Who was defeated by Timur. Great Emir Tamerlane Timur lame

Life story
Life highlights
Commander, emir since 1370. Creator of the state with its capital in Samarkand. Defeated the Golden Horde. He made campaigns of conquest in Iran, Transcaucasia, India, Asia, etc., which were accompanied by the destruction of many cities, destruction and captivity of the population.
The founder of the Timurid dynasty, which ruled in Wed. Asia in 1370-1507.
Timur was born in the city of Kesh (in the Bukhara Khanate) or its environs; came from the Turkified Mongol tribe Barulas. During Timur's childhood, the Jagatai state in Central Asia collapsed. In Maverannehr, since 1346, power belonged to the Turkic emirs, and the khans enthroned by the emperor ruled only nominally. In 1348, the Mongol emirs enthroned Tukluk-Timur, who began to rule in Eastern Turkestan, the Kulja region and Semirechye. The first head of the Turkic emirs was Kazagan (1346 - 58).
Timur was originally the head of a gang of robbers that formed in troubled times. With her, he entered the service of the ruler of Kesha Haji, the head of the Barulas tribe. In 1360, Transoxiana was conquered by Tukluk-Timur; Haji fled to Khorasan, where he was killed; Timur was confirmed as the ruler of Kesh and one of the assistants of the Mongol prince Ilyas Khoja (son of the khan), appointed ruler of Transoxiana. Timur soon separated from the Mongols and went over to the side of their enemy Hussein (grandson of Kazagan); For some time they, with a small detachment, led the life of adventurers; During one skirmish in Seistan, Timur lost two fingers on his right hand and was seriously wounded in his right leg, which caused him to become lame (the nickname “lame Timur” is Aksak-Timur in Turkic, Timur-long in Persian, hence Tamerlane).
In 1364 the Mongols were forced to cleanse the country; Huseyn became the ruler of Transoxiana; Timur returned to Kesh. In 1366, Timur rebelled against Hussein, in 1368 he made peace with him and again received Kesh; in 1369, he again rebelled. In March 1370, Huseyn was captured and killed in the presence of Timur, although without his direct order. On April 10, 1370, Timur took the oath of all the military leaders of Transoxiana. Like his predecessors, he did not accept the title of khan and was content with the title of “great emir”; The khans under him were considered to be the descendant of Genghis Khan Suyurgatmysh (1370 - 88) and his son Mahmud (1388 - 1402).
Timur chose Samarkand as his residence and decorated it with magnificent construction projects. Timur devoted the first years of his autocracy to establishing order in the country and security on its borders (the fight against rebel emirs, campaigns against Semirechye and East Turkestan). In 1379, Khorezm (now the Khanate of Khiva) was conquered; from 1380, campaigns against Persia began, apparently caused only by aggressive aspirations (Timur’s saying: “the entire space of the populated part of the world is not worth having two kings”); Subsequently, Timur also acted as a representative of the idea of ​​​​state order, necessary for the benefit of the population and impossible with the existence of a number of small rulers hostile to each other. In 1381 Herat was taken; in 1382, Timur's son, Miranshah, was appointed ruler of Khorasan; in 1383 Timur devastated Seistan.
Timur made three large campaigns in the western part of Persia and the adjacent regions - the so-called “three-year” (from 1386), “five-year” (from 1392) and “seven-year” (from 1399). For the first time, Timur had to return back as a result of the invasion of Transoxiana by the Golden Horde Khan Tokhtamysh in alliance with the Semirechensk Mongols (1387). Timur in 1388 drove out the enemies and punished the Khorezmians for their alliance with Tokhtamysh, in 1389 he made a devastating campaign deep into the Mongolian possessions as far as the Irtysh to the north and to the Greater Yulduz to the east, in 1391 - a campaign against the Golden Horde possessions to the Volga. These campaigns achieved their goal, since after them we no longer see the invasions of the steppe people on Maverannehr. During the “five-year” campaign, Timur conquered the Caspian regions in 1392, and western Persia and Baghdad in 1393; Timur's son, Omar Sheikh, was appointed ruler of Fars, Miran Shah - ruler of Aderbeijan and Transcaucasia.
Tokhtamysh's invasion of Transcaucasia caused Timur's campaign against southern Russia (1395); Timur defeated Tokhtamysh on the Terek, pursued him to the Russian borders (where he destroyed Yelets), plundered the trading cities of Azov and Kafa, burned Sarai and Astrakhan; but a lasting conquest of the country was not in mind, and the Caucasus ridge remained the northern border of Timur’s possessions. In 1396 he returned to Samarkand and in 1397 appointed his youngest son Shahrukh as ruler of Khorasan, Seistan and Mazanderan.
In 1398, a campaign was launched against India; in December, Timur defeated the army of the Indian Sultan (Toglukid dynasty) under the walls of Delhi and occupied the city without resistance, which a few days later was plundered by the army, and Timur pretended that this happened without his consent. In 1399, Timur reached the banks of the Ganges, on the way back he took several more cities and fortresses and returned to Samarkand with huge booty, but without expanding his possessions.
