[Footnote23:Sherefeddinonlysaysl。iii。c。13thattheraysofthesetting，andthoseoftherisingsun，werescarcelyseparatedbyanyinterval；aproblemwhichmaybesolvedinthelatitudeofMoscow，the56thdegree，withtheaidoftheAuroraBorealis，andalongsummertwilight。ButadayoffortydaysKhondemirapudD\'Herbelot，p。880wouldrigorouslyconfineuswithinthepolarcircle。]
III。WhenTimourfirstproposedtohisprincesandemirstheinvasionofIndiaorHindostan，^24hewasansweredbyamurmurofdiscontent:\"Therivers!andthemountainsanddeserts!andthesoldierscladinarmor!andtheelephants，destroyersofmen!\"Butthedispleasureoftheemperorwasmoredreadfulthanalltheseterrors；andhissuperiorreasonwasconvinced，thatanenterpriseofsuchtremendousaspectwassafeandeasyintheexecution。HewasinformedbyhisspiesoftheweaknessandanarchyofHindostan:thesoubahsoftheprovinceshaderectedthestandardofrebellion；andtheperpetualinfancyofSultanMahmoudwasdespisedevenintheharemofDelhi。TheMogularmymovedinthreegreatdivisions；andTimourobserveswithpleasure，thattheninety—twosquadronsofathousandhorsemostfortunatelycorrespondedwiththeninety—twonamesorepithetsoftheprophetMahomet。BetweentheJihoonandtheIndustheycrossedoneoftheridgesofmountains，whicharestyledbytheArabiangeographersTheStonyGirdlesoftheEarth。
Thehighlandrobbersweresubduedorextirpated；butgreatnumbersofmenandhorsesperishedinthesnow；theemperorhimselfwasletdownaprecipiceonaportablescaffold—theropeswereonehundredandfiftycubitsinlength；andbeforehecouldreachthebottom，thisdangerousoperationwasfivetimesrepeated。TimourcrossedtheIndusattheordinarypassageofAttok；andsuccessivelytraversed，inthefootstepsofAlexander，thePunjab，orfiverivers，^25thatfallintothemasterstream。
FromAttoktoDelhi，thehighroadmeasuresnomorethansixhundredmiles；butthetwoconquerorsdeviatedtothesouth—east；
andthemotiveofTimourwastojoinhisgrandson，whohadachievedbyhiscommandtheconquestofMoultan。OntheeasternbankoftheHyphasis，ontheedgeofthedesert，theMacedonianherohaltedandwept:theMogulenteredthedesert，reducedthefortressofBatmir，andstoodinarmsbeforethegatesofDelhi，agreatandflourishingcity，whichhadsubsistedthreecenturiesunderthedominionoftheMahometankings。^!Thesiege，moreespeciallyofthecastle，mighthavebeenaworkoftime；buthetempted，bytheappearanceofweakness，thesultanMahmoudandhisviziertodescendintotheplain，withtenthousandcuirassiers，fortythousandofhisfoot—guards，andonehundredandtwentyelephants，whosetusksaresaidtohavebeenarmedwithsharpandpoisoneddaggers。Againstthesemonsters，orratheragainsttheimaginationofhistroops，hecondescendedtousesomeextraordinaryprecautionsoffireandaditch，ofironspikesandarampartofbucklers；buttheeventtaughttheMogulstosmileattheirownfears；andassoonastheseunwieldyanimalswererouted，theinferiorspeciesthemenofIndia
disappearedfromthefield。TimourmadehistriumphalentryintothecapitalofHindostan；andadmired，withaviewtoimitate，thearchitectureofthestatelymosque；buttheorderorlicenseofageneralpillageandmassacrepollutedthefestivalofhisvictory。Heresolvedtopurifyhissoldiersinthebloodoftheidolaters，orGentoos，whostillsurpass，intheproportionoftentoone，thenumbersoftheMoslems。Inthispiousdesign，headvancedonehundredmilestothenorth—eastofDelhi，passedtheGanges，foughtseveralbattlesbylandandwater，andpenetratedtothefamousrockofCoupele，thestatueofthecow，^!!thatseemstodischargethemightyriver，whosesourceisfardistantamongthemountainsofThibet。^26Hisreturnwasalongtheskirtsofthenorthernhills；norcouldthisrapidcampaignofoneyearjustifythestrangeforesightofhisemirs，thattheirchildreninawarmclimatewoulddegenerateintoaraceofHindoos。
