20 LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS. 
their companions to join them, and, determined to 
wipe out the stigma of their late discomfiture, again 
flocked to the standard of their youthful leader with 
new fervour and a stimulated desire of revenge upon 
the authors of their disgrace. They continued the 
same devotedness to their chief, who affected a greater 
degree of haughtiness and rigour than he had main- 
tained before his reverse of fortune. 
When Timur had attained the twenty-first year of 
his age, he married the grand-daughter of Amyr Kur- 
gen, governor of Transoxiana, by which alliance his 
political importance was increased. By this marriage 
he gained great honour and much wealth. Two 
years after, the Amyr gave him command of a thou- 
sand horsemen for the invasion of Khorassan, an ex- 
tensive province of Persia, whither Amyr Kurgen him- 
self proceeded with a large army, followed by Timur. 
The capital was attacked, and Melk Hussyn, the go- 
vernor, made overtures of peace, which he purchased 
at the expense of a heavy tribute. Amyr Kurgen 
withdrew his forces, leaving Timur in the neighbour- 
hood of Herat * with a thousand horse and the ad- 
vanced guard, in order to enforce the terms of the 
treaty. 
His father-in-law had scarcely withdrawn when 
the prince received a confidential communication from 
Melk Hussyn, that the garrison of Herat was in a 
state of insurrection, and threatened to raise Melk 
Baker to the government. Melk Hussyn had com- 
manded his messenger to urge that Timur should 
* A very ancient city of Khorassan, the Aria of the Greeks. 
