Timur's autobiography was written in the Chaghtai Turki language. It is known as the Mal funt-i-Tinuiri or Tuzak-i-Tituuri, the Institutes of Timur. It WM translated into Persian by Abu Talib Itusaini, and dedicated to the emperor Shah Jahan, and was translated by filjor Stewart. Thirty years after Titnur's death, Sharif-ud-Din Yazcli wrote his Zafar Namah, and quoted from the diary of Thnur's court. Timur, in his auto biography, relates his own intrigues, and takes credit for goodness and sincerity, with a mixture of cant and hypocrisy, with real superstition and devotion. He was essentially a wily politician, with courage, prudence, and address. Chengiz Khan was the more violent, Timur the more per fidious. Malcolm, History of Persia, says, "rhough one of the greatest of warriors, lie was one of the worst of monarchs. He WaS able, brave, and generous, but ambitious, cruel, and oppressive.' The furious blood-shedding that characterized his wars created a horror amongst all his Asiatic contemporaries. His Arab biographer, Ahmad bin Arab Shah, pictures him while crossing the icy plains of High Asia as met by the Spirit of WinteL, which exclahned, Hold in thy rapid course, thou savage tyrant.' Ile died at Otrar. Feeling his strength giving way rapidly, he made signs for the Mullah Haibat Allah to perform the rites of the dying and read the Koran over his bed, and he ex ] ired in the early evening of the 7th Shaba'', AM. 807 (A.D. 17th February 1405). His body was brought to Samarcand, and placed alongside of that of his spiritual teacher, Syud Berke, who first had proclaimed Tinnir's career. His descend ants afterwards ruled in India from A.D. 1526 to 1857. Ills native language was the Chaghtai Turki, which at that time prevailed front the Alagh-Tagh mountains to the Hindu Kush, and from the Caspian to the Gobi desert. On the death of Thnur, his vast empire soon fell to pieces; yet the greatest and best princes that ever reigned in Muhammadan countries, were tbe descendruits of Thant% They ruled in India until the year 1857, though only nominally from the first years of the 19th century: In 1857, by joining in a rebellion against the British, they made a final effort to regain supremacy, and the last emperor Dehli wa.s exiled to Rangoon in Burma, where
lie died in 1862. The (14..scendants of Timur, and particularly Haber, Akbar, and Jahangir, brought many of the trees of their native countries into India. Haber, whenever Ito found leisure in the midst of his active life, diversified Is ith multi tudinous vicissitudes, formed a garden. Akbar followed up the plans of Haber, and introduced the gardeners of Persia and Tartary, who suc ceeded with many of their fruits, ALB peaches, al inonds (both indigenous to Rajputana), pistachios, etc. The princes of the house of Timur, though despots by birth and education, present a more remarkable succession of great characthrs, histor ians, statesmen, and warriors, than any contem poraneous dynasty in any region of the world.
Of all the countries over which metnbers of this Timur family once ruled, India alone has made any advance in material prosperity since the days of their power. Samareand, the capital of Timur, became a heap of ruins, until restored by Russia in the 19th century. Andecan, the beloved home of Haber, is in the possession of Uzbak savages. The once rich and opulent Herat, the abode of learning, the brilliant capital of Shah Itukh and Husain Mirza, the native land of poets and historians, is now a ruinous Afghan fortress. Shiraz, made immortal by the songs of Sail and liafiz, where Ali of Yezd wrote the life of Timur, is an impoverished provincial town in the kingdoin of the Kajar kings of Persia. Lahore and Deldi are noted for their gold-woven fabrics, and light silk muslin fabrics interwoven with gold threads, as well itS for all kinds of work in tinsel or kala batun.—Elphinstose's India ; Elliot's India ; Fer rier's Caraean Journeys; Yule's Cathay; Ilennell's Memoir; Markham's Embassy; Rajasthan; Vam bery's Bokhara, p. 168 ; Malcolm's Persia.