Tughlugh Timur
Encyclopedia
Tughlugh Timur(1329/30-1363) was the Khan of Moghulistan
from c. 1347 and Khan of the whole Chagatai Khanate
from c. 1360 until his death. He is believed to be the son of Esen Buqa
. His reign is known for his conversion to Islam
and his invasions of Transoxiana
.
was killed in 1346, the Chagatai Khanate
underwent a transformation. In the west (Transoxiana), the mostly Turko-Mongol tribes, led by the Qara'unas
amirs, seized control. In order to maintain a link to the house of Genghis Khan
, the Turkic amirs set several of his descendants on the throne, though these khans ruled in name only and had no real power.
The eastern part of the khanate, meanwhile, had been largely autonomous for several years as a result of the khans' weakening power. This eastern portion (most of which was known as "Moghulistan") was, in contrast to Transoxiana, primarily inhabited by Mongols
and was largely Buddhist and Shamanist.
The most powerful family in the eastern part of the khanate during this time was a Mongol one, that of the Dughlat amirs. The Dughlats held several important towns as vassals to the khans, including Kashgar
, Aksu, Yarkand, and Khotan
. In around 1347, the Dughlat amir Bulaji, after seeing the situation in Transoxiana, decided to raise a khan of his own choosing. His choice fell on Tughlugh Timur, who was at that time little more than an adventurer.
cleric Mauláná Arshad-ud-Din, who unwittingly trespassed on the game-preserves of Tughlugh. Tughlugh ordered the cleric before him and demanded to know the reason for the cleric's interference with his hunting. The cleric answered that he wasn't aware that he was trespassing. At this point, Tughlugh noticed that the cleric was Persian
, and Tughlugh said that "a dog
was worth more than a Persian." The cleric responded, "Yes, if we had not the true faith, we should indeed be worse than dogs." Puzzled, the cleric ordered the cleric to explain the "true faith" to which Tughlugh was taught the doctrines of Islam
. Thereafter, Tughlugh embraced Islam. This act resulted in the amirs of Moghulistan doing the same, although the general population of the region was slower in converting.
, an easygoing and ineffective amir. Tughlugh Timur judged that he would face little resistance in Transoxiana and invaded in March of 1360. As predicted, most of the tribal amirs declared their support for him; those that didn't (notably Hajji Beg
of the Barlas
tribe) decided to flee. The Moghuls decided to find someone else to administer Hajji Beg's former territories; they agreed on Hajji Beg's young nephew Timur
, who had submitted to them. This, incidentally, was the first step in Timur's rise to power as amir of the Timurid Empire.
The Moghuls soon left Transoxiana after a dispute ensued amongst their amirs. In 1361, however, Tughlugh Timur and his army rode into the region for the second time. This time the khan seems to have decided to depose the Transoxianan amirs and centralize power in his own hands. He executed several amirs, including Amir Bayazid and Buyan Suldus, while Hajji Beg, who had returned following the departure of the Moghuls in 1360, again retreated. When the Qara'unas Amir Husayn opposed him, Tughlugh Timur inavded his extensive territories located south of the Amu Darya
and defeated him in battle. Amir Husayn fled; the Moghul army advanced as far south as Kunduz
in pursuit of him and plundered the region.
Having destroyed the power of the Transoxianan amirs and reunified the Chagatai Khanate, Tughlugh Timur appointed his son Ilyas Khoja
as viceroy of Transoxiana and departed for Moghulistan.
Unlike 'Ali-Sultan
who murdered the Franciscan
missionaries, Tughlugh Timur appears to have been tolerant towards other relgions and intellectuals and shared his Chagatayid and Yuan predecessors' interests in Buddhism
. In around 1363 he invited the Tibetan
lama
, Rol-pai Dorji, who was going back from the court of the Yuan Dynasty
headquartered in Dadu (modern Beijing). However, the latter politely declined the invitation due to the distance and the Khan's conversion to Islam.
During his reign, the Moghuls (Persian designation of Mongols) still preserved their Mongol identity and spoke in Mongolian language.
