The Rashīdī History 140.2

140.2

God, the most high, has shown to the peoples of the earth, and especially to kings and rulers, that no boast is to be made of, no reliance to be placed in, the numbers of an army nor their equipment; for He in His might gives victory to whomsoever He will. Thus Ubaid Ullah Khan, with 3000 shattered [Turki] men, who eight months previously had retreated before this same force, now entirely defeated an army of 40,000, perfectly equipped and mounted on fine horses [tupchak]. This event occurred in Safar of the year 918. The Emperor had reigned eight months in Samarkand. When the Emperor returned to Samarkand, he was unable to get a firm footing upon the steps of the throne, and so bidding farewell to the sovereignty of Samarkand, he hastened to Hisar. He sent one ambassador after another to Shah Ismail, to inform him of what had passed, and to beg for succour. Shah Ismail granted his request, and sent Mir Najm, his commander-in-chief, with 60,000 men, to his aid. Thus at the beginning of the winter succeeding that spring, [the allies] once more marched against the Uzbeg. On reaching Karshi, they found that Shaikham Mirza, the uncle of Ubaid Ullah Khan, had strengthened the fort of Karshi. They, therefore, began by laying siege to the fort, which they quickly reduced. Then they put to death Shaikham Mirza, and massacred the whole of the people of the fort, killing both high and low—the sucklings and the decrepit.