The Rashīdī History 41.1

41.1

On Thursday, the first day of the month of Shaban of the year 776 of the Hajra [A.D. 1375], Amir Timur, having collected an army, marched out towards Jatah—which is equivalent to Moghulistan. On the route he encamped at the Rabat-i-Katan, when the coldness of the weather caused the sun suddenly to withdraw behind the veil of the clouds, and much rain and snow began to fall. [Verses]: No one ever yet saw so much snow. The world looked like a morsel in the snow's mouth. The violence of the storm deprived the soldiers of their strength, and they were soon no longer able to look after their horses, because of the risk they ran of losing their own lives; in this way many of the men died and a quantity of horses perished. Amir Timur, being moved to pity at this sad state of affairs, commanded them to break up the camp and return to Samarkand, where they remained about two months, until the rigour of the season had in some measure abated. On Monday, the 1st of the month Shawal, at the beginning of the year of the Hare (Tushkan), he again led out his army against the country of Jatah—which is equivalent to Moghulistan.