Not long after this he died at the age of 34. His tomb is located in Almaliq
. His conquest of Transoxiana proved to be short-lived, as Amir Husayn and Timur quickly wrested it from Ilyas Khoja.
Moghulistan
Moghulistan or Mughalistan is a historical geographic unit in Central Asia that included parts of modern-day Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Chinese Autonomous Region of Xinjiang...
from c. 1347 and Khan of the whole Chagatai Khanate
Chagatai Khanate
The Chagatai Khanate was a Turko-Mongol khanate that comprised the lands ruled by Chagatai Khan , second son of the Great Khan Genghis Khan, and his descendents and successors...
from c. 1360 until his death. He is believed to be the son of Esen Buqa
Esen Buqa I
Esen Buqa I was Khan of the Chagatai Khanate . He was the son of Duwa.In 1309 Esen Buqa's brother Kebek ordered a meeting to determine the future of the khanate following his seizure of power...
. His reign is known for his conversion to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and his invasions of Transoxiana
Transoxiana
Transoxiana is the ancient name used for the portion of Central Asia corresponding approximately with modern-day Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, southern Kyrgystan and southwest Kazakhstan. Geographically, it is the region between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers...
.
Background
After the Chagatayid Qazan KhanQazan Khan ibn Yasaur
-Biography:Qazan was the son of Yasa'ur, a Chagatayid prince who had revolted in the 1310s. Upon his ascension to the throne, he attempted to increase his power within the ulus. These measures provoked the anger of the nobility, who threw their support behind the Qara'unas Amir Qazaghan. The two...
was killed in 1346, the Chagatai Khanate
Chagatai Khanate
The Chagatai Khanate was a Turko-Mongol khanate that comprised the lands ruled by Chagatai Khan , second son of the Great Khan Genghis Khan, and his descendents and successors...
underwent a transformation. In the west (Transoxiana), the mostly Turko-Mongol tribes, led by the Qara'unas
Qara'unas
Qaraunas, or Neguderis, or Nikudari, were a Mongol group that settled in Afghanistan and east of Iran.- Foundation :...
amirs, seized control. In order to maintain a link to the house of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
, the Turkic amirs set several of his descendants on the throne, though these khans ruled in name only and had no real power.
The eastern part of the khanate, meanwhile, had been largely autonomous for several years as a result of the khans' weakening power. This eastern portion (most of which was known as "Moghulistan") was, in contrast to Transoxiana, primarily inhabited by Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
and was largely Buddhist and Shamanist.
The most powerful family in the eastern part of the khanate during this time was a Mongol one, that of the Dughlat amirs. The Dughlats held several important towns as vassals to the khans, including Kashgar
Kashgar
Kashgar or Kashi is an oasis city with approximately 350,000 residents in the western part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Kashgar is the administrative centre of Kashgar Prefecture which has an area of 162,000 km² and a population of approximately...
, Aksu, Yarkand, and Khotan
Khotan
Hotan , or Hetian , also spelled Khotan, is the seat of the Hotan Prefecture in Xinjiang, China. It was previously known in Chinese as 于窴/於窴 and to 19th-century European explorers as Ilchi....
. In around 1347, the Dughlat amir Bulaji, after seeing the situation in Transoxiana, decided to raise a khan of his own choosing. His choice fell on Tughlugh Timur, who was at that time little more than an adventurer.
Conversion to Islam
Tughlugh was converted by a MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
cleric Mauláná Arshad-ud-Din, who unwittingly trespassed on the game-preserves of Tughlugh. Tughlugh ordered the cleric before him and demanded to know the reason for the cleric's interference with his hunting. The cleric answered that he wasn't aware that he was trespassing. At this point, Tughlugh noticed that the cleric was Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
, and Tughlugh said that "a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
was worth more than a Persian." The cleric responded, "Yes, if we had not the true faith, we should indeed be worse than dogs." Puzzled, the cleric ordered the cleric to explain the "true faith" to which Tughlugh was taught the doctrines of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Thereafter, Tughlugh embraced Islam. This act resulted in the amirs of Moghulistan doing the same, although the general population of the region was slower in converting.