The “seven-year” campaign was initially caused by the madness of Miranshah and the unrest in the region entrusted to him. Timur deposed his son and defeated the enemies who invaded his domain. In 1400, a war began with the Ottoman Sultan Bayazet, who captured the city of Arzinjan, where Timur's vassal ruled, and with the Egyptian Sultan Faraj, whose predecessor, Barkuk, ordered the death of Timur's ambassador back in 1393. In 1400, Timur took Sivas in Asia Minor and Aleppo (Aleppo) in Syria (which belonged to the Egyptian Sultan), and in 1401 Damascus. Bayazet was defeated and captured in the famous Battle of Angora (1402). Timur plundered all the cities of Asia Minor, even Smyrna (which belonged to the Johannite knights). The western part of Asia Minor was returned to the sons of Bayazet in 1403, and in the eastern part the small dynasties overthrown by Bayazet were restored; in Baghdad (where Timur restored his power in 1401, and up to 90,000 inhabitants died), the son of Miranshah, Abu Bakr, was appointed ruler, in Aderbeijan (from 1404) - his other son, Omar.
In 1404, Timur returned to Samarkand and then launched a campaign against China, for which he began preparing back in 1398; that year he built a fortress (on the border of the current Syr-Darya region and Semirechye); Now another fortification was built, 10 days' journey further to the east, probably near Issyk-Kul. Timur gathered an army and in January 1405 arrived in the city of Otrar (its ruins are not far from the confluence of the Arys and the Syr Darya), where he fell ill and died (according to historians - on February 18, according to Timur's tombstone - on the 15th).
Timur's career is in many ways reminiscent of the career of Genghis Khan: both conquerors began their activities as leaders of detachments of followers they personally recruited, who then remained the main support of their power. Like Genghis Khan, Timur personally entered into all the details of the organization of military forces, had detailed information about the forces of his enemies and the state of their lands, enjoyed unconditional authority among his army and could fully rely on his associates. Less successful was the choice of persons placed at the head of the civil administration (numerous cases of punishment for extortion of high dignitaries in Samarkand, Herat, Shiraz, Tabriz). The difference between Genghis Khan and Timur is determined by the latter's greater education. Timur did not receive a school education and was illiterate, but in addition to his native (Turkic) language, he spoke Persian and loved to talk with scientists, especially listen to the reading of historical works; with his knowledge of history he amazed the greatest of Muslim historians, Ibn Khaldun; Timur used stories about the valor of historical and legendary heroes to inspire his soldiers. Timur's buildings, in the creation of which he took an active part, reveal a rare artistic taste in him. Timur cared primarily about the prosperity of his native Maverannehr and about enhancing the splendor of his capital - Samarkand, where representatives of all branches of art and science were gathered from different countries; only in recent years did he take measures to improve the well-being of other regions of the state, mainly border ones (in 1398 a new irrigation canal was built in Afghanistan, in 1401 in Transcaucasia, etc.).
In Timur's attitude to religion, only political calculations are visible. Timur showed outward honor to theologians and hermits, did not interfere in the management of the property of the clergy, did not allow the spread of heresies (the prohibition of engaging in philosophy and logic), and took care of his subjects’ compliance with the rules of religion (closing entertainment establishments in large trading cities, despite the large income they generated treasury), but he personally did not deny himself the pleasures forbidden by religion, and only during his dying illness did he order the utensils of his feasts to be broken. To justify his cruelty on religious grounds, Timur in Shiite Khorasan and the Caspian regions acted as a champion of orthodoxy and a destroyer of heretics, and in Syria as an avenger for insults inflicted on the family of the prophet. The structure of military and civil administration was determined almost exclusively by the laws of Genghis Khan; Subsequently, theological authorities refused to recognize Timur as a devout Muslim, since he placed the laws of Genghis Khan above the dictates of religion. In Timur’s cruelties, in addition to cold calculation (like Genghis Khan), a painful, refined brutality is manifested, which, perhaps, should be explained by the physical suffering that he endured all his life (after the wound received in Seistan). The sons (except Shahrukh) and grandsons of Timur suffered from the same mental abnormality, as a result of which Timur, in contrast to Genghis Khan, did not find in his descendants either reliable assistants or continuers of his work. It turned out, therefore, to be even less durable than the result of the efforts of the Mongol conqueror.
The official history of Timur was written during his lifetime, first by Ali-ben Jemal-al-Islam (the only copy is in the Tashkent public library), then by Nizam-ad-din Shami (the only copy is in the British Museum). These works were supplanted by the famous work of Sheref ad-din Iezdi (under Shahrukh), translated into French) “Histoire de Timur-Bec.”, P., 1722). The work of another contemporary of Timur and Shahrukh, Hafizi-Abru, has reached us only in part; it was used by the author of the second half of the 15th century, Abd-ar-Rezzak of Samarkandi (the work was not published; there are many manuscripts). Of the authors (Persian, Arab, Georgian, Armenian, Ottoman and Byzantine) who wrote independently of Timur and the Timurids, only one, the Syrian Arab Ibn Arabshah, compiled a complete history of Timur ("Ahmedis Arabsiadae vitae et rerum gestarum Timuri, qui vulgo Tamerlanes dicitur , historia", 1767 - 1772).