[Footnote24:FortheIndianwar，seetheInstitutions，p。129—
139，thefourthbookofSherefeddin，andthehistoryofFerishta，inDow，vol。ii。p。1—20，whichthrowsagenerallightontheaffairsofHindostan。]
[Footnote*:GibbonobservesM。vonHammerismistakeninthecorrespondenceoftheninety—twosquadronsofhisarmywiththeninety—twonamesofGod:thenamesofGodareninety—nine。andAllahisthehundredth，p。286，note。ButGibbonspeaksofthenamesorepithetsofMahomet，notofGod。—M]
[Footnote25:TheriversofthePunjab，thefiveeasternbranchesoftheIndus，havebeenlaiddownforthefirsttimewithtruthandaccuracyinMajorRennel\'sincomparablemapofHindostan。InthisCriticalMemoirheillustrateswithjudgmentandlearningthemarchesofAlexanderandTimour。
Note*:Seevol。i。ch。ii。note1。—M。]
[Footnote!:Theytook，ontheirmarch，100，000slaves，Gueberstheywereallmurdered。V。Hammer，vol。i。p。286。Theyarecalledidolaters。Briggs\'sFerishta，vol。i。p。491。—M]
[Footnote*:SeeacuriouspassageonthedestructionoftheHindooidols，Memoirs，p。15。—M。]
[Footnote!!:ConsulttheverystrikingdescriptionoftheCow\'sMouthbyCaptainHodgson，Asiat。Res。vol。xiv。p。117。\"Amostwonderfulscene。TheB\'hagirathaorGangesissuesfromunderaverylowarchatthefootofthegrandsnowbed。Myguide，anilliteratemountaineercomparedthependenticiclestoMahodeva\'shair。\"ComparePoems，QuarterlyRev。vol。xiv。p。37，andattheendofmytranslationofNala。\"Hindoosofresearchmayformerlyhavebeenhere；andfso。Icannotthinkofanyplacetowhichtheymightmoreaptlygivethenameofacow\'smouththantothisextraordinarydebouche—M。]
[Footnote26:Thetwogreatrivers，theGangesandBurrampooter，riseinThibet，fromtheoppositeridgesofthesamehills，separatefromeachothertothedistanceof1200miles，and，afterawindingcourseof2000miles，againmeetinonepointneartheGulfofBengal。YetsocapriciousisFame，thattheBurrampooterisalatediscovery，whilehisbrotherGangeshasbeenthethemeofancientandmodernstoryCoupele，thesceneofTimour\'slastvictory，mustbesituatenearLoldong，1100milesfromCalcutta；andin1774，aBritishcamp!Rennel\'sMemoir，p。
7，59，90，91，99。]
ItwasonthebanksoftheGangesthatTimourwasinformed，byhisspeedymessengers，ofthedisturbanceswhichhadarisenontheconfinesofGeorgiaandAnatolia，oftherevoltoftheChristians，andtheambitiousdesignsofthesultanBajazet。Hisvigorofmindandbodywasnotimpairedbysixty—threeyears，andinnumerablefatigues；and，afterenjoyingsometranquilmonthsinthepalaceofSamarcand，heproclaimedanewexpeditionofsevenyearsintothewesterncountriesofAsia。^27TothesoldierswhohadservedintheIndianwarhegrantedthechoiceofremainingathome，orfollowingtheirprince；butthetroopsofalltheprovincesandkingdomsofPersiawerecommandedtoassembleatIspahan，andwaitthearrivaloftheImperialstandard。ItwasfirstdirectedagainsttheChristiansofGeorgia，whowerestrongonlyintheirrocks，theircastles，andthewinterseason；buttheseobstacleswereovercomebythezealandperseveranceofTimour:therebelssubmittedtothetributeortheKoran；andifbothreligionsboastedoftheirmartyrs，thatnameismorejustlyduetotheChristianprisoners，whowereofferedthechoiceofabjurationordeath。Onhisdescentfromthehills，theemperorgaveaudiencetothefirstambassadorsofBajazet，andopenedthehostilecorrespondenceofcomplaintsandmenaces，whichfermentedtwoyearsbeforethefinalexplosion。Betweentwojealousandhaughtyneighbors，themotivesofquarrelwillseldombewanting。
