The great eastern conqueror Timur (Tamerlane) is often compared and put on a par with Attila and Genghis Khan. However, it must be admitted that along with some common features, there are quite deep differences between these commanders and sovereigns. First of all, it should be pointed out that, unlike other great conquerors of the East, Timur did not rely on the military strength of the nomads. Moreover, Tamerlane, in essence, "took revenge" from the Great Steppe: he defeated almost all the Chingizid states, destroyed some completely, others - weakened and deprived of their former greatness. It is impossible to disagree with this thesis. In his work “Ancient Russia and the Great Steppe,” Lev Gumilev wrote: “In Central Asia and Iran, a Muslim reaction arose against the dominance of nomads. It was headed by the Turkic Mongol (barlas) Timur, who restored the Khorezm Sultanate, destroyed by the Mongols. Here Yasu was replaced by Sharia, Nukhurs - Ghulams, Khan - Emir, freedom of religion - Muslim fanaticism. The Mongols in these countries, conquered by their ancestors, survived only as a relic - the Hazaras in Western Afghanistan. Together with Yasa, the stereotype of behavior, the ability to resist and their own culture disappeared. " And further: "Timur considered the legacy of Chinggis to be his main enemy and was a consistent enemy of nomadic traditions." Another researcher, SP Tolstov, believed that "Timur's state became a copy of the Khorezmshah sultanate, with the only difference that the capital was moved from Gurganj to Samarkand." The paradox was that this "counter-revolution" in Maverannahr and Iran was carried out under the banner of the Genghisids, and "Timur, having already concentrated the actual power in his hands, kept with him the khan from the descendants of Jagatai" (L. Gumilev).
MM. Gerasimov. Sculptural portrait of Tamerlane
Tamerlane loved war and was merciless to enemies, in this respect he differed little from a number of Asian and European warriors, sometimes even surpassing them in cruelty. "Behind the scenes" is often the other side of the personality of the great conqueror: Timur instilled terror in his enemies, but not his subjects, that is, was not a tyrant. This circumstance favorably distinguished him from many rulers of that time.
“He was at the same time the scourge of his enemies, the idol of his soldiers and the father of his peoples,” his contemporary, the historian Sheref ad-Din, said about Tamerlane.
And if the first two statements do not cause surprise, then Timur looks somewhat unexpected as the “father of nations”. Meanwhile, the researcher encounters information about unconventional management methods of Tamerlane with enviable regularity, causing surprise and even doubts about their reliability.
Indeed, is it possible to trust the lines from the Autobiography of Tamerlane, in which the great conqueror asserts: “I treated everyone equally strictly and justly, without making any distinction and showing no preference for the rich over the poor … patiently dealt with every case … was always truthful in speech and was able to distinguish the truth in what I was able to hear about real life. I never made such a promise that I could not fulfill. Fulfilling exactly the promises I made, I did not harm anyone with my injustice … I have never felt envy of someone … "And was the seriously ill Timur cheating when he said before his death:" God showed me mercy by giving me the opportunity to establish such good laws that now in all the states of Iran and Turan, no one dares to do anything wrong to his own to my neighbor, the nobles do not dare to oppress the poor, all this gives me hope that God will forgive me my sins, although there are many of them; I have the consolation that during my reign I did not allowed the strong to offend the weak "?
Many historians do not take these documents into account. Based on numerous sources telling about the terrible repressions of Timur against the peoples who dared to resist, they consider Tamerlane in the mainstream of traditional ideas - as a monster that horrified the whole world. Other researchers, recognizing that Tamerlane was cruel, and his methods of warfare were inhuman, indicate that, regardless of the wishes of Timur himself, his actions against the Islamic states turned out to be much more effective than all the crusades, and therefore extremely useful for Byzantium. Western Europe and Russia. Still others consider Timur to be a very progressive ruler, whose only drawback was the desire to conquer the world, however, out of good intentions - since “this was, in his (Timur's) opinion, the only way to make people happy. the position of the peoples oppressed by the ruthless tyrants strengthened him in this idea. (L. Lyangle).
