of his father, Toghlúc,
Ilyás hurried off from Samarcand to secure the throne at Almáligh. Tymúr on this
drove the Jattah out of Máwaránahar, and returning from Táshkand entered Samar-
cand, and was well received. He held a Curultáy and set Kábil Sháh on the
throne.
In the following spring Ilyás returned with a large army to recover Máwará- T.R.
nahar, and was met in opposition by the Amírs Husen and Tymúr. A battle ensued
on the muddy plain of Lae="Mud" on the banks of the Bádám river between
Chinás and Táshkand in Ramazan 766 H.=1364 A.D. In the fight Husen quarrelled
with Tymúr, and quitting the field, retired to Sále Saráe. Tymúr thus deserted
withdrew to Karshí and Balkh, whilst Ilyás 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.
Tymúr 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. Tymúr now held a Curultáy, and in Turk fashion was
raised aloft on a white felt, and proclaimed King of Máwaránahar as Amír Tymúr
Gúrikán, with the title of Sháh Sáhibi Karán, 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 Chaghtáy Empire now revived in his person, built its fort, and established the
Yásdo of Changíz as the law of the land (T.R.).
In the winter following this the restless Jattah again invaded Máwaránahar. T.R.
Tymúr drove them across the Syhon, and subjugating the Kumza and Ortagtamúr
tribes on the frontier, returned to his capital. Whilst he was absent on this expedi-
tion the Sháh of Badakhshán, Shekh 'Ali, invaded Kundúz, and plundered the
country; consequently Tymúr at once set again to punish him.
He marched by way of Tálkhán and Kishm, forced the obstinately defended Z.N.T.
passes of Gokus and Jurim, and came up with the Badakhshi Sháh in the deep and
strongly barricaded glen of Artunj-darra, at the junction of two swift torrents.
Tymúr 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 Tymúr got entangled in the mountains, and was
surrounded and nearly captured in a deep and winding defile by a party of the
Badakhshí highlanders.
His escape was merely due to the impudent temerity of his few attendants, who
rushing in amongst the ignorant Tájik, slapped them in the face, and with affronted
dignity demanded if they knew who it was they dared to press around so disrespect-
fully. 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. Tymúr 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.