Tamerlane (Emir Timur)

(1336–1405), better known as Tamerlane, a Turko-Mongol ruler. He conquered West, South and Central Asia and founded the Timurid dynasty. Timur strived for the restoration of the Mongol Empire of Genghis Khan. To legitimize his conquests, Timur relied on Islam, referring to himself as the ‘Sword of Islam’ and patronizing educational and religious institutions. His armies were inclusively multi-ethnic. Timur emerged as the most powerful ruler in the Muslim world after defeating the Mamluks of Egypt and Syria, the emerging Ottoman Empire and the declining Sultanate of Delhi. His armies were feared throughout Asia, Africa and Europe, sizable parts of which were laid waste by his campaigns. Scholars estimate that his military campaigns caused the deaths of about 5 per cent of the world’s population, a barbaric legacy. Timur, however, is also recognized as a great patron of the arts and architecture.