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The Timurid Empire was established in Chagatai Khanate, the place where Timur was born in the year of 1336. There were several reasons behind the establishment of the Timurid Empire. In the mid 14th century, Khanate was lead by a series of weak leaders. This allowed the small rulers of different regions within Khanate to get separated and grow independently. As a result, a small region called Transoxiana that include the cities of Bukhara and Samarkand started flourishing and Timur started his journey as a conqueror with a battle against the Chagatai Khans of Transoxiana.
In 1364, the empire of Timur was established when he drove away the Chagatai Khans and won the throne. His display of respect towards Islamic culture helped him to get all the support from the local leaders, which allowed the extension of Timur’s Empire. After Transoxiana, an extension of Timur’s empire went to Persia and defeated the local rulers. During this time, he defeated Toqtamish who assisted him in the early battles. He won Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and northern Iraq after defeating Toqtamish and finally in 1391, Timur’s empire spread up to Syria and Asia Minor. Timur’s empire in India and the Delhi Sultanate was established after he defeated the Ottomans.
Timur himself was a Muslim and the Timurid Empire was an Islamic empire. So the historians believe that the reason behind his attacks to all these countries was no holy war or Jihad, it was essentially political.
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