Amir Temur Gurgan
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Amir Temur Gurgan
Scourge of God
Introduction:
Of all the mighty conquerors of the ages Temur is the most neglected by western society. When the word conqueror is muttered one may image the mighty Genghis Khan with his Mongol hordes descending upon the Chinese. Or perhaps ones imagines the innumerable phalanxes of the richly Alexander as they annihilate the forces of Darius. Very few however would think of perhaps the greatest conqueror of them all, Amir Temur ibn Taraghay ibn Bargul ibn Aylangir ibn Ichil ibn Al-Amir Karachar Noyan, or as we in the west know him, Tamberlane. It his story that shall now be told.
The Winds of Change:
The story of Temur is invariably tied to that of Genghis for it is out of the shattering of his empire that Temur’s would be born. Upon his death the Empire of Genghis would be divided amongst the four sons of his chief wife. Jochi the eldest would receive the lands of the fringe steppe. Through conquest of Batu this would eventually become the mighty Golden Khanate, but at the time it was much more modest in size and fortunes. The second son Chataghay would receive the lands of central Asia. The Second son, Ogedey would become the Great Khan and rule the lands of Northern China. The youngest son, Tolui would receive the mongolian homelands. The Ulus of Jochi as previously stated would grow to become the Golden Horde, or Kipack Horde. The Ulus of Chataghay would more or less remain constant in size. Both the Ulus of Ogedey and Tului would eventually be ruled as one and extend dominion over all of China. A fourth Khanate would be created by the conquests of Hulagu. This Khanate would be Ilkhanate( roughly subordinate Khante) which signifies its subordinate relationship with the Great Khanate. One by one these Khanates would descend into chaos. In the Ilkhanate troubles arose in 1335 with the death of Abu Sa’id. After his death wars of succession would rage until the last claimant was assassinated in 1353. Similarly the Golden Horde would plunge into secularism, which led to two separate Khanates, the White Horde and the Blue Horde. Most importantly to the subject at hand was the disintegration of Chataghay Khanate. Conflicts here would arise from the differences of the more sedentary west and the nomadic east. Unresolved disputes would lead two separate states, Mawarannahr in the west and Moghulstan in the east. This is the world that young Temur was born into.
Rise to Greatness:
In the year 1336 Temur(meaning iron) was born to Taragahy, a minor noble of the Barlas Clan. His early life would not be exceptional or of much significance. Young Temur was simply a boy raised on the steppe in the same tradition of countless others across the vast Eurasian Steppe. He would be trained at an early age the art of riding a horse and shooting a bow, skills which would prove very useful to him in latter life. These years would be interrupted when in 1360 the Moghul Khan Haji Beg would invade with the intentions of uniting the fragmented Ulus of Chataghay. The leader of the Barlas clan would choose flight of fight, but Temur would give a daring alternative. He would take a group of men and fight of the Moghul army. With his offer accepted Temur marched to the Moghula army, but rather the fight he cunningly chose to offer his services to the Moghuls. This risky offer was accepted and Temur would become a vassal. This did not last long however. Quickly an alliance with Amir Husayn of Balk the two would become outlaws. Temur would then roam Asia as a mercenary. It is in these days that he would receive serious wounds to his right limbs that would coin him the name, Temur the lame. Eventually through tactical genius Temur’s insurgency would prove victorious and the Moghuls would flee Mawarannahr. This victory however would be short lived for there was not enough room in southern Mawarannahr for the ambitions of Temur and Amir Husayn. While Husyan held the higher rank, Temur held the great skill and his following steadily increased. Open war would eventually ensue with Temur rising to the top. Killing Husyan Temur would take his wife Saray of the Genghis line and from then on he would take the title Gurgan, son-in-law of the Great Khan. With the defeat of Husyan Temur was the undisputed ruler of Mawarannahr and his reign of conquest was about ready for initiation.
The Tide of War:
Temur's conquests are so numerous that for the most part detail is impossible and altogether unnecessary. In the years following Temur’s ascension to ruler of Mawarannahr he lead two campaigns that ensured regional hegemony. The first was to the north against the Sufi Kingdom of Khorezm and the second was against his old enemy the Moghuls. Both enemies were defeated with ease and it was with this that Temur began to worry about bigger fish to fry. To the southwest lay the wealth of Persia awaiting a man strong enough to take it. Before this however Temur had to ensure his borders. With the defeat of the Moghuls his eastern border was secure, but the mighty Urus Khan of the White Horde posed a serious threat to the north. Urus had ambitions to restore the former glory of the Golden Horde, which included Temur’s new lands of Khorezm. To avoid a major conflict with his northern neighbor Temur opted to support a young Prince Tokhtamish who also desired a reunited Golden Horde. After several setbacks and the undaunting support of Temur, Tokhatmish was able to defeat Urus and crowned himself Khan of the White Horde. With his close ally securely in power Temur moved on a thunder campaign in Persia where he devastated cities and hordes their amassed their wealth. The once mighty cities such as Heart lay in ruins. Temur would moved further in taking Tabriz, Isfahan, and laid waste to the cities of the proud Georgians. Amidst all this glory Temur would receive terrible news. As he conquered the realms of the west his protégé Tokhatmish had led a raid into the empires heart, Mawarannahr. Having moved through all of Persia with relative ease Temur would now have an adversary of considerable skill and might. Temur’s ability would be put to the test for the first time since Amir Husyan.
