lace, where
he lived in the greatest luxury.

[Illustration: TAMERLANE]

After he had enjoyed for some time the honors which fell to him as
chief ruler of the Mongolians, he began to desire further conquests.
He determined to make himself master of all the countries of Central
Asia.

"As there is but one God in heaven," he said, "there ought to be
but one ruler on the earth."

So he gathered an immense army from all parts of his dominion,
and for weeks his subjects were busy making preparations for war.
At length he started for Persia in command of a splendid army.
After gaining some brilliant victories he forced the Persian king
to flee from his capital.

All the rich country belonging to Persia, from the Tigris to the
Euphrates, submitted to the Mongolian conqueror.

Tamerlane celebrated his Persian conquest by magnificent festivities
which continued for a week. Then orders were given to march into
the great Tatar empire of the North. Here Tamerlane was victorious
over the principal chiefs and made them his vassals. In pursuing
the Tatars he entered Russia and sacked and burned some of the
Russian cities. He did not, however, continue his invasion of this
country, but turned in the direction of India.

At last his army stood before the city of Delhi, and after a fierce
assault forced it to surrender. Other cities of India were taken
and the authority of Tamerlane was established over a large extent
of the country.

II

Baj-a-zet', sultan of Turkey, now determined to stop Tamerlane's
eastward march.

News of this reached the conqueror's ears. Leaving India, he marched
to meet the sultan. Bajazet was a famous warrior. He was so rapid
in his movements in war that he was called "the lightning."

Tamerlane entered the sultan's dominions and devastated them. He
stormed Bagdad, and after capturing the place killed thousands
of the inhabitants.

At length the rivals and their armies faced each other. A great
battle followed. It raged four or five hours and then the Turks
were totally defeated. Bajazet was captured.

Tamerlane then ordered a great iron cage to be made and forced
the sultan to enter it. The prisoner was chained to the iron bars
of the cage and was thus exhibited to the Mongol soldiers, who
taunted him as he was carried along the lines.

As the army marched from place to place the sultan in his cage
was shown to the people. How long the fallen monarch had to bear
this humiliating punishment