The History of Genghizcan the Great, first Emperor of the antient Moguls and Tartars; in four Books Containing his Life, Advancement and Conquests with a short History of his Successors to the present Time: the Manners, Customs and Laws of the antient Moguls and Tartars; and the Geography of the vast Countries . of Mogolistan, Tmquestan, Capscbac Yugurestan, and the Eastern and western Tartary. Collected from several Oriental Authors, and European Travellers; whose Names, with an Abridgment of their Lives, are added to this Book. By the late M. Petis de la Croix Senior, Secretary and Interpreter to; the .King in the Turkish and Arabick Languages. And now faithfully translated into English.
Contents of the first volume
Book I. Chap. I. Of Sultan Cazan, grand Can of Zagatai; his defeat and death. Mir Cazagan, a Turkish prince, takes upon him the government of the empire, and establishes a grand Can. The war of Mir Cazagan against Malek Hussein, prince of Herat / 1 Chap. 2. Of the government of the Mirza Abdalla, the son of Cazagan; and of the difference which happen d between the princes of Zagatai / 14 Chap. 3. Togluc Timur Can, king of the Get es, marches into Transoxiana. The flight of Hadgi Berlas / 18 Chap. 4. The rife of Mir Hussein, grandson of Mir Cazagan: he is assisted by Timur-Bec / 19 Chap. 5. Several intrigues between Timur and Hadgi Berlas; as also between the other princes / 22 Chap 6. The king of the Getes returns to Transoxiana with a great army. The death of Hadgi Berlas. The Can confirms Timur in the possession of his country of Kech and of a Toman of ten thousand men / 28 Chap. 7. Timur-Bec marches in search of Emir Hussein / 31 Chap. 8. Several warlike exploits of Timur and Hussein / 37 Chap. 9 The rencounter of the army of Getey and its defeat, caus'd by the policy of Ttmur-Bec; with the reduction of the city of Kech / 44 Chap. 10. The death of Togluc Timur Can, king of the Getes; and the defeat of his army by the princes Timur-Bec and Hussein / 47
Chap. 11. The assembly of the princes convert d by Timur and the Emir Hussein in which they elevated Cabulchah Aglen to the dignity of grand Can / 52 Chap. 12. The battel of Lai, or of the sloughs / 55 Chap. 13. The Retreat of Timur-Bec and Hussein. Samarcand besieg'd by the Getes / 61 Chap. 14. Departure of the princes for Samarcand, and the dissension which happen'd between 'em / 66 Chap. 15. Timur-Bec brings an army into the field against Emir Hussein / 72 Chap. 16. Several exploits of Timur, and intrigues of the princes. The march of Timur to Carschi / 77 Chap. 17. Mir Hussein brings an army into the field to oppose Timur / 86 Chap. 18. The siege and taking of Bocara by the army of Hussein. Timur defeats the army of the Coronas / 85 Chap. 19. Timur sends an ambassador to Malek Hussein at Herat / 92 Chap. 20. Timur defeats the army of the Emir Hussein in Transoxiana / 94
Chap. 21. The Emir Hussein sends an army against Timur, which is defeated / 101 Chap. 22. The Emir Hussein again seeks to make peace with Timur / 105 Chap. 23. The Emir Hussein brings an army into the field font Bedakchan / 108 Chap. 24. Timur marches at the head of an army to repulse the Getes / 111 Chap. 25. Timur returns from Bedakchan / 115 Chap. 26. A second rupture between Timur and Hussein / 117
Book II Chap. 1. The establishment of Timur on the throne of the empire of Zagatai / 130 Chap. 2. Timur returns from the city of Bale to Samarcand: the building of the castle and fortress of that metropolis / 132 Chap. 3. The Couroultai, that is, the diet or assembly of the states, conven'd by Timur's orders / 136 Chap. 4. Timur marches to Cheburgan at the head of an army / 138 Chap. 5. Timur fends an army to Bale and Termed / 140 Chap. 6. Timur sends the Emir Yakou to besiege Cheburgan / 141 Chap. 7. Timur marches an army into the country of the Getes / 142 Chap. 8. A second expedition of Timur against the Getes / 144 Chap. 9. The embassy from Timur to Hussein Sofi, king of Car extern / 147 Chap, 10. Timur departs from Samarcand, to make war on the king of Carezem / 149