of Ice and Steel:
Temur had used Tokhatmish as a method of weaking Urus’s power in the North, yet Tokhatmish was too successful. Instead of creating internal friction in the Northern realm Tokhatmish had successfully united the entire Golden Horde. As Khan of the Golden Horde Tokhatmish had but three options. He could attack the lands of Europe, the Ming, or the lands of Temur. To not attack anywhere would bring certain mutiny from his followers whom like any steppe army were dependent on spoils. The Ming were simply out of the question by mere equation of logistics and statistics and Europe was simply relatively poor. The only real option then was for Tokhatmish to attack his former master. Tokhatmish thus led several lightning raids into Temur’s territories while Temur was off campaining in the East. While Temur’s response was furious. After wintering in Taskent his army marched north into the vast steppes of central Asia. With masterful maneuvering Tokhatmish would avoid the Tartar army for five long months. Temur’s men were hungry, tired, and ready to be picked off. Only the personal charisma of Temur could keep the army moving. Eventually in the rim lands of Siberia Temur would manage top trap Tokhatmish and the battle of Kunduzcha would commence. Both armies had similar composition and similar numbers though Tokhatmish had the slight superiority. Also his men were in their homelands had been in much better supply throughout the months of marching. The two hordes would do battle and it would appear that Tokhatmish would win the day, but just as Temur’s forces were being overwhelmed Tokhatmish fled the battlefield for his life. This proved fatal for his army and they mimicked him shortly after spreading across the corners of the steppe. Tokhatmish was alive, but his power base destroyed. The victory was greatly celebrated, but the celebrations were not long lived. As soon as the next campaigning season came Timur prepared a new campaign in Persia. He would again conquer Persia while also stopping by Georgia to give the Christians a good hammering. Amazingly during this time Tokhatmish would resume his power and initiate raids in the Caucus as a defying blow to Temur. This adversary had to be defeated for good. Temur marched up to the lands of the Golden Horde once again for battle. This time Tokhatmish would have much less room to maneuver and he was promptly defeated. He was able to escape, so Temur had to make sure his empire could never return to power. Full of fiery wrath Temur rampaged through the prominent cities of Tana, Saray, and Astrakhan. The purpose was two-fold. Tokhatmish lost his power base and the massive trade that had passed through these cities was forced now to take the southern route through Temur’s lands. With only a brief stop to crush Georgia again Temur would return triumphantly to his capital of Samarkand. Here he would stay for two long years.
Temur the Man :
Of all the great conquerors Temur is one of the few who had not only the power of destruction, but the gift of creation as well. Temur was a magnificent patron of the arts and sciences. Temurid architecture is often viewed as the pinnacle of Muslim culture and his empire would become a hub of intellectuals of the era. While he was a strong builder of fine culture, Temur certainly lacked in governmental organization. For this he has been harshly criticized, yet this criticism is largly unjust. Temur did not focus on forming an organized empire, his empire was based soley around his person. Temur faced several revolts, but none that would threat the security of his empire. Revolts could easily be promptly put down by the Tartar army. This army fought in the traditional steppe style with a left wing, center, right wing, and vanguard. Through out his entire life Temur would be personally active in the campaigns and in his younger years he won renown not only as a commander of men, but as a mighty warrior despite the injuries of his right limbs. Another very common criticism of Temur is his cruelty and not stop conquest. Conquest was the only thing that kept Temur's soldiers loyal as they depended on the spoils of war for a living. Cruelty was to keep the loyalty of the populace. Terror was not a play toy of Temur, it was simply a tool necessary to maintain a peaceable empire. Entire cities were slaughtered, and Temur was very creative with methods to achieve this. In one instance he cemented the citizens into a tower as they were still living. This however meant that several cities would decide not to fight and save the conqueror much time from being bogged down in lengthy sieges. Temur was thus not only a mindless savage as some would have you to believe, but a brilliant tactician, a patron of the arts and intellect, fierce warrior, and an effective administrator. After two years stay in Samarkand this Renaissance man was ready for new conquests. The Uluses of Hulagu and Chataghay were his, with the Ulus of Jochi in ruins. The last fragments of the once mighty Mongolian empire lay to the east in China, and Temur had his sights dead set on them.
