Livro V - Commencement Of The History, Capítulo XXIV

At this time, I received intelligence that Amyr Hussyn, with a large army, had passed by Kesh, and was encamped at Saryelāk; I therefore resolved to march with Ky Khuserū, towards him, and make a sudden attack on his army. In consequence of this resolution, Ky Khuserū and I repeated the prayer for success, and set out, leaving Behram Jelayr in the rear to support us.

About this time, I obtained further information that Amyr Hussyn had detached Amyr Musā, with several other chiefs, and twelve thousand horse from Saryelāk, that they had passed Samerkund with the intention of fighting me, that the main body was encamped on the banks of the river Belenghūr, that their advanced division, consisting of three thousand men, were encamped in the plain of Surengerān, under Melk Behader, and that another division of four thousand men, under the command of Jehān Shāh, had been sent to Rebāt Mulk.

At this time, I deliberated on two plans, the first was to leave the road on the left, and proceed to attack Amyr Hussyn, while separated from his principal officers; the second, to march against the several divisions, and cut them off in detail.

Having in conjunction with Ky Khuserū, taken a muster of our forces, we found that we had in all only three thousand horse; I therefore resolved to attack the detached parties, and having proceeded with my own troops, amounting only to one thousand horse, I attacked Jehān Shāh, dispersed his army, and seized a great quantity of plunder before my confederate came up; when he arrived with his division, we halted at the village of Azuk, that our men and horses might be refreshed; when night came on, we agreed to march against the other division of the enemy, commanded by Melk Behader, at Surengerān; I then formed the army into three divisions, I took command of the advanced one, and left Ky Khuserū in charge of the rear one, as a covering party. I then put my foot in the stirrup, and placing my trust in God, advanced towards the enemy; I ordered the _Moghul_ standard to be raised, and gave out that the Moghul army was arrived.

When my three divisions were seen from the vicinity of Surengerān, the peasants informed Melk Behader, that the whole Moghul army was coming, and that Amyr Timūr commanded the advance, and he himself seeing the Moghul standards and colours, had no doubt of the fact; but feeling himself unequal to the contest, gave orders for a retreat, on which his whole army ran off, and during the night, reached Amyr Hussyn’s camp; I pursued them for a considerable distance, and returned victorious to my camp; I then sent intelligence to Ky Khuserū, that I had defeated Amyr Hussyn’s detachments, and that if he would now advance with his Jete forces, we might take Hussyn prisoner; he replied by my messenger, “that the Jetes were not fond of fighting, that they only loved plunder, that it would not be fitting in us as followers of Muhammed, to permit these infidels to plunder and murder the Muselmāns who were in Hussyn’s camp, as it would in the first place be sacrilegious, and secondly it would induce them to desert with the plunder to their own country.” I was satisfied with this hint, and turned my reins toward Rebat Mulk; Ky Khuserū came out to meet me, and we passed the day there in feasting.

Having heard that some of the Jetes had collected a quantity of plunder, and had set off towards home, I sent a party to force them back; I then halted to wait for intelligence respecting the conduct of Amyr Hussyn, after he should have heard of the defeat of his detachments. In a very short period, some of my spies returned and informed me that when the defeated chiefs appeared before Amyr Hussyn, he abused them, and the fire of anger being lighted up, he had severely scolded them, that he had vowed vengeance against me, and that having assembled all his warriors, he was advancing towards me.

On hearing this news, Ky Khuserū and I drew out our troops and advanced towards the enemy: when we arrived at the village of Barsyn, we obtained information that Amyr Hussyn, with a select division of his army, had arrived at Ak Kutel, and was advancing; I immediately ordered the trumpets to be sounded, and my troops to mount. At this time it began to snow, and as the army of Amyr Hussyn had nothing to eat or cover them, but the snow, they were therefore greatly harassed, and could neither advance nor retreat: after some time, not being able to procure shelter, and afraid of being buried in the snow, they dispersed, and made towards their home.

Ky Khuserū and I, with our troops, passed that day in the houses of Barsyn, and the next morning we mounted our horses, and marched towards Tashkund: at this time I was informed that Behram Jelayr, whom I had left to cover our retreat, (if necessary) had gone back to Tashkund with his Jete followers.

In a short time we were met by my family and dependants that I had left behind, and having entered the city, I took up my winter quarters there. It happened that this winter was so very severe, that even the very birds of the forest came into the town, and entered into the houses; I however enjoyed it extremely, as Timūr Beg, the (Kud Khoda) superintendant of one of the quarters of the city, sent me daily forty eggs, and a large tureen of (Joghrāt) soup; I ever remembered this obligation as a debt of gratitude.

Having now taken up my winter quarters in Tashkund, I sent letters of congratulation to my son Muhammed Jehangyr, whom I had left at Makhān, and to the other persons of my family that I had left at Merve, in Khurasān, and administered comfort to them all.

As the enmity of Amyr Hussyn to me was excessive, in order to avert its evil consequences, I resolved to send an embassy to the Khān of Jetteh, to request assistance, and having mentioned my intention to my chiefs, they all approved of the measure; I therefore dispatched Shumsaddyn with three other officers to carry a number of presents to the Khān, and to solicit his aid.

About this period, news arrived that Amyr Hussyn had fortified the city of Samerkund, had appointed Pulād Bughā to be governor, and had then proceeded to Arheng Seray. I continued tranquilly at Tashkund, waiting for intelligence from my ambassadors, at length Ak Bughā arrived with the information, that the Khān of Jetteh had sent ten thousand horse with the ambassadors to my assistance, and that they would shortly arrive.