Chap. 11. Timur makes peace with Ysouph Sofi, who succeeded Hussein; and demands in marriage the princess Canzade for the prince Gehanghir his eldest son / 155 Chap. 12. Timur marches a second time into the kingdom of Carezem / 157 Chap. 13. The famous embassy from Timur to the king of Carezem, to demand the princess Canzade / 158 Chap. 14 Timur marches a third time into the country of the Getes / 163 Chap. 15 Timur's marriage with the princess Dilchadaga, daughter of Camareddin king of the Getes. Timur is in danger of losing his life by a conspiracy which he narrowly escap'd / 166 Chap. 16. Timur marches a third time to Carezem, and returns on the revolt of Sar Bouga and Adelchah / 168 Chap. 17. Timur s fourth expedition to the kingdom of the Getes / 171 Chap. 18. The death of Mirza Gehanghir, Timur's eldest son / 174 Chap. 19. Timur's fifth expedition against the Getes / 176 Chap. 20 Timur's fifth expedition to the country of the Getes against Camareddin. Tocatmich Agleny descended from Touschi, son of Genghiz, Can, arrives at court, and puts himself under the protection of Timur / 178
Chap. 21. Timur gives Tocatmich Aglen the principalitys of Otrar and Sabran; and assists him in making himself master of the empire of Capchac which, he claim'd as his right; tho Ourous Can, descended from Genghiz Can, was in possession of it / 180 Chap. 22. Preparations for war. Timur brings an army into the field against Ourous Can, emperor of Qipchac and grand Russia / 183 Chap. 23. Timur's irruption into the country of Ourous Can: Tocatmich Aglen plac'd on the throne of Capchac, otherwise call'd the empire of Touchi Can / 185 Chap. 24. The birth of prince Charoc, son and heir to the emperor Timur / 187 Chap. 25. Timur fends Tocatmich Can to attack Timur Melic Can, emperor of Capchac / 189 Chap. 26. Embassy from the emperor Timur to Joseph Sofi king of Garezem / 191 Chap. 27. Timur's fourth war in Carezem: dehth of Joseph Sofi: conquest of that kingdom / 194 Chap. 28. Foundation of the walls of Kech, the country of Timur: the building of the palace of Acserai / 199 Chap. 29. The Emir Hadgi Seyfeddin sent ambassador to Heraty to Malek Cayaseddin Pir Ali, king of Corassana / 200 Chap. 30. Mirza Miran Chah, son of Timur, marches into Corassana, to make war on Malek Cayaseddin Pir Ali, prince of Herat / 202
Chap. 31. Timur's army marches to make war in Persia, and the rest of the empire of Iran / 204 Chap. 32. Reduction of Fouchendge, a town of Corassana / 207 Chap. 33. Reduction of Herat, capital of Corassana / 209 Chap-34. The army marches to Tons and Kelat / 213 Chap. 35. Timur returns to Samarcand / 215 Chap. 36. Death of Akia Beghi, daughter of Timur, and wife of the Emir Beghi, son of the Emir Moussa / 216 Chap. 37. Timur s second expedition into the kingdom of Iran or Persia / 219 Chap. 38. Reduction of the town of Terchiz, in Corassana / 225 Chap. 39. The arrival of an ambassador from Far s, or the true Persia, at the court of Timur / 227 Chap. 40. Timur marches into the province if Mazendran / 229
Chap. 41. Timur marches to Samarcand. Death of the empress Dilchadaga, arid of the princess Cotluc Turcan Aga, Timur's sister / 231 Chap. 42. Timur sends a sixth army into the country of the Getes / 235 Chap. 43. Timur marches to Mazendran, and thence to Sistan / 236 Chap. 44. Town of Sistan besieg'd and taken / 239 Chap. 45. Timur marches to Bost / 245 Chap. 46. War against the Ouganians, inhabitants of the mountains, south of Candahar / 247 Chap. 47. Timur returns to Samarcand / 250 Chap. 48. Timur marches into the province of Mazendran / 251 Chap. 49. Timur marches into the province of Irac Agemi / 256 Chap. 50. The emperor "Ttmur marches to Sultania / 257