Land of Elephants and Gold:
Being ever a pragmatist Temur would alter his plans for China for that of India. The once mighty Sultanate of Delhi was plagued by internal strife and Temur could not pass such a resisting opportunity. Not only did Delhi hold great wealth, but there were plenty of infidels do kill as well. So the armies were prepared and Temur went on a journey through one of the world’s most extreme climates. Upon reaching Delhi Temur used an old age trick. By devastating the local area he forced the defenders out of their gates for battle. While Temur held the mightier army, Dehli had one weapon of unparalleled power, 100 armored War Elephants. Not only could these creatures inflict heavy causalities, they also were a serious psychological weapon. To overcome this gargantuan opponent Temur would use another trick. He placed straw on camels backs and set it on fire. The camels were sent into the ranks of Elephants and scared them back. In retreat these Elephants trampled many of their own men. The battle was won and the gates of Delhi open. The people would be spared, but they would rebel and ensure their own deaths. The once mighty city of Delhi was reduced to ruins. With the wealth of Delhi Temur would thus return again triumphantly to Samarkand and spared no expense to show off his new play toys, the War Elephants of Delhi. Like always however victory processions would be short lived. News that his long time enemy Sultan Barquq of Egypt and Syria had died and the succession problems that followed were like Delhi, an offer too tempting to decline. Once again Temur would round up the troops prepare once again for the long marches of war.
The Road to Damascus and the world beyond:
After returning from the exotic lands of India Temur would consript an army for a seven year long campaign. The march to Syria would be a very long one. Upon arrival Temur set the wheels of conquest quickly in motion. The great cities of Allepo and Silvas were defeated with the usual ease and Temur moved to the prime target, Damascus. Damascus was once the capital of the Islamic Caliphate and was of astonishing size, wealth, and beauty. While the defenses of Damascus could hold up to siege well not defenses could hold up to Temur’s army indefinatly. Finally the walls would be breached and the city was torched, and much to the dismay of Temur many of the Uyyamid structures were destroyed. With Syria under the heel of Temur the ten-year-old Sultan of Egypt had no choice but to swear his loyalty to Temur. The mighty empire that had repelled the Crusades and Mongol incursions was thus conquered by Temur in a matter of years. Having the Southern lands secure Temur would then turn to his biggest challenge yet, the mighty Ottoman Sultan Bayazid. Bayazid was an expert conqueror in his own right. It was his forces that crushed the Last Crusade at Nicopolis and it was his forces that evoked great fear throughout Europe. After a quick winter in the pastures of Qarabagh Temur was ready to test his might against this skilled adversary. With news of Temur’s arrival Bayazid would pull his troops away from the siege of Constantinople and head to the high ground at Ankara were his troops would have excellent advantage. Temur would however pull from his arsenal of deceit to make the battle on his terms. He marched his army not towards Ankara, but rather the heart of Asia minor where whole scale destruction was guaranteed to occur. Bayazid, determined to stop the devastation to his lands, led his army away from their defensive fortifications. Demonstrating masterful maneuvering Temur ended up camping on the same ground that Bayazid had just left. Temur prepared defensive fortifications and Bayazid had no choice, but to accept the battle. The Ottomans would have in the field of 120,000 men, while Temur had something in the ballpark of 80,000. It would be the climatic pinnacle of both conquerors careers and decide which was to carry the legacy of greatness beheld by only a few. The tartar drums would pound and the horde of Temur would descend onto the Ottomans. Bayazid’s forces would hold on till nightfall, but they could not resist the momentum of Temur. Bayazid’s forces began to crumble and the day was won. Temur was victorious and the Tartars would celebrate their finest hour. It was a day that would echo forever more throughout the ages.
Legacy:
As the fever if triumph cleared Temur was faced with two serious setbacks. His most loved grandson, heir to his throne, Mohammed Sultan died from wounds in battle and his honored adversary had died in captivity. Temur ruled the lands of Chataghay and the Ilkhanate, as well as domination of his vassals the Golden Horde, the Sultan of Syria and Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and the Byzantines, yet his plans for succession had come to not. Mohammed Sultan was brilliant and fierce on the battlefield and his death simply devastated the aging emperor. Despite these setbacks Temur was determined for one final campaign against Ming China. Victory here would bring abundant wealth, honor, and was the perfect opportunity to convert the infidels of China to Islam. If his ambitions were to be achieved Temur would become the undisputed greatest conqueror of all time. Age however would not permit such dreams. On march to China the sickly emperor would finally fall prey to his illness. Age would bring Temur defeat no mortal man had ever gotten close too. Temur, the man whom the lives of millions hung on in a fragile balance was gone and a new age of the world was in order. Before his death Temur named Pir Mohammed his successor and warned that his sons and grandsons should not make war with each other for it will only serve to weaken them to their enemies. Unfortunately for the empire Temur’s descendants would not heed his words. Pir Mohhammed would be killed before he could receive his titles and a span of inter family war broke out. In the end the last of Temur’s sons, Shahrukh would finally stabilize the empire and continue the cultural legacy his father had begun. Within a century Temur’s empire would be gone and the only remnant of his power would be revived through Babur and the founding of the Moghul dynasty in India. In modern times the name Temur is often forgotten in the West, but in the East he has become an icon, especially in Uzbekistan where he is a symbol of nationalism in a post soviet land looking for identity. Amir Temur Gurgan was truly a conqueror in the ranks of Genghis and Alexander, and a man of personal character that most men can only aspire too. Born a small boy in the steppe, he would grow to change the course of history forever.
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Originally Posted by Orb
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