TIMUR BEG. 
43 
The Jetes who had been strongly reinforced, laid siege 
to Samerkund, and the city was saved only by a mor- 
tality among the enemies’ horses, which obliged them 
to retire. Timur and Hussyn having renewed their 
friendship, repaired to the capital ; but, in consequence 
of the latter’s insatiable avarice, the nobles determined 
to oppose him, and place the supreme power in the 
hands of his brother-in-law. This produced a new 
breach between the two amyrs; and such was Hus- 
syn’s enmity, that he resolved upon the immediate 
destruction of his rival. Aware of the disaffection of 
the nobles, and their resolutions in favour of Timur, 
Hussyn assembled an army, determined to kindle the 
flames of civil war, which should be quenched only 
by the death of his competitor, who had retired from 
the capital to collect his forces in order to counteract 
the ambitious designs of his unnatural foe. 
This year, a.d. 1366, Timur’s wife, to whom he 
was devotedly attached, died. She was the sister of 
Hussyn. This ruptured the last link of that friend- 
ship which had for years united these rival princes, but 
was now irrevocably dissolved. They both assembled 
their forces, and prepared to decide in whom the su- 
preme power should be vested. Whilst they were 
encamped, Hussyn endeavoured to destroy his ad- 
versary by treachery, but was defeated by the pru- 
dence and valour of that prince. He sent his trea- 
surer to Timur with a copy of the Koran, disavowing 
upon oath any hostile intentions, and soliciting a 
meeting at a certain pass, in order that their former 
friendship might be renewed. The substance of his 
proposal was, that both princes should advance to a 