Timur, the son of a bek from the Turkified Mongolian Barlas tribe, was born in Kesh (modern Shakhrisabz, Uzbekistan), southwest of Bukhara. His father had a small ulus. The name of the Central Asian conqueror comes from the nickname Timur Leng (Lame Timur), which was associated with his lameness in his left leg. Since childhood, he persistently engaged in military exercises and at the age of 12 began going on hikes with his father. He was a zealous Mohammedan, which played a significant role in his fight against the Uzbeks.

Timur early showed his military abilities and ability not only to command people, but also to subjugate them to his will. In 1361, he entered the service of Khan Togluk, a direct descendant of Genghis Khan. He owned large territories in Central Asia. Quite soon, Timur became an adviser to the khan’s son Ilyas Khoja and the ruler (viceroy) of the Kashkadarya vilayet in the domain of Khan Togluk. By that time, the son of the bek from the Barlas tribe already had his own detachment of mounted warriors.

But after some time, having fallen into disgrace, Timur with his military detachment of 60 people fled across the Amu Darya River to the Badakhshan Mountains. There his squad was replenished. Khan Togluk sent a detachment of a thousand in pursuit of Timur, but he, having fallen into a well-arranged ambush, was almost completely exterminated in battle by Timur’s soldiers.

Gathering his forces, Timur concluded a military alliance with the ruler of Balkh and Samarkand, Emir Hussein, and began a war with Khan Togluk and his son-heir Ilyas Khoja, whose army consisted mainly of Uzbek warriors. The Turkmen tribes sided with Timur, giving him numerous cavalry. Soon he declared war on his ally Samarkand Emir Hussein and defeated him.

Timur captured Samarkand, one of the largest cities in Central Asia, and intensified military operations against the son of Khan Togluk, whose army, according to exaggerated data, numbered about 100 thousand people, but 80 thousand of them formed garrisons of fortresses and almost did not participate in field battles. Timur's cavalry squad numbered only about 2 thousand people, but they were experienced warriors. In a series of battles, Timur defeated the Khan's troops, and by 1370 their remnants retreated across the Syr River.

After these successes, Timur resorted to military stratagem, which was a brilliant success. On behalf of the khan's son, who commanded Togluk's troops, he sent out an order to the commandants of the fortresses to leave the fortresses entrusted to them and to retreat beyond the Syr River with the garrison troops. So, with the help of military cunning, Timur cleared all the enemy fortresses of the khan’s troops.

In 1370, a kurultai was convened, at which the rich and noble Mongol owners elected a direct descendant of Genghis Khan, Kobul Shah Aglan, as khan. However, Timur soon removed him from his path. By that time, he had significantly replenished his military forces, primarily at the expense of the Mongols, and could now lay claim to independent khan power.

In the same 1370, Timur became emir in Transoxiana, a region between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, and ruled on behalf of the descendants of Genghis Khan, relying on the army, nomadic nobility and Muslim clergy. He made the city of Samarkand his capital.

Timur began preparing for large campaigns of conquest by organizing a strong army. At the same time, he was guided by the combat experience of the Mongols and the rules of the great conqueror Genghis Khan, which his descendants had completely forgotten by that time.

Timur began his struggle for power with a detachment of 313 soldiers loyal to him. They formed the backbone of the command staff of the army he created: 100 people began to command dozens of soldiers, 100 hundreds and the last 100 thousand. Timur's closest and most trusted associates received senior military positions.

He paid special attention to the selection of military leaders. In his army, the foremen were chosen by the dozen soldiers themselves, but Timur personally appointed the centurions, thousand and higher-ranking commanders. “A leader whose power is weaker than a whip and stick is unworthy of the title,” said the Central Asian conqueror.

His army, unlike the troops of Genghis Khan and Batu Khan, received a salary. An ordinary warrior received from two to four times the price of horses. The size of such a salary was determined by the service performance of the soldier. The foreman received the salary of his dozen and therefore was personally interested in the proper performance of service by his subordinates. The centurion received the salary of six foremen and so on.

There was also a system of awards for military distinctions. This could be the praise of the emir himself, an increase in salary, valuable gifts, rewarding with expensive weapons, new ranks and honorary titles such as, for example, Brave or Bogatyr. The most common punishment was the withholding of a tenth of the salary for a specific disciplinary offense.

Timur's cavalry, which formed the basis of his army, was divided into light and heavy. Simple light-horse warriors were required to be armed with a bow, 18-20 arrows, 10 arrowheads, an axe, a saw, an awl, a needle, a lasso, a tursuk (water bag) and a horse. For 19 such warriors on a campaign, one wagon was relied upon. Selected Mongol warriors served in the heavy cavalry. Each of her warriors had a helmet, iron protective armor, a sword, a bow and two horses. For five such horsemen there was one wagon. In addition to the mandatory weapons, there were pikes, maces, sabers and other weapons. The Mongols carried everything they needed for camping on spare horses.

