The Timurid dynasty, self-designated as Gurkani, was the ruling dynasty of the Timurid Empire (1370–1507). It was a Sunni MuslimMaria E. Subtelny, Timurids in Transition: Turko-Persian Politics and Acculturation in Medieval Persia, Vol. 7, (Brill, 2007), 201. dynasty from the Barlās clan of Turco-Mongol originB.F. Manz, "Tīmūr Lang", in Encyclopaedia of Islam, Online Edition, 2006Encyclopædia Britannica, "Timurid Dynasty", Online Academic Edition, 2007. (Quotation: "Turkic-Mongol" dynasty descended from the conqueror Timur (Tamerlane), renowned for its brilliant revival of artistic and intellectual life in Iran and Central Asia. ... Trading and artistic communities were brought into the capital city of Herat, where a library was founded, and the capital became the centre of a renewed and artistically brilliant Persian culture.")Encyclopædia Britannica article: "Consolidation & expansion of the Indo-Timurids", Online Edition, 2007. descended from the warlord Timur (also known as Tamerlane).

The word "Gurkani" derives from Gurkân ()—a Persianized form of the Mongolian word kürgen, meaning 'son-in-law'.A History of the Muslim World Since 1260: The Making of a Global Community, by Vernon Egger, p. 193 This was an honorific title used by the dynasty as the Timurids were in-laws of the line of Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire, as Timur had married Saray Mulk Khanum, a direct descendant of Genghis Khan.

Members of the Timurid dynasty signaled the Timurid Renaissance, and they were strongly influenced by Persian cultureMaria Subtelny, Timurids in Transition, p. 40: "Nevertheless, in the complex process of transition, members of the Timurid dynasty and their Persian Mongol supporters became acculturate by the surrounding Persianate milieu adopting Persian cultural models and tastes and acting as patrons of Persian culture, painting, architecture and music." p. 41: "The last members of the dynasty, notably Sultan-Abu Sa'id and Sultan-Husain, in fact came to be regarded as ideal Perso-Islamic rulers who develoted as much attention to agricultural development as they did to fostering Persianate court culture." and established two significant empires in history, the Timurid Empire (1370–1507) based in Persia and Central Asia, and the Mughal Empire (1526–1857) based in the Indian subcontinent.

Origins

The origin of the Timurid dynasty goes back to the Mongol tribe known as Barlas, who were remnants of the Mongol army of Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire. After the Mongol conquest of Central Asia, the Barlas settled in what is today southern Kazakhstan, from Shymkent to Taraz and Almaty, which then came to be known for a time as Moghulistan – "Land of Mongols" in Persian – and intermingled to a considerable degree with the local Turkic and Turkic-speaking population, so that at the time of Timur's reign the Barlas had become thoroughly Turkicized in terms of language and habits.

Additionally, by adopting Islam, the Central Asian Turks and Mongols adopted Persian literary and high culture which had dominated Central Asia since the early days of Islamic influence. Persian literature was instrumental in the assimilation of the Timurid elite into Perso-Islamic courtly culture.

List of rulers

Emirs of Timurid Empire No. Coin Name Reign Life details1 Timur Beg Gurkani 9 April 1370 – 18 February 1405 1320s – 18 February 1405 De facto ruler of Chagatai Khanate under Soyurghatmïsh Khan and Sultan Mahmud Khan. Adopted the junior Arabic title of Emir. 2Pir Muhammad 18 February 1405 – 22 February 1407 1376 – 22 February 1407 Grandson of Timur through Jahangir Mirza, and his nominated heir.3Khalil Sultan 18 February 1405 – 1409 13 August 1384 – 3 November 1411 Grandson of Timur through Miran Shah. Seized and ruled from Samarkand against Pir Muhammad.4Shahrukh Mirza 20 February 1405 – 13 March 1447 20 August 1377 – 13 March 1447 Son of Timur5Ulugh Beg Mirza 13 March 1447 – 27 October 1449 22 March 1394 – 27 October 1449 Son of Shahrukh Mirza Emirs of Khorasan (Herat)

Sultan Muhammad, nephew of Ulugh Beg, 1447–1451 Babur Mirza, brother of Sultan Muhammad, 1451–1457 Mahmud Mirza, son of Babur Mirza, 1457 Ibrahim Mirza, nephew of Babur Mirza, 1457–1459 Abu Sa'id Mirza, grandson of Miran Shah, son of Timur, 1459–1469 Husayn Bayqara Mirza, grandson of Umar Shaikh, son of Timur, 1469 Yadgar Muhammad Mirza, son of Sultan Muhammad, 1470 Husayn Bayqara Mirza (second reign), 1470–1506 Badi' al-Zaman Mirza, son of Bayqara Mirza, 1506–1507 Muzaffar Husayn Mirza, son of Bayqara Mirza, 1507

In 1507, the capital Herat fell to Uzbek Khanate of Bukhara under Muhammad Shaybani Khan.