Chap. 51. Timur returns to Samarcand, the capital of his empire / 259 Chap. 52 Timur enters the kingdom of Iran, where he stays three years successively / 161 Chap. 53. Timur marches to Azerbijana, or the country of the antient Medes / 263 Chap. 54. Timur enters Georgia at the head of his army. The description of the Persian way of hunting; as also of the Gerke and Nerke / 267 Chap. 55. Timur returns to Carabagh / 269 Chap. 56. The march of Timur to Berda. The motion of the army of Capchac. Defeat of the troops of Tocatmich Can / 275 Chap. 57. The arrival of the empress Serai Mulc Canum, and the princes her sons / 277 Chap. 58. Timur's army marches against Cara Mehemed, prince of the Turcomans / 278 Chap. 59. Timur marches to Van and Vastan. The letter which Cha Chuja king of Persia wrote to Timur at his death / 282 Chap. 60. Timur marches again into the countrys of Fars and Irac Agemi / 289 Chap. 61. Timur marches to Chiraz the capital of Fars or the true Persia / 294 Chap. 62. Reasons which induced Timur to return to the capital of his empire / 297 Chap. 63. Timur returns to Samarcand, and gives the government of Fars and Irac to the family of Muzaffer / 301 Chap. 64. The emperor orders a process against some Emirs, whom he had left in Transoxiana / 303
Book III. Chap. 1. Timur-Bec departs for his fifth expedition into the kingdom of Car extern / 305 Chap. 2. Some accidents during TimurV .expedition into Car extern / 308 Chap. 3. Timur departs to make war in Capchac, and is victorious over Tocatmich Can / 317 Chap. 4. Timur fends the Mirza Miran Chah into Corassana / 323 Chap. 5. Timur's expedition into Mogolistan against Kezer Coja Aglen, and the prime' Ancatoura ; which made the fifth campain in that country / 325 Chap. 6. Timur holds a diet, and fends' his armiys into all the quarters of the Moguls, to fight the Getes / 331 Chap. 7. Timur returns to the feat of his empire / 338 Chap. 8. The Couroultai, or diet, held by Timur's order / 342 Chap. 9. Timur fends his troops into the country of the Get es / 344 Chap. 10. Timur marches into the desart of Capchac / 347
Chap. 11. Timur reviews his troops / 356 Chap. 12. Timur fends the Mirza Mehemet Sultan at the head of the scouts / 359 Chap. 13. Battel between the scouts of the two armys. Death of the Emir Aicoutmur, and other, famous men / 367 Chap. 14. The army rang d in order of battel in an extraordinary manner. A terrible fight which ensud thereupon / 371 Chap. 15. Timur returns from the desart of Capchac to the feat of his empire / 382 Chap. 16. The government of Zabulestan given to Mirza Pir Mehemed, son of Gehanghir / 384 Chap. 17. Timur departs for a war of five years continuance / 386 Chap. 18. Timur departs from Jouidez after his recovery / 388 Chap. 19. "the taking of Amoly Sari, and Mahanasar / 390 Chap. 20. Timur sends a letter to Samarcand / 396
Chap. 21. Timur makes war a second time on the kingdoms of Fars and Irac / 399 Chap. 22. T'imur marches to the kingdoms of Lorestan and Courestan / 402 Chap. 23. An account of the motions of the princes of Pars, or of Persia and Iracy on which the present affairs depend / 406 Chap. 24. Timur marches to Chirac against Chah Mansour / 411 Chap, 25. Battel between Timur and Chah Mansour. The death of the latter / 416 Chap. 26. Timur seizes the princes of the house of Muzaffer and disposes of their effects among his lieutenants / 421 Chap. 27. Timur marches to the kingdom of Irac Agemiy or Hircania / 424 Chap. 28. Timur invests the Mirza Miran Chah in the kingdom of Hulacou Can / 425 Chap. 29. Timur vanquishes the Turcoman Hac han Sarec / 427 Chap. 30. Timur marches to Bagdad / 431
Chap. 31. Return of Mirza Mehemet Sultan afther the defeat of the Gourdes robbers / 438 Chap. 32. Timur sends an ambassador to the Sultan Barcoc in Egypt / 439 Chap. 35. The taking of the town of Tecrit / 441 Chap. 36. Timur continues his journy and sands his princes and Emirs to make inroads in several kingdoms / 448 Chap. 35. Timur marches to Diarbekir / 459 Chap. 36. Timur marches to Edessa. 452 Chap. 37. Death of Mirza Omar Cheik, Timur son / 455 Chap. 38. Timur marches to Gezire / 460 Chap. 39. Timur's second enterprise upon Merdin / 461 Chap, 40. Birth of the Mirza Oluc Bei / 465
Chap.41. Timur marches to Amed or Hamed capital of the country of Diarbekir / 464 Chap. 42. Timur returns to Alatac / 467 Chap. 43. Timur sends bodys of soldiers into several countrys to enlarge his conquests / 468 Chap. 44. The taking of the town and fortress of Avenic / 471 Chap. 45. Timur's return after the taking of Avenic / 477 Chap. 46. Timur sends an army into Georgia / 479 Chap. 47. The birth of Ibrahim Sultan, son of Charoc / 480 Chap. 48. Soleman rejoicings for the birth of Ibrahim Sultan, son of Charoc / 482 Chap. 49. Timur constitutes the Mirza Charoc governor of Samarcand / 484 Chap. 50 Timur goes in person to the Georgian war / 485