Light infantry appeared in the Mongol army under Timur. These were horse archers (carrying 30 arrows) who dismounted before the battle. Thanks to this, shooting accuracy increased. Such mounted riflemen were very effective in ambushes, during military operations in the mountains and during the siege of fortresses.

Timur's army was distinguished by a well-thought-out organization and a strictly defined order of formation. Each warrior knew his place in the ten, ten in the hundred, hundred in the thousand. Individual units of the army differed in the color of their horses, the color of their clothes and banners, and their combat equipment. According to the laws of Genghis Khan, before the campaign, the soldiers were given a strict review.

During campaigns, Timur took care of reliable military guards in order to avoid a surprise attack by the enemy. On the way or at a stop, security detachments were separated from the main forces at a distance of up to five kilometers. From them, patrol posts were sent out even further, which, in turn, sent mounted sentries ahead.

Being an experienced commander, Timur chose flat terrain, with sources of water and vegetation, for the battles of his predominantly cavalry army. He lined up the troops for battle so that the sun did not shine in the eyes and thus did not blind the archers. He always had strong reserves and flanks to encircle the enemy drawn into battle.

Timur began the battle with light cavalry, which bombarded the enemy with a cloud of arrows. After this, horse attacks began, which followed one after another. When the opposing side began to weaken, a strong reserve consisting of heavy armored cavalry was brought into the battle. Timur said: “The ninth attack gives victory.” This was one of his main rules in the war.

Timur began his campaigns of conquest beyond the boundaries of his original possessions in 1371. By 1380, he had made 9 military campaigns, and soon all neighboring regions inhabited by Uzbeks and most of the territory of modern Afghanistan came under his rule. Any resistance to the Mongol army was cruelly punished; commander Timur left behind enormous destruction and erected pyramids from the heads of defeated enemy warriors.

In 1376, Emir Timur provided military assistance to the descendant of Genghis Khan, Tokhtamysh, as a result of which the latter became one of the khans of the Golden Horde. However, Tokhtamysh soon repaid his patron with black ingratitude.

The Emir's Palace in Samarkand was constantly replenished with treasures. It is believed that Timur brought to his capital up to 150 thousand of the best craftsmen from the conquered countries, who built numerous palaces for the emir, decorating them with paintings depicting the aggressive campaigns of the Mongol army.

In 1386, Emir Timur launched a campaign of conquest in the Caucasus. Near Tiflis, the Mongol army fought with the Georgian army and won a complete victory. The capital of Georgia was destroyed. The defenders of the Vardzia fortress, the entrance to which led through the dungeon, put up brave resistance to the conquerors. Georgian soldiers repulsed all enemy attempts to break into the fortress through an underground passage. The Mongols managed to take Vardzia with the help of wooden platforms, which they lowered on ropes from the neighboring mountains. At the same time as Georgia, neighboring Armenia was conquered.

In 1388, after long resistance, Khorezm fell and its capital Urgench was destroyed. Now all the lands along the Jeyhun (Amu Darya) river from the Pamir Mountains to the Aral Sea became the possessions of Emir Timur.

In 1389, the cavalry army of the Samarkand emir made a campaign in the steppes to Lake Balkhash, in the territory of Semirechye in the south of modern Kazakhstan.

5 565

680 years ago, on April 8, 1336, Tamerlane was born. One of the most powerful world rulers, famous conquerors, brilliant commanders and cunning politicians. Tamerlane-Timur created one of the largest empires in human history. His empire stretched from the Volga River and the Caucasus Mountains in the west to India in the southwest. The center of the empire was in Central Asia, in Samarkand. His name is shrouded in legends, mystical events and still inspires interest.

The “Iron Lame” (his right leg was affected in the area of ​​the kneecap) was an interesting person in whom cruelty was combined with great intelligence and a love of art, literature and history. Timur was a very brave and reserved man. He was a real warrior - strong and physically developed (a real athlete). His sober mind, ability to make the right decisions in difficult situations, foresight and talent as an organizer allowed him to become one of the greatest rulers of the Middle Ages.

Timur's full name was Timur ibn Taragai Barlas - Timur son of Taragai from Barlas. In Mongolian tradition, Temir means “iron”. In medieval Russian chronicles he was called Temir Aksak (Temir - “iron”, Aksak - “lame”), that is, the Iron Lame. In various Persian sources, the Iranianized nickname Timur-e Liang is often found - “Timur the Lame”. It passed into Western languages ​​as Tamerlane.

Tamerlane was born on April 8 (according to other sources - April 9 or March 11), 1336 in the city of Kesh (later called Shakhrisabz - “Green City”). This entire region was called Maverannahr (translated as “that which is beyond the river”) and was located between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. It has been part of the Mongol (Mughal) empire for a century. The word "Mongols", in the original version "Moguls" comes from the root word "mog, mozh" - "husband, mighty, mighty, mighty." From this root comes the word “Mughals” - “great, powerful.” The family of Timur was also a representative of the Turkified Mughal Mongols.