What pushed Timur to endless wars? Is it really just greed (as many researchers have argued)? The campaigns of Tamerlane really enriched the cities of Maverannahr unheard of, but Timur himself never had the opportunity to enjoy luxury. He spent most of his life in endless campaigns, in which he courageously endured hardships on a par with ordinary soldiers: he endured thirst, made exhausting transitions through mountain passes and barren deserts, on horseback crossed the high-water stormy rivers. The money received as a result of successful wars, Tamerlane spent mainly on the preparation of new expeditions ("the war fueled the war") and the construction of luxurious buildings in Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Fergana, Bukhara, Kesh and Yasy. Part of the funds was also used to improve roads and improve the welfare of his loyal subjects: for example, after the defeat of the Golden Horde, taxes in the state of Tamerlane were canceled for three years. In his personal life, Timur was almost an ascetic; of all the pleasures, the ruler of a huge empire preferred hunting and chess, and his contemporaries claimed that he had made some improvements to this game. Arranging entertainment for guests or courtiers, Tamerlane always made sure that their amusements "were not disastrous or very dear to his subjects, did not distract them from their direct duties and did not lead to unnecessary costs" (L. Langle).
But maybe Tamerlane was a religious fanatic who shed rivers of blood in the name of converting the "infidels"? Indeed, in his "Autobiography" Timur himself claimed that he fought out of jealousy for Islam, "whose banner … he raised high", seeing "in the spread of faith a mighty guarantee of his own greatness." However, concern about "spreading the faith" did not prevent him from inflicting severe defeats on Ottoman Turkey and the Golden Horde, so that the objective result of Timur's campaigns was a weakening of the Islamic onslaught on Byzantium, Russia and Western Europe. Surrounding himself with theologians and descendants of the prophet, Timur has never really been an orthodox Muslim fanatic. He showed no particular preference for either Sunni or Shiite versions of Islam, and in the conquered states he usually supported the direction followed by the majority of the country's population: in Syria, for example, Tamerlane was considered a zealous Shiite, in Khorasann he restored Sunni orthodoxy, and in Mazandaran he even punished Shiite dervishes. Christians who permanently reside in the state of Tamerlane, or who come there for commercial affairs, could count on the protection of the law and protection on an equal basis with the faithful subjects of Timur. Moreover, Ibn Arabshah claims that even in the army of Tamerlane one could meet Christians and pagans. At the feasts organized by the “Mighty Sword of Islam and Mercy,” wine forbidden by the Koran was freely served, and Timur's wives enjoyed personal freedom unprecedented in Muslim countries, taking part in all holidays and often arranging them themselves. Therefore, there is no basis for accusing Tamerlane of "Islamic fundamentalism".
But maybe Tamerlane's exorbitant ambition was to blame? "The earth should have only one master, like the sky, which has one God … What is the earth and all its inhabitants for the ambition of one great sovereign?" - Timur said repeatedly. However, Tamerlane did not suffer from megalomania: knowing full well that he could not be a khan, he did not even try to become one. The heads of the state created by Timur were nominally the legitimate descendants of Genghis Khan - first Suyurgatamysh, and then his son Sultan-Mahmud. On their behalf, decrees were drawn up, coins were minted. At the same time, Timur was well aware that the degenerate, ready to gnaw each other's throats, Chingizids were not suitable for the role of world leaders. The standards that a ruler who assumed responsibility for the fate of the world had to meet were so high that, sorting out possible candidates, Timur came to a completely logical conclusion: the only person endowed with all the necessary qualities of an ideal leader is … Timur himself (!). All that remained was to make others believe it, and what could be more eloquent and convincing than force? The high moral and business qualities that Tamerlane recognized for himself gave him the moral right to "take care" of the faithful followers of Islam all over the world, but did not give him the right to rest: "A good king never has enough time to reign, and we are forced to work in favor of the subjects whom the Almighty has entrusted to us as a sacred pledge. This will always be my main occupation; for I do not want the poor to pull me by the hem of my clothes on the day of the last judgment, asking for vengeance against me."
So, having set himself the supreme task of "benefiting mankind", Timur worked hard until the last days of his life to make as many people as possible happy under his personal leadership. In order to break the will for "unnecessary" resistance and to frighten the population of the conquered countries who did not understand their own "benefits", fantastic pyramids of human skulls were built and ancient flourishing cities were destroyed. (For the sake of fairness, it should be said that the cities destroyed by Tamerlane's order were often restored by him, even in Christian Georgia, Timur ordered to rebuild the city of Bailakan). In the conquered territories, such a cruel order was gradually established that a lonely unarmed wanderer could not fear for his life and property, traveling through the lands to which the terrible power of Timur extended.
It was to ensure the future of this prosperous, authoritative and well-governed state that Timur defeated all potentially dangerous powers, except for China, which survived only thanks to Timur's death.