Chap. 51. Timur marches a second time into Capchac against Tocatmich Can / 487 Chap. 52. Timur reviews his army / 490 Chap. 53. Battel between Timur and Tocatmich Can / 493 Chap. 54. Timur goes in pursuit of Tocatmich Can, and instals a new Can of Capchac / 498 Chap. 55. Timur marches, into Europe; and pillages the western Capchac, as also, Muscovy and Russia / 501 Chap. 56. Timur makes war in Circassia / 505 Chap. 57. Timur makes to Alburz, Couhy or mount Caucasus / 506 Chap 58. Timur attach the fortresses of Coula Taous and others / 507 Chap. 59. Timur marches to Sensem / 511 Chap. 60. Timur marches into Capchac and pillages the town of Hadgi Tercan or Astracan / 513
Chap. 61. Timur returns to Capchac / 515 Chap. 62. Timur gives the government of Azerbijana to the Mirza Mirancha, who besieges Alengic / 519 Chap. 63. Taking of tie town of Seirjan; and tht retreat of Behloul to Nehavend / 520 Chap. 64. Timur sends the Mirza Mehemet Sultan to conquer the kingdom of Ormus. The reduction of Yezd / 524 Chap. 65. Timur returns to the feat of his empire / 525 Chap. 66. The building of the palace of Baghi Chemal / 530 Chap. 67. Timur gives the principality of Corassana to the Mirza Charoc / 531 Chap. 68. Timur stays some time at Kech. Return of the Mirza Mehemet Sultan from the campain of Fars / 534 Chap. 69. Timur demands in marriage for himself the daughter of Keser Coja Aglen. He celebrates the nuptials of the Mirza Eskender with the princess Beghist Sultan / 537 Chap. 70. Timur gives prefers for making the garden of Dilencha, and building a stately palace in it / 538
THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE
In the name of God, whose bounty and justice extend over all beings. He disposes crowns according to his pleasure, and grants victory to those whom he judges most fit to accomplish his eternal decrees: he defends and continually advances Mahometanism, for the increase of his glory: and it is certain that a fortune rais'd by his hand is immovable, and easily overcomes all the difficulty which tend to obstruct it.
Such was the fortune of the great and invincible Timur, whose history we undertake. The reader will not be surprised at the heroic actions which raised him to the supreme dignity of emperor of Tartary, and subjected all Asia to him, from the frontiers of China to those of Greece, that is, the countrys of Turky, Tartary, Persia, India and Syria; when he shall be acquainted with the sublime qualitys with which this prince was endow'd. He was a very pious and religious observer of the Mahometan law. He was so prudent, that he always governed the state himself, without having recourse to a prime minister; and he succeeded in all his enterprises, herein wherein he had no other end than the glory of God, the increase of religion, and the good of the people. He was exceeding liberal and courteous to every one, excepting those who refused to obey him, whom he punish'd with the utmost rigor. He was a great lover of justice; and none under his government ever exercis'd violence and tyranny unpunished. He esteemed learning and learned men: and 'twas his constant endeavour to render the arts flourishing thro-out his empire. He discovered the greatness of his foul on so many occasions, that it wou'd be needless to speak of it here. As to his bravery, he never committed any action unworthy the quality of his ancestors, who had been all kings or princes: and this history contains a series of incontestable proofs of it. He was fearless and courageous, equally capable of forming a great design with wisdom, and of executing it with vigor. He was very kind to his domestics; exceeding charitable to the poor and afflicted; and built a great number of hospitals, convents of dervises, and mosques. In fine, one may justly say, that nothing was wanting in this prince to render him worthy of the glory, to which God was pleased to advance him.
