horses　of　the　heroic　armies　of　Alexander

that　included　Khazars；　Egyptians；　Berbers　and　Arabs；　all　equipped　with　armor；

iron shields； indestructible swords and glimmering helmets； not the fabled

horse　that　killed　Shah　Yazdgird—whose　nose　bled　perpetually　as　a　result　of　the

divine　punishment　for　rebelling　against　God’s　fate—by　trampling　him　on　the

shores　of　the　green　lake　whose　restorative　waters　eased　his　affliction；　and　not

among　the　hundreds　of　mythical　and　perfect　horses　all　drawn　by　six　or　seven

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miniaturists。 Yet； there was still more than one entire day ahead of me in

which　to　examine　the　other　books　in　the　Treasury。

2。　There’s　a　claim　that　has　been　a　persistent　topic　of　gossip　among　master

illuminators　for　the　last　twenty…five　years：　With　the　express　permission　of　the

Sultan； an illustrator entered this forbidden Treasury； found this spectacular

book；　opened　it　and　by　candlelight　copied　into　his　sketchbook　examples　of　a

number　of　exquisite　horses；　trees；　clouds；　flowers；　birds；　gardens　and　scenes　of

war　and　love　for　later　use　in　his　work…Whenever　an　artist　created　an　amazing

and exceptional piece； jealousy prompted such gossip from the others； who

sought to belittle the picture as nothing but Persian work from Tabriz。 Back

then； Tabriz was not Ottoman territory。 When such slander wa