It is worth noting that the Mughal Mongols of that time were not Mongoloids, like the modern inhabitants of Mongolia. Tamerlane himself belonged to the so-called South Siberian (Turanian) race, that is, a mixture of Caucasians and Mongoloids. The mixing process then took place in southern Siberia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia and Mongolia. The Caucasoids (Aryan-Indo-Europeans), who inhabited these areas for many millennia and gave passionate impetus to the development of India, China and other regions, mixed with the Mongoloids. They completely dissolve in the Mongoloid and Turkic ethnomass (Mongoloid genes are dominant), passing on to them some of their characteristics (including belligerence). However, in the 14th century the process was not yet completed. Therefore, Timur had blond (red) hair, a thick red beard, and anthropologically belonged to the South Siberian race.

Timur's father, the petty feudal lord Taragai (Turgai), came from the Barlas tribe, which at one time was among the first united by Temujin-Genghis Khan. However, he did not belong to the direct descendants of Temujin, so Tamerlane could not subsequently lay claim to the khan’s throne. The founder of the Barlas clan was considered to be the large feudal lord Karachar, who at one time was an assistant to Genghis Khan’s son Chagatai. According to other sources, Tamerlane’s ancestor was Irdamcha-Barlas, allegedly the nephew of Khabul Khan, the great-grandfather of Genghis Khan.

Little is known about the childhood of the future great conqueror. Timur spent his childhood and youth in the Kesh mountains. In his youth, he loved hunting and equestrian competitions, javelin throwing and archery, and had a penchant for war games. There is a legend about how one day ten-year-old Timur drove sheep home, and with them he managed to drive a hare, not allowing him to stray from the herd. At night, Taragai, who was afraid of his too quick son, cut the tendons on his right leg. Allegedly, it was then that Timur became lame. However, this is only a legend. In fact, Timur was wounded in one of the skirmishes during his turbulent youth. In the same fight, he lost two fingers on his hand, and all his life Tamerlan suffered from severe pain in his crippled leg. Perhaps outbursts of rage could be associated with this. Thus, it is known for sure that the boy and youth were distinguished by great dexterity and physical strength, and from the age of 12 he took part in military skirmishes.

Beginning of political activity

The Mongol Empire was no longer a single state; it disintegrated into uluses, and there were constant internecine wars, which did not spare Maverannahr, which was part of the Chagatai ulus. In 1224, Genghis Khan divided his state into four uluses, according to the number of sons. The second son Chagatai inherited Central Asia and nearby territories. The ulus of Chagatai covered primarily the former power of the Karakitai and the land of the Naiman, Maverannahr with the south of Khorezm, most of Semirechye and Eastern Turkestan. Here, since 1346, power actually belonged not to the Mongol khans, but to the Turkic emirs. The first head of the Turkic emirs, i.e., the ruler of the area between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, was Kazgan (1346–1358). After his death, serious unrest began in Transoxiana. The region was invaded by the Mongolian (Mogul) Khan Toglug-Timur, who captured the region in 1360. Soon after the invasion, his son Ilyas-Khoja was appointed governor of Mesopotamia. Some of the Central Asian nobles took refuge in Afghanistan, while others voluntarily submitted to Toglug.

Among the latter was the leader of one of the detachments, Timur. He began his activities as the chieftain of a small detachment (gang, gang), with whom he supported one side or the other in civil strife, committed robbery, and attacked small villages. The detachment gradually grew to about 300 horsemen, with whom he entered the service of the ruler of Kesh, the head of the Barlas tribe, Haji. Personal courage, generosity, ability to understand people and choose assistants, and pronounced leadership qualities brought Timur wide popularity, especially among warriors. Later, he received support from Muslim merchants, who began to see in the former bandit a protector from other gangs and a true Muslim (Timur was religious).

Timur was confirmed as the commander of the Kashkadarya tumen, the ruler of the Kesh region and one of the assistants of the Mogul prince. However, he soon quarreled with the prince, fled beyond the Amu Darya to the Badakhshan mountains and joined with his forces the ruler of Balkh and Samarkand, Emir Hussein, the grandson of Kazgan. He strengthened his alliance by marrying the emir's daughter. Timur and his warriors began to raid the lands of Khoja. In one of the battles, Timur was crippled, becoming the “Iron Lame” (Aksak-Timur or Timur-leng). The fight with Ilyas-Khoja ended in 1364 with the defeat of the latter’s troops. The uprising of the inhabitants of Maverannahr, who were dissatisfied with the brutal eradication of Islam by pagan warriors, helped. The Mughals were forced to retreat.

In 1365, the army of Ilyas-Khoja defeated the troops of Timur and Hussein. However, the people revolted again and drove out the Mughals. The uprising was led by the Serbedars (Persian: “gallows”, “desperate”), supporters of the dervishes who preached equality. People's rule was established in Samarkand, the property of the rich sections of the population was confiscated. Then the rich turned to Hussein and Timur for help. In the spring of 1366, Timur and Hussein suppressed the uprising by executing the Serbedar leaders.

