IntheeyesoftheMoguls，whoheldtheindefeasiblesuccessionofthehouseofZingis，hewasdoubtlessarebelsubject；yethesprangfromthenobletribeofBerlass:hisfifthancestor，CarasharNevian，hadbeenthevizier^!ofZagatai，inhisnewrealmofTransoxiana；andintheascentofsomegenerations，thebranchofTimourisconfounded，atleastbythefemales，^7withtheImperialstem。^8HewasbornfortymilestothesouthofSamarcandinthevillageofSebzar，inthefruitfulterritoryofCash，ofwhichhisfatherswerethehereditarychiefs，aswellasofatomanoftenthousandhorse。^9Hisbirth^10wascastononeofthoseperiodsofanarchy，whichannouncethefalloftheAsiaticdynasties，andopenanewfieldtoadventurousambition。ThekhansofZagataiwereextinct；theemirsaspiredtoindependence；andtheirdomesticfeudscouldonlybesuspendedbytheconquestandtyrannyofthekhansofKashgar，who，withanarmyofGetesorCalmucks，^11invadedtheTransoxiankingdom。Fromthetwelfthyearofhisage，Timourhadenteredthefieldofaction；inthetwenty—fifth^!!hestoodforthasthedelivererofhiscountry；andtheeyesandwishesofthepeoplewereturnedtowardsaherowhosufferedintheircause。Thechiefsofthelawandofthearmyhadpledgedtheirsalvationtosupporthimwiththeirlivesandfortunes；butinthehourofdangertheyweresilentandafraid；and，afterwaitingsevendaysonthehillsofSamarcand，heretreatedtothedesertwithonlysixtyhorsemen。ThefugitiveswereovertakenbyathousandGetes，whomherepulsedwithincredibleslaughter，andhisenemieswereforcedtoexclaim，\"Timourisawonderfulman:
fortuneandthedivinefavorarewithhim。\"Butinthisbloodyactionhisownfollowerswerereducedtoten，anumberwhichwassoondiminishedbythedesertionofthreeCarizmians。^!!!Hewanderedinthedesertwithhiswife，sevencompanions，andfourhorses；andsixty—twodayswasheplungedinaloathsomedungeon，fromwhenceheescapedbyhisowncourageandtheremorseoftheoppressor。AfterswimmingthebroadandrapidsteamoftheJihoon，orOxus，heled，duringsomemonths，thelifeofavagrantandoutlaw，onthebordersoftheadjacentstates。Buthisfameshonebrighterinadversity；helearnedtodistinguishthefriendsofhisperson，theassociatesofhisfortune，andtoapplythevariouscharactersofmenfortheiradvantage，and，aboveall，forhisown。Onhisreturntohisnativecountry，Timourwassuccessivelyjoinedbythepartiesofhisconfederates，whoanxiouslysoughthiminthedesert；norcanI
refusetodescribe，inhispatheticsimplicity，oneoftheirfortunateencounters。Hepresentedhimselfasaguidetothreechiefs，whowereattheheadofseventyhorse。\"Whentheireyesfelluponme，\"saysTimour，\"theywereoverwhelmedwithjoy；andtheyalightedfromtheirhorses；andtheycameandkneeled；andtheykissedmystirrup。Ialsocamedownfrommyhorse，andtookeachoftheminmyarms。AndIputmyturbanontheheadofthefirstchief；andmygirdle，richinjewelsandwroughtwithgold，Iboundontheloinsofthesecond；andthethirdIclothedinmyowncoat。Andtheywept，andIweptalso；andthehourofprayerwasarrived，andweprayed。Andwemountedourhorses，andcametomydwelling；andIcollectedmypeople，andmadeafeast。\"Histrustybandsweresoonincreasedbythebravestofthetribes；heledthemagainstasuperiorfoe；and，aftersomevicissitudesofwartheGeteswerefinallydrivenfromthekingdomofTransoxiana。Hehaddonemuchforhisownglory；butmuchremainedtobedone，mucharttobeexerted，andsomebloodtobespilt，beforehecouldteachhisequalstoobeyhimastheirmaster。ThebirthandpowerofemirHousseincompelledhimtoacceptaviciousandunworthycolleague，whosesisterwasthebestbelovedofhiswives。Theirunionwasshortandjealous；
butthepolicyofTimour，intheirfrequentquarrels，exposedhisrivaltothereproachofinjusticeandperfidy；and，afterafinaldefeat，Housseinwasslainbysomesagaciousfriends，whopresumed，forthelasttime，todisobeythecommandsoftheirlord。Attheageofthirty—four，^12andinageneraldietorcouroultai，hewasinvestedwithImperialcommand，butheaffectedtoreverethehouseofZingis；andwhiletheemirTimourreignedoverZagataiandtheEast，anominalkhanservedasaprivateofficerinthearmiesofhisservant。Afertilekingdom，fivehundredmilesinlengthandinbreadth，mighthavesatisfiedtheambitionofasubject；butTimouraspiredtothedominionoftheworld；andbeforehisdeath，thecrownofZagataiwasoneofthetwenty—sevencrownswhichhehadplacedonhishead。
Withoutexpatiatingonthevictoriesofthirty—fivecampaigns；