Editing Tamerlane (section)

==Early Life==
Timur was born in 1336 near the city of Kesh in Transoxiania. He spent his teenage years leading a band of petty thieves, stealing livestock from farmers, and property from travelers and merchants. During his mid-twenties, he was crippled by injuries to his right leg and right hand causing a debilitating hip injury and two fingers missing from his right hand. Tamerlane fought under the rule of various Khans and Sultans, gaining success in military leadership. When his leader, Kurgan, died, the subsequent struggle for power was eventually halted by the invasion of Tughlugh Khan from the Mongol Chagatai Khanate, while Timur was chosen as the new leader by the Mongols after the previous one fled. Timur managed to take over the region after Tughlugh Khan had died leaving control of the region to his son, Amir Husayn.

Tamerlane initially gained himself many allies by showing kindness and charity to nobles, merchants, and the clergy to eventually challenge and capture Amir Husayn who treated his subjects poorly, giving himself complete control in northern Iran and Afghanistan. Tamerlane eventually dominated over the Chagatai chieftains to the north-east, and eventually claimed the Mongol territory by marrying, Saray Mulk Khanum, a Chagatai princess and descendant of Genghis Khan. He also used a puppet ruler to control the Chagatai Khanate and attributed his military successes to the will of Allah as a Muslim to obtain more prestige after he was unable to become the Mongol emperor because he was not a descendant of Genghis Khan or claim legitimacy in the Muslim world because he wasn’t a descendant of the prophet Muhammad.