What methods of management were used in Timur's state? According to sources from contemporary events, the governors were appointed to their posts for a period of three years. After this time, inspectors were sent to the provinces to find out the opinion of the residents. If the people were dissatisfied with the government, the governor was deprived of his property and resigned from office, not having the right to claim another for three years. The sons and grandsons of Tamerlane, who did not cope with their duties, also could not count on his indulgence. The governor of the former Mongolian kingdom of Hulagu (which included Northern Iran and Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, Baghdad and Shiraz) Miranshah met his father, who had arrived with an inspection, on his knees and with a lasso around his neck.
“I have my own rope, yours is too beautiful,” Timur told him.
Miranshah was thrown into prison, his property, including jewelry for his wives and concubines, is described. There was no need to describe the jewels of the stealing dignitaries - they brought them themselves. Pir-Muhammad and Iskender (grandchildren of the all-powerful ruler), who did not justify Timur's trust, were not only deprived of their posts of rulers in Fars and Fergana, but also punished with sticks. But ordinary law-abiding taxpayers were forbidden to beat Timur in the state in the most categorical way. In addition, Timur created cash desks to help the poor, organized points for the distribution of free food, almshouses. In all newly conquered provinces, the poor were required to report to the "social services" to receive special signs for free meals.
The illiterate Timur spoke Turkish (Turkic) and Persian, knew the Koran well, understood astronomy and medicine, and appreciated educated people. During the campaigns, the conqueror's favorite entertainment was the disputes that he arranged between local theologians and scientists who accompanied his army. A dispute organized by Tamerlane in the city of Aleppo (Aleppo) went down in history. On that day, Timur was not in the mood, and his questions were of a very dangerous and even provocative nature: for example, he asked the scientist Sharaf ad-Din which of the killed Allah would accept as martyrs in the gardens of the righteous: his soldiers or Arabs? Referring to the words of the Prophet Muhammad, the scientist said that people who believe that they are dying for a just cause will go to heaven. Tamerlane did not like this answer, however, he said that the opponent's knowledge deserves encouragement. And the historian Nizam ad-Din Timur advised to always glorify the winners - for the reason that "Allah knows who to give the victory to. To glorify the defeated is to resist the will of Allah." Scientists and poets in general were allowed a lot at the court of the great conqueror. So, one day Timur jokingly asked the courtiers how much they would appreciate when selling. The poet Akhmed Kermani (the author of the "History of Timur", written in verse), who took up the answer, called the price of 25 askers - this was the cost of Tamerlane's clothes: he himself "is not worth a dime." This answer was not just bold, but extremely impudent and, most importantly, unfair, nevertheless, no repressions against the poet followed.
For the edification of his descendants, Timur wrote (more precisely, dictated) the so-called "Code" ("Tyuzuk-i-Timur), which is a guide to governing the state, consisting of a number of rules (" Rules for the formation of an army "," Rules for the distribution of salaries to troops ", "Rules of uniforms and weapons", etc.) and service instructions ("Official duties of the viziers", "Rules on the procedure for meeting in the Council," etc.). In addition, the "Code" included textbooks on strategies and tactics, among which were, for example:
"The order of battle for my victorious armies."
"Resolutions regarding the conduct of war, the production of attacks and retreats, order in battles and in the defeat of troops."
And some others.
These manuals have been illustrated with numerous examples of successful leadership of military operations:
"The plan I followed to occupy Herat, the capital of Khorasan."
"Measures to defeat Tokhtamysh Khan".
"My orders for the victory over Mahmud, the ruler of Delhi, and Malahun" and others.
According to the Code, against an enemy whose army was less than 40,000 people, it was supposed to send an army under the leadership of one of the ruler's sons, accompanied by two experienced emirs. If the enemy had a more numerous army, Tamerlane himself went on a campaign. Timur's troops outnumbered the armies of other countries not in quantity, but in quality. They were formed on a professional basis, during the battles they were built in several lines, which were introduced into battle gradually, and each soldier knew his place in the formation and the task that their unit had to perform. Tamerlane's cavalry, if necessary, could get off their horses and operate on foot, making very difficult maneuvers. The soldiers were dressed in a uniform, which Timur introduced the first in the world. In addition, there is information that it was Timur (according to other sources - his cook) who became the author of the Fergana pilaf recipe. This event, significant for Central Asian cuisine, happened, allegedly during a campaign to Ankara. Timur then drew attention to the traditional food of itinerant dervishes (based on boiled lamb or beef legs), which was digested for a long time in the stomach, giving a long feeling of satiety, and allowed to travel long distances on foot. An ingenious innovation was the order to add rice to this dish. Was it really so? Hard to say. But the version about the invention of pilaf by Alexander the Great is too obviously a legend. And the "Chinese" version of the origin of pilaf also does not look reliable, since the traditional technology of rice preparation in China is fundamentally different from the Central Asian one. The version, according to which pilaf was invented by Avicenna, also does not seem convincing, because This is a democratic, easy to prepare and nutritious, but rather "heavy" dish, ideal for soldiers on a campaign, but hardly for sick in bed. However, we have distracted too much from the main topic of our article.
