When and where was Timur born?
Timur was born in the 1320s near Kesh, a city that now stands as Shahrisabz in Uzbekistan. His name meant Iron in Chagatai, his mother tongue.
Questions about Timur
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did Timur become sovereign of the Chagatai tribe?
Timur became sovereign at Balkh around 1370 after his rival Amir Husayn surrendered and was assassinated. He married Husayn's wife Saray Mulk Khanum, a descendant of Genghis Khan, which enabled him to rule the Chagatai tribe.
What were the major military campaigns conducted by Timur between 1382 and 1405?
Timur invaded Muscovy in 1382, destroyed the Golden Horde capital Sarai in 1395, sacked Delhi in late 1398, and fought the Battle of Ankara in 1402. His campaigns reached the Caspian Sea, Ural River, Volga River, Persia, Baghdad, Karbala, Northern Iraq, Georgia, Armenia, Syria, Egypt, India, and Anatolia.
Why did Timur employ systematic terror during his wars across Asia?
Timur employed systematic terror as an integral element of his strategy to prevent bloodshed by discouraging resistance. When cities like Herat and Isfahan refused to surrender or revolted against taxes, he ordered massacres that resulted in death tolls ranging from one hundred thousand to two hundred thousand people.
How many diplomatic exchanges did Timur maintain with European states?
Timur maintained numerous diplomatic exchanges with European states especially Spain and France. He sent letters to Charles VI of France on the 30th of July 1402 and received embassies led by Ruy González de Clavijo between 1403 and 1406.
When and how did Timur die and who succeeded him?
Timur died en route on February 17 or 18, 1405 at Farab before reaching the Chinese border while encamped farther side of Syr Daria. His youngest son Shah Rukh overcame rivals and took throne as Timur's successor in 1409 after a bitter civil war among descendants.