Ruy González de Clavijo

The arrival of the Castilian envoy led by Don Clavijo. Folio from the Malfuzat-i Timuri, Mughal, 19th century Ruy González de Clavijo (died 2 April 1412) was a Castilian traveler and writer. In 1403–1405, Clavijo was the ambassador of Henry III of Castile to the court of Timur, founder and ruler of the Timurid Empire. A diary of the journey, perhaps based on detailed notes kept while traveling, was later published in Spanish in 1582 and in English in 1859 (Narrative of the Embassy of Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo to the Court of Timour at Samarcand AD 1403–6).

Biography alt=A manuscript titled "VIDA Y HAZAÑAS DEL GRAN TAMORLAN con la descripcion de las tierras de su Imperio y señorio escrita por Ruigonçalez de Clauijo[...]".

Clavijo was a member of a prominent noble family, but little is known about his life; his date of birth is unknown. He was a native of Madrid At the time, Timur was holding a great gathering or kurultai in anticipation of his invasion of China (which was aborted after his death). Clavijo's long-sought first audience with Timur was in "a great orchard with a palace therein", the paradise garden of Iranian tradition, where Clavijo gave detailed descriptions of the trained and painted elephants he saw, and the tent-pavilions of jewel- and pearl-encrusted silks with tassels and banners that fluttered in the wind. The embassy spent several months in Samarkand, during which time the Castilians attended celebrations for Timur's recent victory at Ankara in July 1402 over the Turkish sultan, Bayezid I, whom he captured, relieving Western fears of Ottoman expansion in Hungary and spurring the desire for diplomatic connections on the part of Charles VI of France as well as Henry of Castile.

Per Clavijo, the ambassadors' departure was delayed by Timur's illness. They were asked to leave at once on 18 November, without a final meeting with Timur; however, the Persian sources indicate that that Timur received and dispatched them. The ambassadors left on 21 November, six days before Timur began his Chinese campaign. They passed through Bukhara and went to Karabakh, where they paid their respects to Omar Mirza, Timur's grandson. At that time, Timur died, and an influential subordinate of Omar, Jahanshah Barlas, revolted. Therefore, the Castilians were sent to Tabriz, where their possessions were impounded and they were obliged to remain until the middle of August. They then had a meeting with Omar and received gifts and most of their possessions. They reached Trebizond on 17 September and Constantinople on 22 October. From there, they sailed to Genoa and finally arrived at Henry's court 24 March 1406.