Tamerlane. Engraving
Interesting information about Timur's attitude to his soldiers. The great conqueror always respected the soldier and did not recognize corporal punishment, saying that "a leader whose power is weaker than a stick and a stick is not worthy of the dignity of his occupation." The punishment for the guilty was fines and expulsion from the army. Instead of "stick", Timur preferred to use "carrot". The awards for those who distinguished themselves were praise, gifts, an increase in the share in the booty, appointment to the guard of honor, promotion in rank, the name of batyr, bagadur - and the soldiers reciprocated their leader.
"A friend of brave warriors, himself full of courage, he knew how to make himself be respected and obeyed," wrote Ibn Arabshah, a very strict historian of Timur.
At the beginning of his career as a ruler, Timur was especially disposed to Kesh and wanted to make him the spiritual center of Central Asia. For this purpose, scientists from Khorezm, Bukhara and Fergana were resettled there. However, he soon changed his mind and beautiful Samarkand became the favorite city of Tamerlane forever, and I must say that most of its splendor was due to Timur.
V. V. Vereshchagin. Tamerlane's doors
Other cities of Maverannahr - the central and privileged part of the state of Tamerlane - also experienced the influence of the "Timurid Renaissance. Everyone could freely and freely enter the territory of Maverannahr, but it was only possible to leave with special permission: thus, Tamerlane fought against the" brain drain " Timur understood that "cadres decide everything" just as well as Stalin, so he always considered artists and skilled artisans to be the most valuable part of war booty. As a result, the best master builders, weavers, blacksmiths, jewelers, as well as scientists and poets. According to sources, after the death of Tamerlane was severely punished for such "love" for foreigners.) wrote that "in the church where Timur was buried, groans were heard at night, which stopped only then when the prisoners taken away by Timur were released to their homeland. " About the same is reported by the Armenian chronicler Thomas of Metzopsky.
One way or another, the population of Samarkand under Tamerlane reached 150,000 people. To emphasize the greatness of his capital, he ordered to build a number of villages around it, which received the names of the largest cities in the world: Sultania, Shiraz, Baghdad, Dimishka (Damascus), Misra (Cairo). In Samarkand, Timur built such outstanding architectural structures as the Kuk-Saray, the Cathedral Mosque, the Bibikhanym madrasah, the Shakhi-Zinda mausoleum and much more. How much Timur loved his city can be seen at least by how seriously the conqueror of half the world took offense at the famous poet Hafiz, who wrote the lines: "If a Shiraz Turkish woman carries my heart with her hands, I will give both Samarkand and Bukhara for her Indian birthmark." Taking Shiraz, Tamerlane ordered to find Hafiz, the conversation between them went down in history:
"Oh, unfortunate! - said Timur, - I spent my life exalting my beloved cities - Samarkand and Bukhara, and you want to give them to your whore for a birthmark!"
"Oh, lord of the faithful! Because of my generosity, I am in such poverty," - said Hafiz.
Appreciating the joke, Timur ordered to give the poet a robe and let him go.
Hafiz Shirazi
The great city was supposed to trade freely with the whole world, therefore, under Timur, taking care of the safety of caravan routes became one of the main tasks of the government. The goal was achieved, and the roads in Timur's state were considered the most comfortable and safe in the world.
The greatness and power of Tamerlane shook the imagination of not only his contemporaries, but also the conqueror of half of the Universe himself. "My strong army, located near Erzrum, occupied the entire steppe that surrounded this city; I looked at my troops and thought: here I am alone and, it seems, do not possess any special strength, but all this army and each warrior separately are all undoubtedly obey my will. As soon as I give any order, and it will be exactly executed. Reflecting in this way, I thanked the Creator, who so exalted me among his slaves, "Timur wrote in his Autobiography.
In the second part of our article, we will try to understand the reasons for the rise and victories of this ignorant Central Asian bek from an unremarkable Mongolian clan of Barlas.