TheMogulandOttomanconquestsnowtouchedeachotherintheneighborhoodofErzerum，andtheEuphrates；norhadthedoubtfullimitbeenascertainedbytimeandtreaty。Eachoftheseambitiousmonarchsmightaccusehisrivalofviolatinghisterritory，ofthreateninghisvassals，andprotectinghisrebels；
and，bythenameofrebels，eachunderstoodthefugitiveprinces，whosekingdomshehadusurped，andwhoselifeorlibertyheimplacablypursued。Theresemblanceofcharacterwasstillmoredangerousthantheoppositionofinterest；andintheirvictoriouscareer，Timourwasimpatientofanequal，andBajazetwasignorantofasuperior。Thefirstepistle^28oftheMogulemperormusthaveprovoked，insteadofreconciling，theTurkishsultan，whosefamilyandnationheaffectedtodespise。^29\"Dostthounotknow，thatthegreatestpartofAsiaissubjecttoourarmsandourlaws?thatourinvincibleforcesextendfromoneseatotheother?thatthepotentatesoftheearthformalinebeforeourgate?andthatwehavecompelledFortuneherselftowatchovertheprosperityofourempire。Whatisthefoundationofthyinsolenceandfolly?ThouhastfoughtsomebattlesinthewoodsofAnatolia；contemptibletrophies!ThouhastobtainedsomevictoriesovertheChristiansofEurope；thyswordwasblessedbytheapostleofGod；andthyobediencetothepreceptoftheKoran，inwagingwaragainsttheinfidels，isthesoleconsiderationthatpreventsusfromdestroyingthycountry，thefrontierandbulwarkoftheMoslemworld。Bewiseintime；
reflect；repent；andavertthethunderofourvengeance，whichisyetsuspendedoverthyhead。Thouartnomorethanapismire；whywiltthouseektoprovoketheelephants?Alas!theywilltrampletheeundertheirfeet。\"Inhisreplies，Bajazetpouredforththeindignationofasoulwhichwasdeeplystungbysuchunusualcontempt。Afterretortingthebasestreproachesonthethiefandrebelofthedesert，theOttomanrecapitulateshisboastedvictoriesinIran，Touran，andtheIndies；andlaborstoprove，thatTimourhadnevertriumphedunlessbyhisownperfidyandthevicesofhisfoes。\"Thyarmiesareinnumerable:betheyso；butwhatarethearrowsoftheflyingTartaragainstthecimetersandbattle—axesofmyfirmandinvincibleJanizaries?Iwillguardtheprinceswhohaveimploredmyprotection:seektheminmytents。ThecitiesofArzinganandErzeroumaremine；andunlessthetributebedulypaid，IwilldemandthearrearsunderthewallsofTaurisandSultania。\"Theungovernablerageofthesultanatlengthbetrayedhimtoaninsultofamoredomestickind。\"IfIflyfromthyarms，\"saidhe，\"maymywivesbethricedivorcedfrommybed:butifthouhastnotcouragetomeetmeinthefield，mayestthouagainreceivethywivesaftertheyhavethriceenduredtheembracesofastranger。\"^30AnyviolationbywordordeedofthesecrecyoftheharemisanunpardonableoffenceamongtheTurkishnations；^31andthepoliticalquarrelofthetwomonarchswasimbitteredbyprivateandpersonalresentment。Yetinhisfirstexpedition，TimourwassatisfiedwiththesiegeanddestructionofSiwasorSebaste，astrongcityonthebordersofAnatolia；andherevengedtheindiscretionoftheOttoman，onagarrisonoffourthousandArmenians，whowereburiedaliveforthebraveandfaithfuldischargeoftheirduty。
^!AsaMussulman，heseemedtorespectthepiousoccupationofBajazet，whowasstillengagedintheblockadeofConstantinople；
andafterthissalutarylesson，theMogulconquerorcheckedhispursuit，andturnedasidetotheinvasionofSyriaandEgypt。Inthesetransactions，theOttomanprince，bytheOrientals，andevenbyTimour，isstyledtheKaissarofRoum，theCaesaroftheRomans；atitlewhich，byasmallanticipation，mightbegiventoamonarchwhopossessedtheprovinces，andthreatenedthecity，ofthesuccessorsofConstantine。^32