"Great Emir"

Then there was discord in the relationship between the two leaders. Hussein had plans to take the position of supreme emir of the Chagatai ulus, like his grandfather Kazagan, who forcibly seized this position during the time of Kazan Khan. Timur stood on the path to sole power. In turn, the local clergy took Timur’s side.

In 1366, Tamerlane rebelled against Hussein, in 1368 he made peace with him and again received Kesh. But in 1369 the struggle continued, and thanks to successful military operations, Timur strengthened himself in Samarkand. In March 1370, Hussein was captured in Balkh and killed in the presence of Timur, although without his direct orders. Hussein was ordered to be killed by one of the commanders (due to blood feud).

On April 10, Timur took the oath of all the military leaders of Transoxiana. Tamerlane declared that he was going to revive the power of the Mongol Empire, declared himself a descendant of the mythical ancestor of the Mongols, Alan-Koa, although, being a non-Chinggisid, he was content with the title of only “great emir.” With him was “Zits Khan” - the real Genghisid Suyurgatmysh (1370-1388), and then the latter’s son Mahmud (1388-1402). Both khans played no political role.

The capital of the new ruler was the city of Samarkand; for political reasons, Timur moved the center of his state here, although initially he was inclined to the Shakhrisabz option. According to legend, when choosing a city that was to become the new capital, the great emir ordered the slaughter of three sheep: one in Samarkand, another in Bukhara and a third in Tashkent. Three days later, the meat in Tashkent and Bukhara went rotten. Samarkand became “the home of saints, the homeland of the purest Sufis and a gathering of scientists.” The city has truly turned into the largest cultural center of a huge region, the “Shining Star of the East”, the “Pearl of Great Price”. The best architects, builders, scientists, writers from all the countries and regions conquered by the emir were brought here, as well as to Shakhrisabz. On the portal of the beautiful Ak-Saray palace in Shakhrisabz there was an inscription: “If you doubt my power, look what I built!” Ak-Saray was built for 24 years, almost until the death of the conqueror. The arch of the entrance portal of Ak-Saray was the largest in Central Asia.

In fact, architecture was the passion of the great statesman and commander. Among the outstanding works of art that were supposed to emphasize the power of the empire, the Bibi Khanum Mosque (aka Bibi Khanum; built in honor of Tamerlane’s wife) has survived to this day and amazes the imagination. The mosque was erected by order of Tamerlane after his victorious campaign in India. It was the largest mosque in Central Asia; 10 thousand people could pray simultaneously in the courtyard of the mosque. Also worth noting is the Gur-Emir mausoleum - the family tomb of Timur and the heirs of the empire; the architectural ensemble of Shakhi-Zinda - an ensemble of mausoleums of the Samarkand nobility (all this in Samarkand); The Dorus-Siadat mausoleum in Shakhrisabz is a memorial complex, first for Prince Jahongir (Timur loved him very much and prepared him to be the heir to the throne), later it began to act as a family crypt for part of the Timurid dynasty.

Bibi-Khanim Mosque

Mausoleum Gur-Emir

The great commander did not receive a school education, but had a good memory and knew several languages. A contemporary and captive of Tamerlane, Ibn Arabshah, who knew Tamerlane personally since 1401, reports: “As for Persian, Turkic and Mongolian, he knew them better than anyone else.” Timur loved to talk with scientists, especially listen to the reading of historical works; at court there was even a position of “reader of books”; stories about valiant heroes. The great emir showed honor to Muslim theologians and dervish hermits, did not interfere in the management of the property of the clergy, and mercilessly fought against numerous heresies - among them he included philosophy and logic, which he forbade to practice. The Christians of the captured cities should have rejoiced if they remained alive.

During the reign of Timur, a special cult of the Sufi teacher Ahmed Yasawi was introduced in the territories subordinate to him (primarily Transoxiana). The commander claimed that he introduced special worship to this outstanding Sufi, who lived in the 12th century, after a vision at his grave in Tashkent, in which the Teacher appeared to Timur. Yasawi allegedly appeared to him and ordered him to memorize a poem from his collection, adding: “In difficult times, remember this poem:

You, who are free to turn the dark night into day at will.
You, who can turn the whole earth into a fragrant flower garden.
Help me in the difficult task that lies ahead of me and make it easy.
You who make everything difficult easy.”

Many years later, when Tamerlane's cavalry charged during a fierce battle with the army of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid, he repeated these lines seventy times, and the decisive battle was won.

Timur took care of his subjects' observance of religious regulations. In particular, this led to the appearance of a decree on the closure of entertainment venues in large trading cities, although they brought large income to the treasury. True, the great emir himself did not deny himself pleasures and only before his death he ordered the destruction of the feast supplies. Timur found religious reasons for his campaigns. So, it was urgently necessary to teach the heretics a lesson in Shiite Khorasan, then to take revenge on the Syrians for the insults inflicted on the family of the prophet at one time, or to punish the population of the Caucasus for drinking wine there. In the occupied lands, vineyards and fruit trees were destroyed. Interestingly, subsequently (after the death of the great warrior) the mullahs refused to recognize him as a devout Muslim, since he “honored the laws of Genghis Khan above religious ones.”

