In the year 771, I entered my thirty-fifth year of age, on which occasion four of the most revered Syeds, viz. Abū al Berkāt, Abū al Muāly, Zynaddyn, and Aly Akber, having chosen a fortunate hour, took me by the arms, and placed me on the throne of sovereignty: after I was seated on the throne, I opened the Korān, which was my constant companion, to search for an omen whether my government would endure, and this verse came forth, “Say, God is the master of the world, he gives the kingdom to whom he chooses, and takes it away from those he chooses.” The learned body who were standing at the foot of my throne, wrote the interpretation of this verse, and read prayers for the perpetuity of my dominion. In the same manner all the people, both great and low, held up their hands in prayer for my prosperity; after which all the nobles bent their knees and congratulated me; then all the chiefs and officers of the hordes payed their respects; then all the people, whether soldiers or citizens, called out, “may your good fortune endure.”
Previous to the day of my coronation I had formed regulations for my courts; I assigned to the Syeds, to the prelates and learned body a place on my right hand, to my sons and relations and nobles, that they should be seated in a half circle round my throne, the (Kurjyans) life guards were to be placed behind the throne, the commanders of divisions to be in front, facing me, the twelve (Yusuval) aides de camp or orderlies, were to stand three in front, three on each side, and three behind the Kūr,* and the other officers and soldiers to be seated according to their respective ranks. After forming the court in this manner I sent for all the treasure and valuables that I possessed and distributed them amongst the nobles, the officers and soldiers, according to their respective ranks, and I then gave away to the persons assembled, all my ready money, my horses, swords, caps; so that all that remained were the clothes on my back and two horses in my stable, and even of these Amyr Jakū asked for one, which I gave him, by which means all I kept to myself was one horse, one sword, one shield, one spear, one quiver with its bow and arrows.
When the nobles of the hordes and tribes witnessed my liberality and generosity they came and bent their knees, and said, you are well entitled to the throne and sovereignty. At this time one of my confidential servants said to me, “there is not a single article left in your store.” I replied, “if I am a King all the wealth of the world is mine; whatever property my subjects possess is mine, they are merely my repositories; and if I am not a King, whatever I may now have will not remain.”
I then commanded a proclamation to be made, that “all people whether great or low, Tūrks or Persians, Noble or Mean, Officer or Soldier, were in perfect security from me, and I issued edicts through all parts of my dominion, stating that I had pardoned all guilty persons of every description; that all those who had drawn their swords against me, done evil to me, or had excited enmity against me, I now considered as my friends, and that I had eradicated from my bosom all animosity or revenge, that they might feel confident and happy, and whatever property of mine had been stolen or plundered during the disturbances, I freely gave to the possessor; that I forgave all the followers of Amyr Hussyn, and that they might remain secure wherever they were dispersed, and keep whatever property of his they had.”
I then issued orders to all the Chieftains on the boundaries and the Governors of the fortresses of Shadmān, Kunduz, Badukhshān, Andijān, Tūrkistān, Kabulistan, Kāshghur, Tashkund, Khujend and the confines of the Desht Kipchāk and Khuarizm, confirming them in their governments and commands and assuring them that they need not harbour an idea of any change.
When the (Eid) festival of the month of Ramzān arrived, I went to the great Mosque of Balkh and performed my prayers. The Muselmāns invited me to commence the service. I replied that I did not consider myself worthy of acting as (Imam) president. They said we consider your Highness as the successor of the illustrious Khalifs and the (Muruvij) Patron of the Muhammedan religion, the Guardian of the holy land, the Protector of the servants of God, the Respecter of his Saints, it is therefore proper that you should preside.
The (Khētyb) Preacher then mounted the pulpit, and after offering up glory and thanksgiving to God and the Prophet, and praise of the illustrious Khalifs (Khūlfā Rāshidyn*) may Paradise be their dwelling, he commenced the Khutbeh* in my name, in these words, “O Lord, assist the Muselmān armies and camps wherever they are, or wherever they may be, whether in the East or in the West, by the good fortune of the just Sultan, the illustrious Khākān, (title of the Tūrkish Sovereign) the renowned Emperor, the exalted Prince, the Khākān son of the Khākān Amyr Timūr Gūrghān, may God Almighty perpetuate his dominion and government, and extend his beneficence and justice to all Muselmāns.” After the conclusion of this speech all the Nobles and principal persons of Jagtay and the Chiefs of the tribes and hordes came up and congratulated me.
When I quitted the Mosque I placed my foot in the stirrup, and attended by all the Commanders and Officers I proceeded to the (Kytūl) palace, I then politely took leave of them, sent each of them a feast on account of the Eid, and dismissed them to their respective homes.
Some days after I appointed Murād Behader, son of Chūghān Berlās, to be governor of Balkh, and gave him a written code of regulations for his guidance, pointing out to him how he was to behave himself, both to soldiers and subjects and in what style he should live and conduct himself on all occasions.
On the 2d day of the month of Shū,āl, A. H. 771, being then thirty-five years of age, having selected a fortunate moment, I marched from Balkh and proceeded towards the capital, Samerkund; the first day I encamped on the banks of the Jihūn, which was seven Fersukh (twenty-one miles) from Balkh, and enjoyed myself there, till my family and all the heavy baggage of the army came up.
At one of the assemblies Shykh Hussyn Sūfy* who had arrived from Khuarizm, came and joined me: I asked him, “how will the Almighty reproach tyrants in the day of Judgment?” he replied, “God hath said to them (by his Prophets) ‘don’t think of me; if you do so, I will curse you;’ this is a sufficient indication of their lot, the tyrant shall be seized both in this world and the next by his injustice.” He then added, “the punishment of an infidel King, provided he is just, shall be less than that of a Muselmān Monarch who is a tyrant; also the torments of a generous unbeliever shall be fewer than those of an avaricious believer.” On hearing these words I determined as long as I lived to make justice and liberality my constant practice.
All my people having now joined the camp, I crossed the river Jihūn and encamped in the plains of Kesh, where I halted for some time and was waited upon by all the Nobles and principal inhabitants of the towns, and by all the Chiefs of the hordes and tribes: whether formerly friends or enemies all came and claimed my protection. From thence I marched to the vicinity of Samerkund and was there met by all the Nobles and persons of note, by all the prelates and learned body of that city, who congratulated me and made offerings (Nesār) for my prosperity.
That very day being Friday, I went to the great Mosque and said my prayers with a very numerous congregation, after which the Khutbeh was read for my success from the pulpit of Samerkund, being now the capital of my empire. But Khuajē Abyd Allah, who was the most celebrated theologist of the age, refused to join in the blessing. Here follows the anecdote related in page 12 of the Omens, &c.
In consequence of this manifestation of the Prophet’s regard, I ordered that another large mosque should be built in Samerkund, also a monastery, and houses for the Dervishes and pious Muselmāns.