Timurid dynasty


The Timurid dynasty, self-designated as Gurkani, was the ruling dynasty of the Timurid Empire. It was a Sunni Muslim dynasty or Barlās clan of Turco-Mongol origin descended from the warlord Timur. The word "Gurkani" derives from Gurkân —a Persianized form of the Mongolian word kürgen, meaning 'son-in-law'. 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 culture and established two significant empires in history, the Timurid Empire based in Persia and Central Asia, and the Mughal Empire 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

Timurid Empire

EmperorBirthReign PeriodDeathNotes
Babur14 February 148321 April 1526 - 26 December 15301530Was a direct descendant of Genghis Khan through his mother and was descendant of Timur through his father. Founded the Mughal Empire after his victories at the First Battle of Panipat and the Battle of Khanwa.
Humayun6 March 150826 December 1530 - 17 May 154027 January 1556Reign interrupted by Sur Empire. Youth and inexperience at ascension led to his being regarded as a less effective ruler than a usurper, Sher Shah Suri.
Sher Shah Suri148617 May 1540 - 22 May 154522 May 1545Deposed Humayun and led the Sur Empire.
Islam Shah Suri15071545–15541554Second and last ruler of the Sur Empire, claims of sons Sikandar and Adil Shah were eliminated by Humayun's restoration.
Humayun6 March 150822 June 1555 – 27 January 155627 January 1556Restored rule was more unified and effective than the initial reign of 1530–1540; left a unified empire for his son, Akbar.
Akbar15 October 154211 February 1556 - 27 October 160527 October 1605He and Bairam Khan defeated Hemu during the Second Battle of Panipat and later won famous victories during the Siege of Chittorgarh and the Siege of Ranthambore; He greatly expanded the Empire and is regarded as the most illustrious ruler of the Mughal Empire as he set up the empire's various institutions; One of his most famous construction marvels was the Lahore Fort and Agra Fort.
Jahangir31 August 15693 November 1605 – 28 October 162728 October 1627Jahangir set the precedent for sons rebelling against their emperor fathers. Opened first relations with the British East India Company.
Shah Jahan5 January 159219 January 1628 – 31 July 165822 January 1666Under him, Mughal art and architecture reached their zenith; constructed the Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Jahangir mausoleum, and Shalimar Gardens in Lahore. Deposed by his son Aurangzeb.
Aurangzeb3 November 161831 July 1658 – 3 March 17073 March 1707He reinterpreted Islamic law and presented the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri; he captured the diamond mines of the Sultanate of Golconda; he spent the major part of his last 27 years in the war with the Maratha rebels; at its zenith, his conquests expanded the empire to its greatest extent; the over-stretched empire was controlled by Mansabdars, and faced challenges after his death. He is known to have transcribed copies of the Qur'an using his styles of calligraphy.
Bahadur Shah I14 October 164319 June 1707–27 February 171227 February 1712First of the Mughal emperors to preside over an empire ravaged by uncontrollable revolts. After his reign, the empire went into steady decline due to the lack of leadership qualities among his immediate successors.
Jahandar Shah10 May 166129 March 1712 – 11 February 171311 February 1713The son of Bahadur Shah I, he was an unpopular and incompetent titular figurehead; he attained the throne after his father's death by his victory in battle over his brother, who was killed.
Farrukhsiyar20 August 168311 January 1713 – 9 April 17199 April 1719His reign marked the ascendancy of the manipulative Syed Brothers, execution of the rebellious Banda. In 1717 he granted a Firman to the English East India Company granting them duty-free trading rights in Bengal. The Firman was repudiated by the notable Murshid Quli Khan the Mughal appointed ruler of Bengal.
Rafi Ul-Darjat1 December 169928 February - 6 June 17196 June 1719
Rafi Ud-DaulatJune 16966 June - 17 September 171918 September 1719
Muhammad Ibrahim9 August 170315 October – 13 November 172031 January 1746
Muhammad Shah7 August 170227 September 1719 - 26 April26 April 1748Got rid of the Syed Brothers. Tried to counter the emergence of the Marathas but his empire disintegrated. Suffered the invasion of Nadir-Shah of Persia in 1739.
Ahmad Shah Bahadur23 December 172529 April 1748 – 2 June 17541 January 1775
Alamgir II6 June 16993 June 1754 – 29 November 175929 November 1759He was murdered according to by the Vizier Imad-ul-Mulk and Maratha associate Sadashivrao Bhau.
Shah Jahan III171110 December 1759 - 10 October 17601772Was ordained to the imperial throne as a result of the intricacies in Delhi with the help of Imad-ul-Mulk. He was later deposed by Maratha Sardars.
Shah Alam II25 June 172810 October 1760 – 31 July 1788, 16 October 1788 – 19 November 180619 November 1806He was proclaimed as Mughal Emperor by the Marathas. Later, he was again recognized as the Mughal Emperor by Ahmad Shah Durrani after the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. 1764 saw the defeat of the combined forces of Mughal Emperor, Nawab of Oudh and Nawab of Bengal and Bihar at the hand of East India Company at the Battle of Buxar. Following this defeat, Shah Alam II left Delhi for Allahabad, ending hostilities with the Treaty of Allahabad. Shah Alam II was reinstated to the throne of Delhi in 1772 by Mahadaji Shinde under the protection of the Marathas. He was a de jure emperor. During his reign in 1793 British East India company abolished Nizamat and took control of the former Mughal province of Bengal marking the beginning of British reign in parts of Eastern India officially.
Akbar Shah II22 April 176019 November 1806 – 28 September 183728 September 1837He became a British pensioner after the defeat of the Marathas in the Third Anglo-Maratha war who was until then the protector of the Mughal throne. Under the East India company's protection, his imperial name was removed from official coinage after a brief dispute with the British East India Company.
Bahadur Shah II24 October 177528 September 1837 – 21 September 18577 November 1862The last Mughal emperor was deposed in 1858 by the British East India Company and exiled to Burma following the War of 1857 after the fall of Delhi to the company troops. His death marks the end of the Mughal dynasty but not of the family.

Genealogy of House of Timur