Who was Timur

Who was Timur?

Timur (1336?-1405), an Asian conqueror who created a vast but short-lived empire, was also referred to as Timur the Lame or Tamerlane. Timur was a Tatar and a descendant of Genghis Khan, another Asian conqueror. He was born of a chiefís family near Samarkand in Turkestan. He was a well-educated, devout Muslim. As a youth, Timur became noted for his athletic prowess. After 1358 he engaged in numerous wars. He gained the throne at Samarkand in 1369, and ruled an extensive central Asian kingdom. After 1369, his armies struck west and south into Afghanistan, Persia, India, and Asia Minor.

Excerpt adapted from the "Timur" article, The World Book Encyclopedia, © 1999