Profession: Turkic Conqueror
Biography: Timur founded the Timurid Empire in Central Asia. He is known for his military brilliance and the vast empire he built in the 14th century.
Born in 1336 near Kesh, now Shahrisabz in Uzbekistan, Timur overcame physical disabilities—hence his nickname, "Timur the Lame"—to become an extremely powerful leader. He gained control of the Chagatai Khanate by 1370, a feat which marks the beginning of his true rise to power.
Timur embarked on numerous military campaigns, conquering territories from India to Turkey. He defeated notable rulers, including the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I and the Delhi Sultan. His tactics were often brutal, and he was particularly infamous for building pyramids of skulls from his enemies.
Despite his reputation for violence, Timur was a patron of arts and learning. He initiated the Timurid Renaissance, a period of cultural flourishing in Central Asia, as well as interacting with scholars and poets, including Ibn Khaldun and Hafez.
Timur was known to be multilingual, speaking at least Chagatai, Mongolic, and Persian. He used Persian as the language of his court, contributing to its spread in the region.
Timur died during a campaign towards China in 1405. While his empire was short-lived, fragmenting soon after his death, it had a significant influence on later Muslim empires. Timur's legacy remains complex, with some admiring his military achievements while others condemn his brutality.
In 1941, Soviet scientists exhumed his body. This led to stories of an alleged curse when three days later Germany invaded the Soviet Union. He was later reburied with the proper Islamic rituals in late 1942, with the Soviet Union then winning the Battle of Stalingrad shortly afterwards.
Born: April 9, 1336
Birthplace: Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan
Star Sign: Aries
Died: February 19, 1405 (aged 68)
Historical Events
- 1398-12-17 Tamerlane captures and sacks Delhi, defeating Sultan Nasir-u Din Mehmud's armies by setting camels loaded with hay alight and charging them at the Sultan's armored elephants
- 1401-07-09 Turko-Mongol ruler Tamerlane (Timur) destroys Baghdad, killing 20,000
- 1402-07-20 Battle of Ankara: Army of Timur (Tamerlane) with its armor-plated elephants defeats forces of Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I, capturing Bayezid in the process leading to an Ottoman power vacuum
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