Timur's father was the wife and virtuous prince Emir Tragai, and his mother the chaste and beautiful Tekine Catun, the lawful wife1 of the Emir Tragai. He was born in the town of Sebz, situate without the walls of the deli clous city of Kech2, capital of the said Emir's dominions, on tuesday-night the fifth of Chaban of the year of the Hegira 736*, which answers to that of the Mouse in the Mogul calendar, under the reign of the Sultan Cazan, king of Transoxiana and Turkestan. This prince's birth had been predicted to Cachouli Behader, one of his ancestors, in a dream, wherein eight stars seemed to shoot out of him, and the eighth cast so great a splendor, that it enlightened the four quarters of the World; which Toumene Can, Cachouli's father, interpreted, that a prince of his race should be born in the eighth generation who should fill the world with the splendor of his virtues and conquests.
Timur's horoscope, which was drawn at the moment of his nativity, predicted to him the crown and empire, with all manner of prosperity, and a numerous issue.
This prince from his childhood discover'd his excellent dispositions to the accomplishment of the predictions of his horoscope: for as soon as he attained to the age of reason, something might be seen in all his actions, which she w'd an air of sovereignty: he wou'd talk of nothing but thrones and crowns; his favorite diversions represented the military art, in which he disposed of the youth who attended him, as a prince disposes of his subjects, raising to the highest dignitys those who appear'd most deserving, and giving to others the bare title of soldiers; he made figures of canes to represent the army of an, enemy, and then attack'd 'em with his troops, among whom he observed a military discipline. When he was more advanced in age, and capable of applying himself to the exercises of the body, far from causing those pleasures which most young persons fall into, as dancing and the like, which rather effeminate than ennoble the mind, he gave himself up to the science of arms. His chief diversions were riding, racing, fencing, and the like. He was likewise often at the chace, the only recreation he took after his continual fatigues.
In these noble exercises Timur; pass'd that part of his life which preceded his great and wonderful actions, that is, from his tenth year till the twenty-fifth or thereabouts j for at that age ambition having got possession of his heart, he began to despise dangers, to gain victory's, and acquire, the name of a great conqueror and intrepid hero. In the midst of all his glory, he had an admirable conduct over himself, and made justice the rule of all his actions: he never used the privilege which conquerors claim, of treating those ill whom fortune has made their staves; except when his honor was concerned, or he was oblig'd to it to preserve his conquests.
If Timur was so great and noble during the whole course of .his life, the Mirzas3 his children did not in the least degenerate from him especially the great and invincible Charoc his eldest4 son, and since his successor in the empire, who tho as powerful as Solomon, always made such use of his authority, as not to give the least matter of complaint to any of his subjects. This prince never addicted himself to plays and pleasures, with which he was constantly surrounded. His only employment was to take care of the affairs of state, and to render justice to his people: and if he was ob lig'd to recreate himself for some hours, he employ'd his time in contemplation, and reading useful books; so that one may say he lived the most solitary life, and free from all manner of vanitys, in the midst of the tumults of a court. I can't here pretend to give a detail of all the virtues of the great Charoc, and of his son the invincible Ibrahim Sultan, who excell'd as well in letters as in arms, and was an admirable writer: wherefore I refer the reader to the second and third parts of this work, where I have related all their great and noble actions5.
To return to our history: I may venture to fay it is preferable to all which have been yet written, even of the most renown'd conquerors; and that for three reasons.