Tamerlane devoted the entire 1370s to the fight against the khans of Dzhent and Khorezm, who did not recognize the power of Suyurgatmysh Khan and the great emir Timur. It was restless on the southern and northern borders of the border, where Mogolistan and the White Horde were causing concern. Mogulistan (Ulus of the Mughals) is a state formed in the middle of the 14th century on the territory of South-Eastern Kazakhstan (south of Lake Balkhash) and Kyrgyzstan (the coast of Lake Issyk-Kul) as a result of the collapse of the Chagatai ulus. After Urus Khan captured Sygnak and moved the capital of the White Horde to it, the lands subject to Timur found themselves in even greater danger.

Soon the power of Emir Timur was recognized by Balkh and Tashkent, but the Khorezm rulers continued to resist the Chagatai ulus, relying on the support of the rulers of the Golden Horde. In 1371, the ruler of Khorezm attempted to capture southern Khorezm, which was part of the Chagatai ulus. Timur made five campaigns against Khorezm. The capital of Khorezm, rich and glorious Urgench, fell in 1379. Timur waged a stubborn struggle with the rulers of Mogolistan. From 1371 to 1390, Emir Timur made seven campaigns against Mogolistan. In 1390, the Moghulist ruler Kamar ad-din was finally defeated, and Mogholistan ceased to threaten Timur's power.

Further conquests

Having established himself in Transoxiana, the Iron Lame began large-scale conquests in other parts of Asia. Timur's conquest of Persia in 1381 began with the capture of Herat. The unstable political and economic situation in Persia at that time favored the invader. The revival of the country, which began during the reign of the Ilkhans, slowed down again with the death of the last representative of the Abu Said family (1335). In the absence of an heir, rival dynasties took turns taking the throne. The situation was aggravated by the clash between the Mongol Jalayrid dynasties that ruled in Baghdad and Tabriz; the Perso-Arab family of the Muzafarids, who were in power in Fars and Isfahan; Kharid-Kurtami in Herat. In addition, local religious and tribal alliances, such as the Serbedars (rebels against Mongol oppression) in Khorasan and the Afghans in Kerman, and petty princes in the border areas took part in the internecine war. All these warring dynasties and principalities could not jointly and effectively resist Timur’s army.

Khorasan and all of Eastern Persia fell under his onslaught in 1381–1385. The conqueror made three large campaigns in the western part of Persia and the adjacent regions - a three-year campaign (from 1386), a five-year campaign (from 1392) and a seven-year campaign (from 1399). Fars, Iraq, Azerbaijan and Armenia were conquered in 1386–1387 and 1393–1394; Mesopotamia and Georgia came under Tamerlane's rule in 1394, although Tiflis (Tbilisi) submitted as early as 1386. Sometimes local feudal lords took vassal oaths; often close military leaders or relatives of the conqueror became the head of the conquered regions. So, in the 80s, Timur’s son Miranshah was appointed ruler of Khorasan (later Transcaucasia was transferred to him, and then the west of his father’s empire), Fars was ruled for a long time by another son, Omar, and finally, in 1397, Timur was the ruler of Khorasan, Seistan and Mazanderan appointed his youngest son, Shahrukh.

It is unknown what prompted Timur to conquer. Many researchers are inclined to the psychological factor. They say that the emir was driven by irrepressible ambition, as well as mental problems, including those caused by a wound in his leg. Timur suffered from severe pain and it caused outbursts of rage. Timur himself said: “The entire space of the populated part of the world is not worth having two kings.” In fact, this is a call for globalization, which is also relevant in the modern world. Alexander the Great and the rulers of the Roman Empire, Genghis Khan, also acted.

It is worth noting such an objective factor as the need to feed and maintain a large army (its maximum number reached 200 thousand soldiers). In peacetime it was impossible to maintain a large army, tens of thousands of professional warriors. The war fed itself. The troops ravaged more and more regions and were satisfied with their ruler. A successful war made it possible to channel the energy of the nobility and warriors and keep them in obedience. As Lev Gumilyov wrote: “Having started the war, Timur had to continue it - the war fed the army. Having stopped, Timur would have been left without an army, and then without a head.” The war allowed Timur to gain great wealth, export the best craftsmen from various countries and equip the heart of his empire. The emir brought not only material loot to the country, but also brought with him prominent scientists, artisans, artists, and architects. Timur cared primarily about the prosperity of his native Maverannahr and about enhancing the splendor of his capital, Samarkand.

Tamerlane, unlike many other conquerors, did not always strive to create a strong administrative system in the conquered lands. Timur's empire rested solely on military might. He chose, apparently, much worse civil officials than military leaders. This can be evidenced by at least the numerous cases of punishment for extortion of high dignitaries in Samarkand, Herat, Shiraz, and Tabriz. As well as uprisings of the local population caused by the arbitrariness of the administration. In general, the inhabitants of the new conquered regions of Tamerlane were of extremely little interest. His armies smashed, destroyed, robbed, killed, leaving a bloody trail of tens of thousands of dead people. He sold the population of entire cities into slavery. And then he returned to Samarkand, where he brought treasures from all over the world, the best masters and played chess.

