20 CONQUEST OF CAPSCHAC.-CATHAY. I. CHAP. ter, in marriage. -Returns to Caracorum with the princess, a tribute of gold, silk, and five hundred young persons of each sex. Altan, king of China, leaves the government to his son, and retires to Nanking*. A.D. 1211. A. D. 1213. A. D. 1217. Genghis invades the extensive country of Capschac, of which the principal rivers are the Volga, the Yaik, and the Irtish, and extending northward to the Frozen Sea. This country had been subject to Oungh Khan. The whole kingdom submits; and the Grand Khan returns to Caracorum, leaving half his army with his son Touschy†, to govern this new empire, the other half being sufficient for any undertaking. The Grand Khan quarrels with the king of China, who had ravaged a part of Caracathay. In consequence of indisposition, he appoints Samouca Bahadur to take the command of the army, with the eldest generals, khans, princes, and emirs, to invade China. The king, hearing that Genghis does not command in person, attacks the Moguls, and is driven back into his cities. The king's son, with the flower of the ́ army, defend Pekin. The besiegers and the besieged were alike reduced to the necessity of eating one another. The city, being undermined, was taken, and no quarter given. The king poisoned himself; and the northern half of China, and all Corea, were added to the Grand Khan's empire by Moucly Gouyanc, the general who was left in the command. Every thing of the plunder that was precious or valuable, was divided according to Genghis's law. Turquestan, of which the capital is Cashgar, is added to the empire by prince Hubbe. * Abul Ghazi, Vol. I. p. 91. † Spelt also Djoudgy, Giougy, Dzuji, Joujy, Zuzi. See Petis de la Croix. page 104. EXTRAORDINARY CREDENTIALS.. I. Nessir, Calif of Bagdad, who was in enmity with Mehemed, King of CHAP. Carisme*, wishing to send an ambassador to Caracorum, found it almost impossible; Mehemed's power reaching from the Caspian sea to the Indus. Nessir and Mehemed were both Mahomedans. The calif's council were divided in opinion, but Nessir's policy prevailed. It was impossible to send any letter or paper; which would, if discovered, cost the ambassador his life. It was therefore resolved to shave his head, and write his credentials by puncturing it with a needle, and colouring the marks with nil (indigo). He soon departed and arrived at the khan's residence, assuring Genghis of his master's esteem and affection. Having no credentials, and the Emperor expressing his doubts, the ambassador requested that his hair might be cut off; when Genghis read, that the calif promised to make war on the king of Carisme, if the Grand Khan would attack him on his side. Genghis assured him that if anything should, from the restless spirit of Mehemed, occasion a quarrel, he would not fail to declare war. The envoy returned to Bagdad. Nessir drew on himself the reproaches of all Mahomedans by this act. Genghis was however desirous to live in amity with Mehemed king of Carisme, to establish a commerce for gold, stuffs, silks, silver, &c. An ambassador was sent attended by one hundred and fifty Mogul merchants, with gold and silver for purchasing merchandize. The governor of Otrar, pretending to suspect that this was a mission for the purpose of espionage, murdered the whole embassy, consisting of four hundred and fifty persons, except one, who fled to Mogulistan with all diligence. Genghis swears revenge. He sends ambassadors by another road to Mehemed, to demand an explanation. Mehemed beheads them. * Spelt also Charasm, Karasm, Kworasm, Chowarasm; the ancient Corasmia. 21 22 CHAP. I. TERRIBLE BATTLE OF OTRAR. The Emperor with his four favourite sons, Touschi, Zagatai, Oktai, and Tuli, arrives near Otrar (on the Sihon) with seven hundred thousand A. D. 1218. troops. Mehemed had collected from Khorassan, Balk, Persia, and the borders of India, four hundred thousand fighting men. His son, Gelaleddin, commanded the troops of Touran; the king commanded in chief; Mehemed crossed the Sihon to cover Otrar. The armies meet and immediately range in order of battle, in a place called Caracou. The great trumpet kerrenai, which was fifteen feet long, brass timbrels, drums, fifes, and other warlike instruments sounded the charge. Jougi Cassar, Genghis Khan's second brother, who commanded the vanguard, advanced towards the first ranks of the enemy, who immediately detached some troops to charge him; but this prince defeated them. Then Gelaleddin began the general action by charging prince Touschi, who was at the head of the first body of Moguls: after a sharp dispute, Gelaleddin got the better, and the Carismeans shouted for joy. Genghis sent other troops under