[Footnote27:SeetheInstitutions，p。141，totheendofthe1stbook，andSherefeddin，l。v。c。1—16，totheentranceofTimourintoSyria。]
[Footnote28:WehavethreecopiesofthesehostileepistlesintheInstitutions，p。147，inSherefeddin，l。v。c。14，andinArabshah，tom。ii。c。19p。183—201；whichagreewitheachotherinthespiritandsubstanceratherthaninthestyle。Itisprobable，thattheyhavebeentranslated，withvariouslatitude，fromtheTurkishoriginalintotheArabicandPersiantongues。
Note:VonHammerconsiderstheletterwhichGibboninsertedinthetexttobespurious。Onthevariouscopiesoftheseletters，seehisnote，p11—16。—M。]
[Footnote29:TheMogulemirdistinguisheshimselfandhiscountrymenbythenameofTurks，andstigmatizestheraceandnationofBajazetwiththelesshonorableepithetofTurkmans。
YetIdonotunderstandhowtheOttomanscouldbedescendedfromaTurkmansailor；thoseinlandshepherdsweresoremotefromthesea，andallmaritimeaffairs。
Note:Pricetranslatedthewordpilotorboatman。—M。]
[Footnote30:AccordingtotheKoran，c。ii。p。27，andSale\'sDiscourses，p。134，Mussulmanwhohadthricedivorcedhiswife，whohadthricerepeatedthewordsofadivorce，couldnottakeheragain，tillaftershehadbeenmarriedto，andrepudiatedby，anotherhusband；anignominioustransaction，whichitisneedlesstoaggravate，bysupposingthatthefirsthusbandmustseeherenjoyedbyasecondbeforehisface，Rycaut\'sStateoftheOttomanEmpire，l。ii。c。21。]
[Footnote31:ThecommondelicacyoftheOrientals，inneverspeakingoftheirwomen，isascribedinamuchhigherdegreebyArabshahtotheTurkishnations；anditisremarkableenough，thatChalcondylesl。ii。p。55hadsomeknowledgeoftheprejudiceandtheinsult。
Note:SeeVonHammer，p。308，andnote，p。621。—M。]
[Footnote!:Stillworsebarbaritieswereperpetratedonthesebravemen。VonHammer，vol。i。p。295。—M。]
[Footnote32:ForthestyleoftheMoguls，seetheInstitutions，p。131，147，andforthePersians，theBibliothequeOrientale，p。882；butIdonotfindthatthetitleofCaesarhasbeenappliedbytheArabians，orassumedbytheOttomansthemselves。]
ChapterLXV:ElevationOfTimourOrTamerlane，AndHisDeathPartII。
ThemilitaryrepublicoftheMamalukesstillreignedinEgyptandSyria:butthedynastyoftheTurkswasoverthrownbythatoftheCircassians；^33andtheirfavoriteBarkok，fromaslaveandaprisoner，wasraisedandrestoredtothethrone。Inthemidstofrebellionanddiscord，hebravedthemenaces，correspondedwiththeenemies，anddetainedtheambassadors，oftheMogul，whopatientlyexpectedhisdecease，torevengethecrimesofthefatheronthefeeblereignofhissonFarage。TheSyrianemirs^34wereassembledatAleppotorepeltheinvasion:
theyconfidedinthefameanddisciplineoftheMamalukes，inthetemperoftheirswordsandlancesofthepureststeelofDamascus，inthestrengthoftheirwalledcities，andinthepopulousnessofsixtythousandvillages；andinsteadofsustainingasiege，theythrewopentheirgates，andarrayedtheirforcesintheplain。Buttheseforceswerenotcementedbyvirtueandunion；andsomepowerfulemirshadbeenseducedtodesertorbetraytheirmoreloyalcompanions。Timour\'sfrontwascoveredwithalineofIndianelephants，whoseturretswerefilledwitharchersandGreekfire:therapidevolutionsofhiscavalrycompletedthedismayanddisorder；theSyriancrowdsfellbackoneachother:manythousandswerestifledorslaughteredintheentranceofthegreatstreet；theMogulsenteredwiththefugitives；andafterashortdefence，thecitadel，theimpregnablecitadelofAleppo，wassurrenderedbycowardiceortreachery。