In 1336 in the village. Khoja-Ilgar, near Keshe (the territory of present-day Uzbekistan), a son, Timur ibn Taragai Barlas (history is known as Timur Tamerlane), was born into the family of a bek from the Barlas tribe. In Mongolian, the name Timur means "iron".

Timur Tamerlane is an emir who is associated with the last conquests of the Mongols in Asia. He led the Mongols and was only an emir, since not being a descendant of the house of Genghisids, he could not be a khan and bear this title. Although in 1370 he intermarried with this house and became their relative, taking the name Timur Gurgan.

For the first time, historical sources remember him starting in 1361 - this is the year of the beginning of his political career. This year he began to serve under Khan Togluku - a direct descendant of Genghis Khan.

He quickly increased his influence: first he was appointed to the post of adviser to the son of Khan Ilyas - Khoja - the ruler of Maverannehr, then he received the post of governor of the Kashkadarya vilayet (the khan's possession). He always had his own cavalry detachment of 60 people with him.

After a couple of years, Timur became disliked by the khan and therefore was forced to flee. Having concluded a military alliance with Emir Hussein, he began to fight against the Mongols.

As a result of these wars, in 1370 he captured Transoxiana and became an emirate, taking the oath. The capital became Samarkand, an important center in Asia at that time.

Beginning in 1371, Tamerlane's army began to conquer new territories - until 1380, many of the neighboring territories and most of the territory of Afghanistan were captured. Over the next 10 years, Tamerlane conquered Georgia, Armenia, Khorezm, and in 1388 Tamerlane came into possession of the lands from the Pamirs to the Aral Sea.

Since 1389, the emir was at war with the Golden Horde. His main opponent was Tokhtamysh (descendant of Genghis Khan), whom he helped become khan of the Golden Horde in 1376.

In 1391, after the defeat of Tokhtamysh’s troops, Tamerlane ravaged the capital of the Horde, Sarai-Berke.

In 1394 Tamerlane conquered Persia, in 1398 he plundered Delhi, the capital of India, in 1401 he captured Damascus and conquered Syria, and in 1402 he plundered Ankara, the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

All his campaigns are divided into three large ones:

• three-year (campaign in Persia);
• five-year (war with the Golden Horde);
• seven years (campaign in Iran and war with the Ottoman Empire).

Tamerlane died in 1405 during a campaign in China. After him, his grandson Khalil Sultan seized control.

Tamerlane had 18 wives and four sons.

Timur did not even have a school education, but he knew the Persian language and loved history (they say that with his knowledge in this area he amazed Ibn Khaldun, the most famous Muslim historian).

Islam-today

Childhood and adolescence

The singer’s father is a professional athlete, master of sports in judo and sambo, master of sports in boxing, and played on goal for the Rostov hockey team. It is not surprising that from an early age he instilled in his four children (Yuri has a sister and two younger brothers) a love of sports and physical activity. Yura practiced judo professionally for twelve years, became a master of sports, and won prizes in prestigious international competitions.

The young man showed great promise, and if not for a serious injury that put an end to his sports career, he could have become an outstanding judoka. However, fate had its own way, and Yuri, forced to be bored without training, unexpectedly became interested in rap and RnB music. He began to compose lyrics and overlay them with primitive beats, reading into a karaoke microphone.

Music career

Ruslan helped in the recording of the debut album and offered to star in the video “Silicon Brains” by the then popular group “XS”.

Tamerlane - My name

The song became a hit of the season, and inspired by the success of the young rapper, Minzhinsky decided to create the duet Tamerlan & ROIEL. However, the second performer moved to America and it became difficult to work with him. Therefore, Tamerlane was asked to choose his own partner. The young man chose the young singer Alena Omargalieva, whose work he was a little familiar with. He found a girl on social networks and offered to collaborate.

Alena immediately recognized the charismatic guy from the popular video and accepted his proposal. The guys flew to America, where they filmed their first joint video for the song “I Want with You.” The debut turned out to be successful, and soon the duo took their rightful place in Ukrainian show business.

Tamerlan and Alena Omargalieva - I want to be with you

A great contribution to the promotion of the project was made by Alena’s father, a major Cherkassy official Konstantin Omargaliev, who invested a considerable amount of money. However, according to Konstantin himself, this was the end of his participation in the fate of the duo - in the future the guys achieved success themselves.

Personal life of Tamerlane

On December 31, 2012, Tamerlan proposed to Alena, and in the summer of 2013, the artists played a luxurious wedding in a country residence near Kiev, and in January of the following year, their baby Timur was born. The couple decided to try the so-called “pair birth”: Tamerlan was present during this difficult ordeal and supported Alena to the best of his ability.

Tamerlan now