74 
LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS. 
next bent his steps towards Armenia, which he 
entered a. d. 1387. After storming with his usual 
celerity several forts and cities, he laid siege to a 
strong fortress in Upper Armenia. The governor 
shut himself up in the citadel, which, being surround- 
ed by immensely strong walls, on the ridge of a 
mountain, and bounded on one side by a deep lake, 
was considered impregnable. Timur assaulted both 
the town and castle with such impetuosity, that the 
governor, apprehensive of the issue, and knowing the 
emperor’s severity where any desperate resistance was 
offered to his arms, judged it prudent to submit to 
the imperial clemency. The citizens, however, rely- 
ing upon the strength of the citadel, which had never 
yet been taken, refused to capitulate and the siege was 
renewed with encreased energy. Notwithstanding 
the most vigorous resistance, the town was entered on 
the twentieth day after the first assault by the Jagatay 
soldiers, who, tying several of the garrison neck and 
heels together, flung them from the ramparts. The 
castle was demolished by order of the victor, who, 
with the stern precaution of a despot, left no fortress 
in a conquered country likely to offer any impediment 
to his victorious career. In many of his sieges, Timur 
made use of mines with great success. These mines 
were constructed after the usual mode employed in 
ancient warfare. Galleries were carried under that 
portion of the wall in which the breach was to be 
made ; this, as the excavation proceeded, being sup- 
ported by strong wooden frames. When the mine 
was sufficiently spacious, the frames were set on fire, 
and the superincumbent structure giving way, fell into 
the cavity, which formed the breach. 
