Embassy to Tamerlane, 1403-1406 / translated from the Spanish by Guy Le Strange with an introduction.
- Ruy González de Clavijo
- Date:
- [1928]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Embassy to Tamerlane, 1403-1406 / translated from the Spanish by Guy Le Strange with an introduction. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![save the governor of the Ca&le and his men. Within its walls however Timur holds in durance and cap¬ tivity upwards of a thousand workmen; these labour at making plate-armour and helms, with bows and arrows, and to this business they are kept at work throughout the whole of their time in the service of his Highness. Some [seven] years gone by, when Timur laát left Samarqand and set forth on that campaign whereby he conquered Turkey and plundered Damascus, he gave orders that all the troops who should accompany him might carry along on the march their wives and children, unless indeed by preference any man might wish to leave his household behind at home, in which case he should do so. This order Timur had given because it was then of his intention to remain abroad from his capital for seven whole years, while he should conquer all his enemies: and he had sworn an oath that he would not re-enter this caáfle of his in Samar¬ qand until that period of seven years had run out. At that time when we were his gueáfs in Samarqand there had arrived certain ambassadors sent by the Emperor of China who came to Timur bearing this message, namely: that all men knew that he, Timur, was in occupation of lands formerly held in fief to China, and hence that tribute for the same yearly had been due from him to the Chinese Emperor: but seeing that for seven years paáf no tribute had ever been paid, he Timur mud now forthwith pay down the sum. The answer of his Highness to these ambassadors was that this was moát true, and that he was about to pay what was due: but that he would not burden them, the ambassadors, to take it back to China on their return, for he himself Timur would bring it. This of course was all said in scorn and to despite them, for his High¬ ness had no intention to pay that tribute. Of course during all those seven years paát, none had ever been](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b31354932_0322.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
