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 CHAPTER X

SAMARKAND ONCE MORE

1510-1514

In the midst of this uneventful interval, Bábar was suddenly called to action. A messenger arrived at Kábul in the winter of 1510 with a letter from Khán Mirza. It related how Sháh Ismá'íl, the new ruler of Persia, founder of the imperial Safavi line of Sháhs, had fought and conquered Shaibáni Khán, and how the Uzbegs were ﬂying from Khurásán over the Amu to Kunduz. The passes were blocked with snow, but Bábar heeded it not. He was once more inspired with the dream of his life, the dream of empire on Tímúr's throne; mere obstacles of ice and snow were nothing to one spurred on by

Ambition, the desire of active souls, That pushes them beyond the bounds of nature And elevates the Hero to the Gods.

The recovery of a lost Eden was before his eyes, and he set off at once to join forces with the Persians, and give the final blow that should crush the great oppressor of his house. He did not then know that after the fatal battle near Merv, Shaibáni was smothered