When this news reached Amyr Hussyn, he was greatly alarmed, and immediately sent by the hands of his generalissimo, Amyr Musā, a copy of the Korān, addressed to the prelates and learned body of Tashkund, Khujend, and Andijan, imploring them to wait on me, and endeavour by all means in their power, to conciliate me, and stating that Amyr Musā and Mulānā Aālum would bear testimony of his having sworn on the Korān, that he would henceforth be my friend. In consequence of this measure, early in the spring, all the prelates and learned bodies of the three cities having assembled in council on this important business, waited on me, and laid before me the sacred book, on which Amyr Hussyn had taken the oath of reconciliation, and entreated my forgiveness; I replied that the Amyr had frequently before sent Korāns, on which he had taken the oaths of amity, and afterwards forgetting his vows to God, had broken his promises, I therefore had no confidence in his oaths or promises. After the learned body had used many entreaties, Mulānā Aālum proposed that we should consult the Korān; he did so, and this verse came forth, “when two parties of Muselmāns quarrel, do ye make peace between them:” the prelates then said, “in conformity with the orders of God, you must make peace.” In compliance with this request, I agreed to a reconciliation, but said, “I will first send some confidential persons to Amyr Hussyn, that he may confirm his promises, after which, I will meet him at any place that may be agreed on:” Amyr Musā and the prelates replied, “that they would attend me to Samerkund, and would see the treaty confirmed.” I therefore placed my foot in the stirrup, and accompanied by all the learned body, I crossed the Sihūn, and arrived in the vicinity of Samerkund.

About this time, in order to discover my real intentions, Amyr Hussyn had caused a report to be spread, that he was dead, but this was only one of his stratagems to try me, because if I should impatiently enter Samerkund, it would render me suspected, and would be injurious to my character.

I therefore paid no attention to the report of his death, but while seated on my horse, I resolved to proceed towards the fortress of Shadmān; in consequence of this determination, I turned my face (without alighting) towards the plain of Shadmān, attended by all the prelates. I then sent a letter by the hands of Bukhtē Behader, to Amyr Hussyn, at Sali Seray, to ascertain whether he was dead or alive; in the mean time, I proceeded, and did not draw in my reins till I entered Shadmān, where I waited the return of my messenger, but Amyr Musā stopped at Samerkund.

During this period, a detachment of the army of Amyr Hussyn approached us, and fearlessly began to murder my people; I therefore mounted a rising ground, in the middle of the plain, with a party of my troops, and sent out two other divisions to oppose them; these divisions turned their flanks, while I advanced in their front, and compelled them to make a speedy retreat; we however took some of them, whom I abused and liberated. I then resolved to cross the Kumek river, accompanied by the prelates, and to halt at a fortress in that vicinity, till I could procure further intelligence.

Soon after this affair, Bukhtē Behader returned from Sali Seray, and informed me that Amyr Hussyn was alive and well, that he was much rejoiced on hearing of my approach, and was anxiously looking for my arrival, in order that he might relinquish all animosity, and repeat his oaths of friendship; my messenger further stated, “that while he was in Amyr Hussyn’s presence, his general, Amyr Musā, had arrived, and informed his master, that he had accompanied me as far as Samerkund, where I had heard the dreadful report of his death; that I had in consequence marched to the fortress of Shadmān, while he had gone into Samerkund, to inquire into the grounds of the report.” On receiving the information from Musā, that I had gone towards the fort of Shadmān, Amyr Hussyn became much alarmed, and had despatched a confidential person to me, named Turān Shāh, who would shortly arrive, in order to confirm the amicable promises he had made.

When Turān Shāh came into my presence, and had repeated all that has been related, I was satisfied, and conferred an honorary (Khelāt) dress on him; he however requested that I would again send a confidential person with him to hear Amyr Hussyn repeat his promises, I therefore sent Abās Behader, who was one of my most confidential servants, with instructions, that if he should think Amyr Hussyn was sincere in his protestations, he might then propose we should meet at the tomb of Atā Aly, “blessed be his remains,” and there repeat our promises of perpetual friendship.

When Abās Behader delivered this message to Amyr Hussyn, he sent two of his most confidential generals, viz. Amyr Musā and Aljaitū, to meet me; at the time that these officers were coming into my presence, some of my chiefs represented to me, that these two persons were the main pillars of Hussyn’s power, that we had better bind them, and make a sudden attack on that Prince; I replied, “it is beneath my dignity to be guilty of a breach of promise, or to rebel against God and his holy book;” this silenced them.

When Musā and Aljaitū were introduced, they made a speech on the part of their master: after this, they returned, and having persuaded Amyr Hussyn to mount, he went, attended by several thousand horse, to the tomb of Atā Aly, where I met him, and we sat down to confer; he said, “we will not talk of what has past;” I replied, “a repetition of grievances, would only be the cause of mutual dissatisfaction.” He then said, “if you and I are united, we need not fear the power of any stranger;” this he said as an allusion to some person, (probably the Jetes); I answered, “if the stranger is a friend, he is welcome, and if he is an enemy, he may still remain a stranger.” He then laid his hand on the Korān, and repeated his oath of friendship, I trembling, placed my hand on the sacred volume, and said, “if Amyr Hussyn does not break his promise, I will faithfully preserve mine, but if he shall ever attempt to kill, or imprison, or injure me, I will not be deficient in the preservation of my life, my property, and my honour;” being thus reconciled, we mounted, and sitting on our horses, we bade each other farewell. After this ceremony, Amyr Hussyn returned to Sali Seray, and I proceeded to Kesh.

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Footnote 91:

It is situated on the N. E. bank of the Sihūn, Lat. 42,40, N. Lon. 64,48, E.

Footnote 92:

The ten thousand Jetes that were coming to his assistance, were Idolaters, and would have done much injury to the Muselmāns.

Footnote 93:

This passage differs from Sherif Addeen’s History, who says, the ceremony was performed by deputies. Petis de la Croix’s History, page 159.