108 CHAP. III. ELEPHANTS BURIED WITH THE KINGS. besides which, the rainy season produced a distemper in the imperial army. Thibet was at the same time reduced by Ziffer. The news of this double conquest greatly pleased the Emperor, no Mahomedan prince in India having before ever penetrated into those countries. AURUNGZEBE's general, Meer Jumla, invaded Assam, and brought from thence several iron cannons, and store of excellent powder, both made in that country. He landed his army in the 29th or 30th degree of latitude, having sailed up the mouth of the Ganges, that comes from Lake Chiamay, and burnt and sacked all wherever he came, to the 35th degree: there he understood that the king of Assam was in the field, with a more powerful army than he expected; he therefore retreated to the south-west, and besieged and plundered the city of Aroo, where are the tombs of their sovereigns. He found great wealth. They bury with their kings idols of gold and silver, one elephant §, twelve camels, six horses, many hounds. All his beloved wives, and the principal officers, poison themselves, to be buried with him. At Kenneroof, the king keeps his court. It is a rich and abundant country. All the natives live at their ease; every one has a house by himself; and in the middle of his ground a fountain, encompassed with trees; and, most commonly, every one an elephant to carry his wife ||. + Dow's Hindostan, Vol. III. p. 162. A long account of this invasion is in Dow's Hist. Vol. III. p.357. A. D. 1665. § Although there is no direct evidence that Assam was conquered by the Grand Khans, as the surrounding states were all reduced, it is not probable that Assam escaped the general fate. See M. Polo, note 887. Tavernier, Part II. B. III. Ch. XVII. See also Sir W. Jones's Supplement, Vol. I. p. 231. CHAPTER IV. Sketch of the life of Timur Bec, or Tamerlane. in Siberia Russia His Battles Hindostan Syria Georgia -Asia Minor.- -Elephants.- -Extraordinary Splendour of his Court. -His Death.- Ruin of his Empire.-Embassy from his son, Shah Rohk, to the Emperor of China. -Origin of the Gypsies. TIMUR Bec, or Tamerlane, was descended, in the female line, from CHAP. April 9, The empire of Turquestan and Transoxiana was given by Genghis A.D. 1336. Khan to his son Zagatai: his descendant, Sultan Cazan, succeeded to the throne in 1332. He proved a cruel tyrant, and fell in the field of battle in 1346. Confederate chiefs placed other princes, successively, upon the throne; but, through dissentions among the chiefs, the whole country became a scene of anarchy and despair. During these troubles, Togluc Timur Khan, king of the Getes*, who was descended from Zagatai, resolved to make himself master of the country, to which, as hereditary Grand Khan, his birth gave him a just title; and he levied an army for that purpose. Hadgi Berlas, (the name of a noble tribe) to whom and his ancestors Gete or Geta appears, throughout, to include Central and Western Siberia, as well as Cashgar. See Chap. V. A. D. 1359 110 CHAP. COMMENCEMENT OF TIMUR'S GOOD FORTUNE.-HIS POWER. the town of Kesh and its dependencies had always belonged, was the uncle of Timur. He was one of the confederate princes, and levied as many troops in the cities of Kesh and Carshi as he could, in order to assist in repelling the invasion; but, changing his resolution, he marched to Chorassan. Timur's father, Tragai, had just paid the debt of nature; and his uncle, Hadgi Berlas, having fled, Timur conceived himself to be the only person who could put a stop to the insult, with which a foreign army threatened his unhappy country. He repaired to his uncle, represented the dangers that awaited them, and proposed going to the king of the Getes to offer his services, by which he hoped to avert the impending ruin. Hadgi Berlas embraced him, and, feeling persuaded that his nephew was inspired by Heaven, approved of his project. Timur set out, and at Cuzar he met the conductor of the scouts of the king; to whom he behaved so handsomely that Hadgi Yesouri, which was the conductor's name, promised not to commit any hostilities before a conference was had with the three Mongol princes who had gone forward. Timur returned to Kesh, where the princes had arrived. They expressed great pleasure at his having submitted to the Grand Khan, and gave him the command of a toman (ten thousand) which was formerly under his ancestor Caratchar*. They also gave him the principality of Kesh, with all its dependencies. Peace was thus restored; and it was said of Timur, that at the sight of him alone sorrow was changed into joy. Dissentions arising among the princes, they returned with all their troops to the king, who was at Tashkund. Timur's person is described as tall and well formed, and that nature had set in his eyes such majesty, that men could scarcely endure On this subject see page 23 of Timur's Institutes. |