Timur's Event at Damascus in 803 AH

Ibn Imad relates that in 803 AH Timur took Khwarazm, Transoxiana, Samarqand, Khurasan, Herat and others, then besieged Aleppo in Rabi al-Awwal and took it. He then moved to Damascus in Rabi al-Akhir and camped outside it. ²

The notables of the city came out asking for safety; he honoured them and proclaimed safety in the city. A sum was imposed on its people in return for safety and distributed over the quarters. Timur prayed the Friday prayer in the Umayyad Mosque. Then a disputation took place between his imam Abd al-Jabbar and the jurists of Damascus about the events of Ali, Mu'awiya, Yazid and Husayn; some of their answers were accepted and some rejected. ²

The siege of the citadel grew severe, and catapults were fired at it. Timur built a wooden fort, which burned from a fire-tipped arrow. Its people surrendered it after forty days, on terms of safety. ²

Ibn Imad says that when he took the citadel he allowed those with him plunder, killing and burning. Women and children were taken captive, and the buildings were burned. Then he left. ²

This is Ibn Imad's account alone in the data, and needs an additional source.