78 
LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS. 
routed them after an obstinate resistance, the victors 
pursuing their vanquished foes with terrible slaughter 
for upwards of a hundred miles. 
Upon the emperor's return to Samerkund, he cele- 
brated the marriages of several of his young nobles 
by a public banquet, at which he presided in person. 
The tables were arranged like an army in order of 
battle, Timur appearing at the head of the centre 
table on a throne of gold, the bridegrooms and brides 
being placed on either side of him. He did not, how- 
ever, permit the love of pleasure to cross the pur- 
poses of his ambition. Persia was again invaded, 
many of its princes having thrown off their allegiance. 
He collected an army for a campaign of five years, 
and, as usual, pursued his career of conquest. His 
route was marked by frightful devastations : towns 
were reduced to rubbish, and their inhabitants barba- 
rously slaughtered, Irak and Kurdestan submitted 
to the conqueror. 
Shah Mansur, Prince of Fars, checked for a mo- 
ment the progress of the victorious Jagatay. With 
three thousand horse he proved a dangerous enemy to 
the conqueror. His cavalry were armed with coats of 
mail, having helmets and breastplates of leather lined 
with steel. Their horses were protected by a cuirass 
composed of thiek silk loosely fitting their bodies. At 
the head of these chosen squadrons, with their ensigns 
displayed, Mansur advanced against the veteran forces 
of Jagatay with fierce determination. Attacking the 
main body of his enemy, which consisted of thirty thou- 
sand Turks, considered by Timur as the best troops 
in his army, the Persian general broke their ranks, 