The first is the knowledg every one may draw from thence, as it will instruct 'em in the chronology, geography, and history of Asia, and in those virtues, which are proper for the imitation of the greatest princes. This history is like a theatre, where fortune is represented deriding the policy of men, sometimes baffling their designs at her pleasure, at other times favoring 'em; sometimes suffering herself to be governed by it, at other times destroying all the artifices it makes use of, to avoid the dangers to which it is expos'd. In this work we see Timur laying the foundations of a monarchy, which at first appears chimerical in the eyes of the wisest men: yet by degrees he raises himself above his equals. Sometimes we fee him in a manner seeking his fortune as a private soldier; at other times commanding armys and dethroning kings: sometimes he is obligM to quit his conquests, and wander about abandoned by every one; till at length he deprives emperors of their crowns, and is settled in the empire of Asia by the conquest of Tartary, India, Persia, Arabia, Egypt, Natolia, and other kingdoms; all which part of the world became subject to his laws, And after these noble actions we fee him quit terrestrial crowns for immortality, which was his principal aim, and the glorious end to which all these enterprizes tended, leaving his empire in a happy and profound peace.
The second reason, which may make this work deserve approbation, is the exactness with which the actions of Timur are related, a quality seldom to be met with in the history of great princes; all his exploits being related even with the minutest circumstances. The author of Timur s life in Turkish verse tells us, that this prince wou'd not permit him to insert some particular facts in his work, fearing they should appear fabulous in verse, and reserving 'em (as Timur himself often said) for this present history.
The third reason why this work should be esteemed, is, that truth appears in all the facts herein related, and that not the least exaggeration has been used. To convince the reader of this, I need only inform him of the method us'din compiling it. Timur had always Tartar and Persian secretarys to attend him, who were some of the most learned men of his empire, whom he order'd to write down all his actions and discourses, with every circumstance which might anyway relate either to religion, the public, or his ministers; and all this without the least addition, either to embellish the style or to set off the glory of any of his soldiers or generals, by lessening that of the enemy. And thus this history, as well as that in Turkish verse, has been composed.
Beside s, as several officers and great lords of the court had caused some particular facts to be wrote down, of which themselves were eyewitnesses, having had a considerable share in 'em; this prince order'd all these fragments to be collected, and had the patience to range 'em in order himself, after which he caus'd 'em to be compared and examined in the following manner. A person read over one of these papers, and when he was come to some remarkable action, the witnesses verify'd the circumstances of it, relating 'em exactly as they had seen 'em. Then the emperor himself examin'd the truth of the fact; and having confronted what the witnesses said with the contents of the memoirs, he dictated to the secretarys the manner in which they should insert the facts in the body of the work, and then order'd it to be read over to him again, to fee if nothing cou'd be added or taken from it.
The reader will find by what I have said, that this history has been written with all imaginable fidelity and that the honor of its composition ought to be ascrib'dto Timur himself, since he took the trouble . of collecting and comparing all the parts of it. The author only gave the finishing stroke, adorning it with all the elegance and beauty of the Persian language, to bring it to its utmost perfection.
What is further remarkable in this work, is the exactness with which the chronology, and the day and hour of the event, are observed: all the encampments and roads are also remarked, with the distance of one place from another. Lastly, as the events are all link'd together, and naturally follow each other; we thought it advisable to relate several facts, which preceded the time that Timur-Bec performed any thing so remarkable, as to deserve the observation of the world, because we supposed it necessary to a perfect knowledg of his history.
1) One need not wonder to hear the author, speaking of Timur's mother, fay she was the lawful wife of the Emir Tragai; the Mahometans being permitted by their law to have concubines, whose children are not accounted legitimate. 2) A town of Transoxiana, long. 99. 30 lat. 39. 30. 3 Mirza signifys the son of a prince. 4) This seems to be a mistake; for by the last chapter of the following work, it appears he was Timur's youngest son. 5 The second and third parts of this work, which the author speaks of, have not been translated; and I believe jhe.re are no copys of 'em in France.
* An. Dom, 1326
The History of Timur - Bec Commonly call'd Tamerlain
Just publish'd
The History of Genghizcan the Great, first Emperor of the antient Moguls and Tartars; in four Books Containing his Life, Advancement and Conquests with a short History of his Successors to the present Time: the Manners, Customs and Laws of the antient Moguls and Tartars; and the Geography of the vast Countries . of Mogolistan, Tmquestan, Capscbac Yugurestan, and the Eastern and western Tartary. Collected from several Oriental Authors, and European Travellers; whose Names, with an Abridgment of their Lives, are added to this Book. By the late M. Petis de la Croix Senior, Secretary and Interpreter to; the .King in the Turkish and Arabick Languages. And now faithfully translated into English.
