The Campaigns of Timur in Moghulistan in 1370-1375.
Campaigns in Moghulistan in 1370-1375
Nizam ad-Din Shami reported on the raids of the Mongol emirs Uruq-Timur (or Uzbek-Timur) into the eastern regions of Mawarannahr. Timur, under the pretext of punishing them, set out with an army to the east in 772/1370-71 (or the following year). He passed through the regions of Fergana and Uzgend, conquered all of Moghulistan up to Kara-Khodja, and handed it over to Kepak-Timur (in Shami's account, Uruq-Timur). The Timurid historiographers (Shami, Yazdi, Samarqandi) exaggerated the success of this conqueror's campaign. At that time, Timur could not reach the Turfan oasis. He only devastated the southwestern parts of Moghulistan and reached the Kochkor Valley. Soon, his appointee Kepak-Timur rebelled, and against him, Timur sent an army led by commanders Bakhram Jalayir, Abbas-Bahadur, and others. On the way, a conspiracy arose among the Jalayir warriors led by the centurion Tizakchi against Bakhram. However, the latter and other commanders learned of this and took security measures. Timur's forces and those of Kepak-Timur clashed on the bank of some river but could not overcome each other and concluded peace. On the way back, Bakhram executed the conspirators.
The peace concluded with Kepak-Timur angered Timur. He personally set out with a large army on a campaign to Moghulistan, passing through Sayram, Yanghi (the name of the city of Taraz in late medieval written sources), and the Chuy Valley, reaching the area of Sangiz-Yagach (Sansyz-Yagach — countless trees) in the Preissyk-Kul region. This time, Kepak-Timur fled northeast into the depths of the steppes of Moghulistan upon the approach of the enemy. Timur's army "captured many prisoners, abundant spoils, and a victorious banner, kept by the creator, and returned with spoils that could not be counted or measured." It is quite possible to agree with K. A. Pishulina's assertion that Timur's campaigns in Moghulistan before this were of a reconnaissance and plundering nature. According to Sharaf ad-Din Yazdi and Fasiḥ al-Khāwafi, Timur's campaign took place in 772/1370-71, while Nizam ad-Din Shami states it was in the following year.
In early 1375, Timur set out for Moghulistan for the third time with the aim of establishing his power: "For the interest of governing the Mongol il (meaning ulus, state, and its population — O. K.), Timur decided to go on a campaign (yuresh) to that area," wrote Muin ad-Din Natanzi. Not reaching the area of Katvan due to severe cold, Timur returned to Samarkand.
In March 1375, he again set out on a campaign to Moghulistan. His troops passed through Sayram, the valleys of Talas and Chuy, and headed towards the Ili River. In the area of Charun (on the Charyn River), a local resident reported during interrogation: "He (Kamar ad-Din), having gathered his troops, is located in the area of Kok-Tobe, awaiting Khajibek and is unaware of the movement of Your army." Timur sent an advance detachment led by his son Jahangir (according to Muin ad-Din Natanzi, the vanguard was led by Omar-Sheikh, another son of Timur) against Kamar ad-Din for a surprise attack, while he himself moved after them. But Kamar ad-Din, learning of the enemy's approach, retreated to the inaccessible area of Barkai and Guriyan, where three rivers flowed through three gorges. He crossed two and fortified himself at the third. Jahangir attacked him at dawn, and Kamar ad-Din fled the battlefield with the remnants of his forces. Timur, upon arrival, sent his emirs to search for the il of Moghulistan, who captured great wealth and prisoners in the valley of the Ili River.
Timur sent Jahangir after Kamar ad-Din, while he returned to the area of Baytak (Paitak), where he stayed for 50 or 53 days. During this time, Jahangir plundered Uch-Firman (Uch-Pirman, Uch-Barma, Uch-Turfan), pursued Kamar ad-Din, who was hiding in the Tian Shan mountains, but managed to escape in an unknown direction. The prince captured the wife of Shams ad-Din Duglat, Buyan-agu (or Tyan-agu), and her daughter Dilshad-agu. Upon receiving news of this, Timur set out from Baytak and, in the area of Kara-Kasmaka (V. V. Bartold identified it with the Zaili Ala-Tau pass), joined Jahangir with the prisoners and plundered wealth. They then proceeded to Atbashy and then to Arpa-Yazy (the Arpa Valley in Central Tian Shan), where Timur celebrated his wedding with Dilshad-agu. According to the accounts of Timurid historiographers, one of the Mongol emirs, Mubarak-shah from the Mekrit-Merkit tribe, organized a grand reception for Timur here. This fact once again testifies to the fragmentation of Moghulistan and that not all tribal leaders recognized Kamar ad-Din's authority. Timur returned to Samarkand from Arpa-Yazy through Uzgend.
In this campaign, as in subsequent ones, Timur was unable to conquer Moghulistan and unite it with Mawarannahr, i.e., restore the unity of the former Chagatai ulus.
Apparently, the reasons for this failure lie in the fact that the population of Semirechye and Tian Shan, being the main part of Moghulistan and against whom all of Timur's campaigns were directed, consisted of pastoral tribes. Upon the invasion of Timur's troops, they would migrate deeper into the northeastern steppes of Moghulistan or hide in the inaccessible areas of Tian Shan. When the conquerors left, the fugitives would return to their pastures.
This repeated with every campaign of Timur. In such a situation, he directed his troops to search for the whereabouts of the khans, leaders of Moghulistan, sought to destroy their forces and plunder the population of the uluses that had not managed to migrate. From each campaign, Timur returned with a mass of prisoners and plundered wealth. At times, individual khans, leaders of the tribes of Moghulistan, formally considered themselves vassals of Timur. But throughout his life, he was never able to finally conquer the eastern half of the former Chagatai ulus.
The First Khans of Moghulistan. Ilyas-Khodja
