he many architectural
splendors of Samarkand-
the mosques, religious
schools, shrines, and mau-
soleums, sparkling even to-

day with glazed tiles in la- pis, turquoise, and gold-owe largely to the efforts of one man, the legendary con- queror known to the West as Tamerlane. A Turkicized Mongol from the Barlas tribe, Timur (1336-1405) ruled a vast empire that stretched at its height from India to Anato- lia and Damascus. Endowed with artistic vi- sion as well as military prowess, Timur la...