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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![the city of Samarqand and related all that befell us of the Spanish Embassy therein and detailed how we were received by his Highness, I will now relate to you how Timur in the paát did overcome and utterly rout Toktamish the Khán [of the Golden Horde] in Tartary, a moál powerful and valiant prince, who was indeed a far more redoubtable enemy than the Turkish [Sultan Báyazíd]: and next again how after the defeat of Toktamish one arose in his place claiming the over¬ lordship of Tartary, namely the chief called Idiku, who had been at one time the subject and vassal of Timur: but is now the moát powerful opponent that his Highness has to contend with as rival for the sovereignty.8 It was indeed about eleven years ago that Toktamish the Khan of [the Golden Horde] in Tartary, coming to power and having an immense following of horsemen, sallied forth to conquest [from the lands of Kipchák] and invaded Persia. He came down on the province [of Azerbayján] taking possession of Tabriz and occupying all the diálrifts of Upper Armenia. Many cities were sacked, many cables devastated and all the countryside was ravaged by his troops: as we ambassadors saw during our journey through those parts, especially when we came to the city of Surmari [as has been described in a former chapter].9 The same was the case with the chief town of the Sisakán diátrift [lying south of the Gokchah Lake]: together with other lands of Armenia. All this country at that time was already counted as in the lordship of Timur, and well knowing this Toktamish gathering up his booty soon made liable to retire back into Tartary. Timur however receiving news of these doings, marched and in all haáfe pursued him, though his horsemen were fewer in number than those of Toktamish. Following in their tracks he came up with the Tartar host on the banks of the great river Terek which flows near by Tartary, and Timur](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b31354932_0328.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