Amongthesuppliantsandcaptives，Timourdistinguishedthedoctorsofthelaw，whomheinvitedtothedangeroushonorofapersonalconference。^35TheMogulprincewasazealousMussulman；buthisPersianschoolshadtaughthimtoreverethememoryofAliandHosein；andhehadimbibedadeepprejudiceagainsttheSyrians，astheenemiesofthesonofthedaughteroftheapostleofGod。Tothesedoctorsheproposedacaptiousquestion，whichthecasuistsofBochara，Samarcand，andHerat，wereincapableofresolving。\"Whoarethetruemartyrs，ofthosewhoareslainonmyside，oronthatofmyenemies?\"Buthewassilenced，orsatisfied，bythedexterityofoneofthecadhisofAleppo，whorepliedinthewordsofMahomethimself，thatthemotive，nottheensign，constitutesthemartyr；andthattheMoslemsofeitherparty，whofightonlyforthegloryofGod，maydeservethatsacredappellation。Thetruesuccessionofthecaliphswasacontroversyofastillmoredelicatenature；andthefranknessofadoctor，toohonestforhissituation，provokedtheemperortoexclaim，\"YeareasfalseasthoseofDamascus:
Moawiyahwasausurper，Yezidatyrant，andAlialoneisthelawfulsuccessoroftheprophet。\"Aprudentexplanationrestoredhistranquillity；andhepassedtoamorefamiliartopicofconversation。\"Whatisyourage?\"saidhetothecadhi。\"Fiftyyears。\"—\"Itwouldbetheageofmyeldestson:youseemeherecontinuedTimourapoorlame，decrepitmortal。YetbymyarmhastheAlmightybeenpleasedtosubduethekingdomsofIran，Touran，andtheIndies。Iamnotamanofblood；andGodismywitness，thatinallmywarsIhaveneverbeentheaggressor，andthatmyenemieshavealwaysbeentheauthorsoftheirowncalamity。\"DuringthispeacefulconversationthestreetsofAleppostreamedwithblood，andreechoedwiththecriesofmothersandchildren，withtheshrieksofviolatedvirgins。Therichplunderthatwasabandonedtohissoldiersmightstimulatetheiravarice；buttheircrueltywasenforcedbytheperemptorycommandofproducinganadequatenumberofheads，which，accordingtohiscustom，werecuriouslypiledincolumnsandpyramids:theMogulscelebratedthefeastofvictory，whilethesurvivingMoslemspassedthenightintearsandinchains。I
shallnotdwellonthemarchofthedestroyerfromAleppotoDamascus，wherehewasrudelyencountered，andalmostoverthrown，bythearmiesofEgypt。Aretrogrademotionwasimputedtohisdistressanddespair:oneofhisnephewsdesertedtotheenemy；
andSyriarejoicedinthetaleofhisdefeat，whenthesultanwasdrivenbytherevoltoftheMamalukestoescapewithprecipitationandshametohispalaceofCairo。Abandonedbytheirprince，theinhabitantsofDamascusstilldefendedtheirwalls；andTimourconsentedtoraisethesiege，iftheywouldadornhisretreatwithagiftorransom；eacharticleofninepieces。Butnosoonerhadheintroducedhimselfintothecity，undercolorofatruce，thanheperfidiouslyviolatedthetreaty；
imposedacontributionoftenmillionsofgold；andanimatedhistroopstochastisetheposterityofthoseSyrianswhohadexecuted，orapproved，themurderofthegrandsonofMahomet。A
familywhichhadgivenhonorableburialtotheheadofHosein，andacolonyofartificers，whomhesenttolaboratSamarcand，werealonereservedinthegeneralmassacre，andafteraperiodofsevencenturies，Damascuswasreducedtoashes，becauseaTartarwasmovedbyreligiouszealtoavengethebloodofanArab。ThelossesandfatiguesofthecampaignobligedTimourtorenouncetheconquestofPalestineandEgypt；butinhisreturntotheEuphrateshedeliveredAleppototheflames；andjustifiedhispiousmotivebythepardonandrewardoftwothousandsectariesofAli，whoweredesiroustovisitthetombofhisson。