Emirs of Transoxiana (Samarkand)

Abd al-Latif Mirza, son of Ulugh Beg, 1449–1450 Abdullah Mirza, nephew of Abd al-Latif, 1450–1451 Abu Sa'id Mirza, grandson of Miran Shah, son of Timur, 1451–1469

After his death, Abu Sa'id's sons split Transoxiana among themselves.

Emirs of Samarkand, Bukhara and Hissar

Ahmad Mirza, son of Abu Sa'id Mirza, 1469–1494 Baysonqor Mirza, son of Mahmud Mirza, 1495–1497 (only Samarkand) Ali Mirza, son of Mahmud Mirza, 1495–1500 (only Bukhara) Masud Mirza, son of Mahmud Mirza, 1495–1500 (only Hissar)

By 1501, Samarkand, Bukhara and Hissar were conquered by the Uzbek Khanate of Bukhara under Muhammad Shaybani Khan.

Emirs of Ferghana

Umar Shaikh Mirza, son of Abu Sa'id Mirza, 1469–1494 Babur, son of Umar Shaikh Mirza, 1494–1497 Jahangir Mirza, brother of Babur, 1487–1503

In 1503, Ferghana fell to Uzbek Khanate of Bukhara under Muhammad Shaybani Khan.

Emirs of Balkh

Mahmud Mirza, son of Abu Sa'id Mirza, 1469–1495 Khusrau Shah, usurper, 1495–1504 Babur, son of Umar Shaikh Mirza, 1504

In 1504, Balkh fell to Uzbek Khanate of Bukhara under Muhammad Shaybani Khan.

Emirs of Kabul

Ulugh Mirza, son of Abu Sa'id Mirza, 1469–1502 Abd al-Razzaq, son of Ulugh Mirza, 1502 Muqim Arghun, usurper, 1502–1504 Babur, son of Umar Shaikh Mirza, 1504–1530

In 1526, Babur moved into India and conquered the Dehli Sultanate, establishing the Mughal empire.

Mughal Emperors

Babur, son of Umar Shaikh Mirza, 1526–1530 Humayun, son of Babur, 1530–1540, then 1555–1556 Akbar, son of Humayun, 1556–1605 Jahangir, son of Akbar, 1605–1627 Shah Jahan, son of Jahangir, 1628–1658 Aurangzeb, son of Shah Jahan, 1658–1707 Azam Shah, son of Aurangzeb, 1707 Bahadur Shah I, son of Aurangzeb, 1707–1712 Jahandar Shah, son of Bahadur Shah I, 1712–1713 Farrukhsiyar, grandson of Bahadur Shah I, 1713–1719 Rafi ud-Darajat, grandson of Bahadur Shah I, 1719 Shah Jahan II, brother of Rafi ud-Darajat, 1719 Muhammad Shah, grandson of Bahadur Shah I, 1719–1748 Ahmad Shah, son of Muhammad Shah, 1748–1754 Alamgir II, son of Jahandar Shah, 1754–1759 Shah Jahan III, grandson of Bahadur Shah I, 1759–1760 Shah Alam II, son of Alamgir II, 1760–1788 Jahan Shah, son of Ahmad Shah Bahadur, 1788 Shah Alam II (second reign), 1788–1806 Akbar II, son of Shah Alam II, 1806–1837 Bahadur Shah II, son of Akbar II, 1837–1857

Family Tree

Timurid Empire Timurid Empire of Farghana Timurid Empire of Kabul Timurid Empire of Herat Timurid Empire of Samarkand Timurid Empire of Transoxiana Timurid Empire of Hissar Timurid Empire of Khurasan Mughal Empire

See also Borjigin List of Sunni Muslim dynasties Mughal Empire Muhammad Khwaja Timur Timurid Empire Turco-Mongol Turco-Persian House of Babur

References Notes

Citations

Sources

Further reading BĀYSONḠORĪ ŠĀH-NĀMA in Encyclopædia Iranica Elliot, Sir H. M.; edited by Dowson, John. The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period; published by London Trubner Company 1867–77. (Online Copy: The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period; by Sir H. M. Elliot; Edited by John Dowson; London Trubner Company 1867–1877 – This online copy has been posted by: The Packard Humanities Institute; Persian Texts in Translation; Also find other historical books: Author List and Title List)

External links

Timurid Dynasty Virtual Art Exhibit