To His Highness Prince Frederick May it please your Highness
The knowledge of history has always been esteemed a necessary qualification in a prince. By this he fees the maxims of policy exemplify'd in life; and perceives as well the great, advantages of a just and mild administration, as the fatal consequences of oppression and cruelty. This supplys the place of experience, and acquaints him in one short view with what; otherwise wou'd cost many years observation; furnishing his; mind with such rules of conduct as may render his people happy, and himself immortal.
As, therefore your Highness must by this time hive made a considerable progress in this delightful, as well as useful study I humbly beg leave to address to your Highness the following history of Timur - Bec. I might offer several reasons from the work itself, to apologize for this presumption.
The prince, who is the subject of it, was excelled by none upon record for the extent of his conquests, and by very few perhaps for the justice and prudence of his government. The life therefore of so great a potentate can't be an unsuitable present to a young prince, who is the growing hopes of the British nation, and (which is the earnest desire of every true Briton) may hereafter sway the scepter of these kingdoms. Besides, many noble virtues of this prince will appear in the course of the history, in which he is resembled by that great and living pattern, most proper for your Highness's imitation, your Royal Grandfather, King George. For as clemency, a generous companion to his enemys, and a constant regard to the welfare of his subjects, are the shining characters of our present Sovereign; so were they likewise very conspicuous thro the whole reign of Timur - Bec. And I promise my self it will afford your Highness no small pleasure, to find that the author of this work has done justice to the memory of this great hero; whose history, either thro the malice, or ignorance of other writers, has been generally hitherto so much misrepresented.
I wou'd not be thought to justify all the parts of his conduct, or the principles by which he was acting in the pursuit of his conquests. But it seems very plain, that these were rather owing to the false notions of his religion, than to his natural temper. He had learnt from his great prophet Mahomet, j that religion was to be propagated by the sword; and that the world happy, was to bring all mankind under one government, and one faith. But 'tis our felicity, that your Highness has had the advantage both of juster maxims, and nobler examples.
Tho your Highness is well acquainted with the French tongue, from whence this version has been made; yet as that is but a translation, I can't think you will be less pleas'd to view this history in an English dress; since no language can be supposed more agreeable to a prince, than that of the people whom; he is design'd to govern.
When I acquaint your Highness that this is my first performance, and at such an age when few venture thus to appear in public; I hope my early zeal to pay this homage to your Highness, will be some excuse for me, and not render the work less acceptable.
May your Highness increase in virtue as you advance in years, and equal both your Royal Grandfather and Father in all those princely endowments, which render them the delight and admiration of mankind, and such eminent blessings to the British nation. I am,
May it please your Highness, Your Highness's most tumble, most obedient, and most devoted Servant
The History of Timur - Bec
Book I.
Several events which preceded Timur - Bec's ascending the throne of Zagatai
Chap. I.
Of Sultan Cazan, grand Can of Zagatai; his defeat and death. Mir1 Cazagan, a Turkish Prince, takes upon him the government of the empire, and establishes a grand Can. The war of Mir Cazagan against Malek Hussein, prince of Herat.
IN the year of the Hegira 733*, Sultan Cazan2 the son of Isour Aglen, who sprang from Genghiz Can, ascended the throne of the Cans of Zagatai, (that is, of the country that was given to Zagatai Can, the son of Genghiz Can, ...
1) Mir is a contraction of Emir, which among the Eastern nations signifys a chief prince or commander. 2) He was the 21st of the successors of Zagatai Can.
* Chap. I=> An. Dom. 1332. Mog. The Hen.
Cherefeddin Ali
The History of Timur - Bec
J. Darby
J. Darby The History of Timur - Bec, Cherefeddin Ali
The History of Timur - Bec Known by the Name of Tamerlain the Great Emperor of the Moguls And Tartars: Being An historical Journal of his Conquests in Asia and Europe Written in Persian by Cherefeddin Ali, Native of Yezd, his Contemporary
Translated into French by the late Monsieur Petis de la Croix, Arabic Professor in the Royal College, and Secretary and Interpreter to the King in the Oriental Languages: With historical Notes and Maps Now faithfully render'd into English
In Two Volumes.
London: Printed for J. Darby in Bartholomew-Close, E. Bell in Cornhill, W. Taylor in Pater-noster-row, W. and J. Innys-at the West: End of St. Paul's Churchyard, J Osborne in Lombard-street, and T, Payne in Stationers Court MDCCXXIII
