ABSTRACT

ON Thursday, the 30th of October, the lord left the encampment, and went to the city of Samarcand, where he lodged at some houses and a mosque which he had ordered to be built for the burial of one of his grandsons, named Mohammed Sultan Meerza, who was killed in Turkey, when Timour Beg conquered the Turk; and this grandson had himself taken the Turk prisoner, bat had died of his wounds. The lord loved this grandson very dearly, and had, therefore, ordered this mosque to be built in his honour. The lord went on that day to celebrate a vigil feast, and invited the ambassadors. When they came, they were shown the chapel and tomb. This chapel was square and very high, and was covered, both inside and out, with blue and gold ornaments. When this grandson died in Turkey, the lord sent the body to be interred in Samarcand, and ordered this mosque to be built. When the lord arrived, he said the chapel was too low, so he ordered it to be pulled down, and rebuilt in ten days. They worked day and night, and he himself came twice to the city, to watch the progress; and the chapel was finished in ten days. It is a wonder that so great a work could have been completed in so short a time.