the command of Tuli to support his brother Touschi, while he himself, at the head of the main body of the army, with his son Zagatai, fell on the Sultan. The shock was terrible, and the left wing of the Moguls suffered greatly. The Carismeans, animated by the extraordinary bravery of their sovereign, maintained their advantage as long as they were able: but being forced to give way, Gelaleddin, having beaten the troops sent against him, hastened towards his father, and renewed the battle. On this occasion, Gelaleddin, his officers, and troops, performed actions of surprising valour. The slaughter was prodigious. Genghis now ordered his son Octai to charge the enemy in the flank: the fight continued till dark, when each party gathering up their wounded as well as they could, retired to their camps and fortified themselves, to prevent surprise in the night, with the design to renew the battle the next morning. When Mehemed found, on enquiry, that a hundred and sixty thousand of his TERRIBLE BATTLE OF OTRAR. troops had been killed and wounded, and the spies reporting how much superior the Moguls were in number, he intrenched himself securely, and sent part of his army into the fortresses, keeping with himself a flying camp for urgent occasions, and giving the command of the remainder of his troops to Gelaleddin; who, not approving of his father's design, contrary to Mehemed's command, retired to Khorassan, and reinforced his corps. CHAP. 23 Genghis sent Octai and Zagatai with two hundred thousand men, to besiege Otrar; and Touschi, with one hundred thousand, to observe, westward. The Emperor and Tuli, with more than two hundred thousand, marched towards Bochara and Samarcand. After five A. D. 1219. months siege, and a most brave defence, Otrar was taken, and the numerous troops in it were butchered. Toncat, Cogende, and other places, were besieged and taken by Touschi Khan. Cogende was defended against Elac Nevian to the last extremity, by Timur Melec, who, when all hope was at an end, made his escape in seventy vessels, which he had constructed. They were plaistered over with a composition made of wet felt, kneaded with clay and vinegar, so that neither fire nor arrows could hurt them. He was accompanied by his friends and bravest warriors, with his most valuable effects. They escaped by causing a sally, and setting fire to the bridge. After fighting their way down the Sirr, as far as Toncat, they were stopped by a chain across the river; and before they could sever the chain with files and hatchets, they suffered great loss, still being pursued by the Moguls. The prince, with his remaining fighting men, landed, and the fleet escaped into a safe port belonging to Mehemed. After losing all his companions, Timur Melec was pursued by three Moguls: he killed one of them, and bribed the other two; after which he arrived safely at Quent. Many years afterwards, he was in conversation with a Mogul prince, who, speak 24 I. SIEGE OF BOCHARA. CHAP. ing to him contemptuously, was answered with spirit. A Mogul, who was present, and who had formerly been wounded by him in the eye, charged him with disrespect, and killed him with an arrow. Thus fell the generous Timur Melec, who has been compared with the Rustans and other heroes. SIEGE OF BOCHARA. THE walls of the city were very strong, and the outer wall was twelve leagues in compass. It included not only the suburbs, but also many pleasant seats, and five farms. The Moguls forced the outer wall in March. The Grand Khan, accompanied by his son Tuli, encamped his army and invested the city in form. The three commanders, with troops, basely deserted the city. They were overtaken by three thousand Moguls, defeated, and nearly all slain. The gates were opened to Genghis. The governor retired to the castle, resolved to defend it. The city was entirely filled with the Mogul cavalry; they made stables of the libraries, and litter of the leaves of the Koran. The populace were inconsolable; the wise men said, it was requisite to suffer, without murmuring, since it was the wind of God's anger blowing upon them. The Emperor addressed the principal men. He praised God for the favors he had received; declared that Gayer Khan, who was in chains, should lose his life for murdering his ambassadors by command of Mehemed; whom also he would punish for his cruelties; and that he would clear the earth of him and all other tyrants; for he was inspired by God to govern all the kingdoms of the earth. He then ordered the inhabitants, in proof of their obedience, to discover all their hidden treasures; and to be cautious not to conceal any of the Sultan's friends. In the city, being a place of great trade, there was |