| “ | Never assuredly were there deeds of cruelty so awful and so multiplied, perpetrated either by Alexander-the-Great, or any other conqueror except Tamerlane | „ |
| ~ John Joseph Saunders |
Timur (also known by his nickname Tamerlane and the Sword of Islam, among other names) was a 14th Century Turko-Mongol military leader who conquered most of the Muslim world, central Asia, and parts of India under his Timurid Empire. His Timurid Empire rivaled the size and power of the Mongolian domain forged by Genghis Khan a century earlier. Tamerlane’s ambition was to rebuild the empire of Genghis Khan whom he idolized.
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.
Achievements
Tamerlane's military conquests managed to conquer land that comprises the modern day countries of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, large parts of Turkey and Syria, and the north-western portion of India (Delhi). Some Muslim scholars applaud him for uniting the Muslim world after converting much of his empire to the religion, including Genghis Khan’s descendents, the Borjigin clan.
Villainy
But for all his accomplishments, he was also responsible for many atrocities. It is estimated that his armies killed 17 million people, which was about 5% of the global population at the time.
Tamerlane also slaughtered the Pakistani and Indian people, justifying the brutality as a holy war against the Hindu religion. It is said Timur's cruelty increased with age as legend states that his invasion of Baghdad (Iraq) in 1399 required each of his soldiers to show him two severed heads from the largely Christian population. Tamerlane had a proclivity for arranging small pyramids made of human skulls of those he had decapitated for defying his rule including soldiers who didn't produce their quota of severed heads during his takeover of the Persian City of Isfahan. As revenge for attacking his troops, Tamerlane had the women and children to be taken to a plain outside the city and slaughtered, with children under seven years of age to being placed apart and trampled by horses ridden by his soldiers.
His cruelty also extended to animals in times of war as Tamerlane once had hay placed on the backs of camels, set the hay on fire, and prodded them until they painfully charged at the war elephants sent against by the Sultan of Delhi . The elephants turned and stampeded their own troops, granting Timur an easy victory. After which, Tamerlane had the population of Delhi massacred.
Despite being a self-proclaimed Muslim, some of his worst atrocities were carried out against his fellow Muslims, particularly during his campaign in Syria. After taking over Damascus, Timur let his troops loose on it people, leaving many children to starve when their mothers were carried off into slavery and after being raped. Tamerlane marched the cream of the city’s artisans, craftsmen, and skilled workers to build up his weaponry.
Death and Legacy
Right up until his death, Timur continued to expand his empire. After the leader of the new Chinese Ming Dynasty had insulted Timur, Timur flew into a rage and prematurely attacked the Chinese during the harsh winter of 1404. However, after 3 months of successful battles, the campaign ended when Timur succumbed to fever and died. Timur was succeeded by his youngest son, Shah Rukh.