Introduction

Timur’s hometown Shakhrisabz is a small town south of Samarkand. By the time of birth of Timur on 9 April 1336 at the village of Hoja Ilghar, 13 km to the south from Kesh (former name of Shakhrisabz), Kesh was ruled by the Barlas clan, Mongols of the Chaghatai khanate, turkicised by their long stay in the fertile Kashkadarya valley. Using his Barlas lineage, Tamerlane gathered a band of followers, who helped him to become from a sheep-rustler to the lord of the valley by the age of 25. A decade later he became a lord of the whole Transoxiana, making the Samarkand the capital of his empire. As he rose to power, Timur paid great effort to strengthen and beautify Kesh. He built Ak Saray, the white palace, surrounded it by high walls and a deep moat, crossed by drawbridge, and laid out green gardens which gave a new name of Shakhrisabz (Tajik for “Green Town”).
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