author
Timur
1336–1405
A conqueror of enormous ambition, he built an empire that stretched across much of Central Asia, Iran, Mesopotamia, and beyond. Remembered both for dazzling military success and extreme brutality, he also helped make Samarkand a major center of art and learning.
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About the author
Born in 1336 near Kesh, close to Samarkand in present-day Uzbekistan, he rose from the turbulent politics of Central Asia to become the founder of the Timurid Empire. Often known in the West as Tamerlane, he united regional forces under his leadership and by 1370 had established himself as the dominant ruler in Transoxania.
His campaigns carried him across a vast area, from Persia and the Caucasus to parts of Russia, India, and the eastern Mediterranean. Histories of his rule stress both sides of his legacy: he was a brilliant and relentless military strategist, but also a conqueror whose victories were marked by devastating violence.
Even so, his dynasty became closely tied to the cultural life of Samarkand. The city flourished as a political and artistic center, and later Timurid rulers would be associated with major achievements in architecture, scholarship, and the arts. He died in 1405 while preparing for another campaign.