Khanship
Meanwhile, in Transoxiana the Qara'unas lost their status as de facto leaders of the Chagatai ulus; they were replaced by Buyan SuldusBuyan Suldus
Buyan Suldus was chief of one segment of the Suldus clan of Taichuud tribe during the 1350s and 1360s, and was chief amir of the Chagatai ulus for a short time after 1358....
, an easygoing and ineffective amir. Tughlugh Timur judged that he would face little resistance in Transoxiana and invaded in March of 1360. As predicted, most of the tribal amirs declared their support for him; those that didn't (notably Hajji Beg
Hajji Beg
Hajji Beg Barlas was a leader of the Barlas tribe.Hajji Beg is first mentioned in 1358 or 1359, when he participated in the overthrow of the Qara'unas ‘Abdullah, who was effectively in control of the southern Chagatai Khanate...
of the Barlas
Barlas
The Barlas were a Mongol - later Turkicized - nomadic confederation in Central Asia and the chief tribe of the Timurids who ruled much of Central Asia, Iran, and South Asia in the Middle Ages.- Origins :According to the Secret History of the Mongols, written during the reign of Ögedei Khan, the...
tribe) decided to flee. The Moghuls decided to find someone else to administer Hajji Beg's former territories; they agreed on Hajji Beg's young nephew Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
, who had submitted to them. This, incidentally, was the first step in Timur's rise to power as amir of the Timurid Empire.
The Moghuls soon left Transoxiana after a dispute ensued amongst their amirs. In 1361, however, Tughlugh Timur and his army rode into the region for the second time. This time the khan seems to have decided to depose the Transoxianan amirs and centralize power in his own hands. He executed several amirs, including Amir Bayazid and Buyan Suldus, while Hajji Beg, who had returned following the departure of the Moghuls in 1360, again retreated. When the Qara'unas Amir Husayn opposed him, Tughlugh Timur inavded his extensive territories located south of the Amu Darya
Amu Darya
The Amu Darya , also called Oxus and Amu River, is a major river in Central Asia. It is formed by the junction of the Vakhsh and Panj rivers...
and defeated him in battle. Amir Husayn fled; the Moghul army advanced as far south as Kunduz
Kunduz
Kunduz also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north...
in pursuit of him and plundered the region.
Having destroyed the power of the Transoxianan amirs and reunified the Chagatai Khanate, Tughlugh Timur appointed his son Ilyas Khoja
Ilyas Khoja
Ilyas Khoja was Khan in Transoxiana and Khan of Moghulistan from 1363 to 1368. He was the son of Tughlugh Timur.In 1363 Tughlugh Timur, who had recently taken control of Transoxiana and had executed many of its local leaders, appointed Ilyas Khoja as its ruler...
as viceroy of Transoxiana and departed for Moghulistan.
Unlike 'Ali-Sultan
'Ali-Sultan
Ali Khalil, also known as Ali-Sultan , was the khan of the Chagatai Khanate. He was a descendant of Qadan, son of the second Great Khan Ogedei....
who murdered the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
missionaries, Tughlugh Timur appears to have been tolerant towards other relgions and intellectuals and shared his Chagatayid and Yuan predecessors' interests in Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
. In around 1363 he invited the Tibetan
Tibetan
Tibetan can refer to:*Of or relating to Tibet*Tibetan people, an ethnic group*Standard Tibetan language*Tibetan script, a writing system*Tibetan art*Music of Tibet*Tibetan culture*Tibetan cuisine*Tibetan Spaniel dog breed*Tibetan Mastiff dog breed...
lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
, Rol-pai Dorji, who was going back from the court of the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
headquartered in Dadu (modern Beijing). However, the latter politely declined the invitation due to the distance and the Khan's conversion to Islam.
During his reign, the Moghuls (Persian designation of Mongols) still preserved their Mongol identity and spoke in Mongolian language.
Not long after this he died at the age of 34. His tomb is located in Almaliq
Almaliq, China
Almalik was a medieval city in Central Asia's Ili river basin. Its site is located within the present-day Huocheng County in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, between the city of Yining and the border with Kazakhstan.Almalik was originally one of...
. His conquest of Transoxiana proved to be short-lived, as Amir Husayn and Timur quickly wrested it from Ilyas Khoja.