Historical Figure
Timur
1336–1405
Turco-Mongol conqueror (1320s–1405)
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Biography
Timur, also known as Tamerlane, was a Turco-Mongol conqueror, first ruler of the Timurid dynasty, and the founder of the Timurid Empire, which ruled over modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia. He was undefeated in battle and is widely regarded as one of the greatest military leaders and tacticians in history, as well as one of the most brutal and deadly. Timur is also considered a great patron of the arts, for he interacted with scholars and poets such as ibn Khaldun, Hafez, and Hafiz-i Abru. His reign led to the Timurid Renaissance.
Timeline
The story of Timur, told in moments.
Born near Kesh, in present-day Uzbekistan. His clan claimed descent from Genghis Khan. Lame in his right leg from a battle wound or possibly from birth, earning the name Timur-i-lang, "Timur the Lame." Westerners corrupted it to Tamerlane.
Seized control of Transoxiana after years of warfare and political maneuvering. Made Samarkand his capital. Never claimed the title of khan, ruling instead through puppet monarchs while holding absolute power.
Sacked Delhi. His army reportedly killed tens of thousands of prisoners before the battle even began. The destruction was so complete that the city didn't recover for over a century. Timur took the plunder back to Samarkand.
Defeated and captured Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I at the Battle of Ankara. The Ottoman Empire nearly collapsed. Bayezid died in captivity. Timur had built an empire stretching from India to Turkey.
Died at Otrar while marching toward China with 200,000 men. He was 68. His empire fractured immediately. Samarkand's Registan Square and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque remain monuments to his ambition.
In Their Own Words (2)
It is good to go swiftly and break an enemy’s power, before he has mustered his full strength. No greater army should be taken than can be maintained on the way.
Attributed in Harold Lamb, Tamerlane (1928) p. 123, 1928
It is better to be at the right place with ten men than absent with ten thousand.
Attributed in Harold Lamb, Tamerlane: The Earth Shaker (Garden City Publishing Co, 1928) p. 123. Variant: 'on hand' instead of 'at the right place', 1928
Artifacts (15)
Miss Jett is good too, snapping her way angrily through confrontational scenes a...
ar Gena Rowlands, calling it "the most surprisingly good performance." Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote: "Miss Jett is good too, snapping her way angrily through confrontational scenes and...
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