TIMUR, also known as Timurlang or Timur the Lune, changed in Europe to Tamerlane. He was of one of those races of High Asia to whom in Europe the general name of Turk has been given. One writer describes him as an Uzbak Tartar ; Latham describes him as a Turk, and says, what ever the Mongols were elsewhere, the Moghuls of India were Chaghtai Turk. They affected a 3Iongol lineage, just ti.s Timur professed a descent from Chengiz ; whilst the Cliaglitai tribe to which he belonged took its name from Chengiz's hunts man Zagatai, and he believes that Chengiz him self connected his line with the Manchu. At any rate, his 3Iongol son bore the name of a Manchu predecessor. Again, be professed descent from a virgin. So did Apaoki and Kitan, both Manchus, before him. Also, the most famous of his ances tors NVEIS said to be Karachar Nevian or Teragay Nodal', the minister of Zagatai or Chaghtai, and the first convert to Islamism among,st tho wild conquerors. In his memoirs, written by himself, Timur says, My father told me that wo were descendants froni Abu-ul-Atrak (father of the Turks), the son of Japhet.' His father is described as a chief who commanded 10,000 horse. The country between the rivers Oxus and Jaxartes, known to the Arabs as Mawur-u-Nahar, had fallen to the share of Zagatai on the death of his father Chengiz Khan in 1227, and the land had been ruled by his descendants for more than a century, and Timur's grandfather was chief of the Berlas tribe. They claimed a remote descent from the same st,ock as Chengiz Khan.
Turghai (Thrush) was the name of Times father. Timur WM born at Sabzwar, also called Shahr-i-Sabz, a suburb of Kesh, on Tuesday the 5th of Shaban nat. 736 (A.D. 1333). Thnur is a Turki word meaning 'it shall shake.' Each suc ceeding sultan of 3Iftwur-u-Nahar had become more degenerate and more contemptible than his predecessor, under the insolent independence of powerful vassals. But Timur succeeded in attain ing supreme power. At the age of 34 he ascended
the throne of Sainarcand, and before he died he made himself master of Central Asia.
Ho overran Persia in 1386-87, and Kipchak several times between 1387 and 1389, in tho latter year reaching as far fIS MOSCO W. He took l3agh dad in 1393, invaded India in 1398, invaded Asia 3Iinor and Syria in 1400-1, and defeated and captured the emperor Bajazet at the battle of Angora, 20th July 1404.
Ile turned his nrms, without the pretext of a quarrel, on the distracted empire of Ilindlistan.
He has recorded his exploits in his work , entitled Political and Military Institutions, which was translated into Persian by Abu Talib, and from the Persian into English by- Major Davy.
ordered,' he relates, '1000 swift-footed camels, 1000 swift-footed horses, and 1000 chosen in fantry, to march and bring me information respecting the princes of India. I learned that Tonktumish Khan had been defeated by Auroos Khan, and sought assistance from me. Received information that the princes of India were at variance with each other ; that Malimud in DAB, Mulloo in Lahore, and Sanring in Multan were hostilely disposed towards each other. The con quest appeared to me to be easy, though my soldiers thought it was dangerous. Resolved to undertake it, and to make myself master of the Indian empire, did so. Received then the news that the emperor in Rome had invaded my western provinces, and that the people of Georgia had conquered some of my fortresses in that country. Then I thought, if I pursue my con quests in India, Eran may revolt ; therefore I regulated my kingdom in Hindustan, and marched from that country agaiust the Roman emperor, whose provinces I conquered.' • Early in the spring of A.D. 1398 (A.Ii. 800), his grandson Pir Muhammad, who had been employed in reducing the Afghans in the Sulaiman mountains, crossed the Indus on a line with Uch, and soon after laid siege to Multan, which occupied him for upwards of six mouths.