A very quick introduction to Uzbekistan
“If somebody wants to understand who the Uzbeks are, if somebody wants to comprehend all the power, might, justice and unlimited abilities of the Uzbek people, their contribution to the global development, their belief in future, he should recall the image of Amir Temur.”
The above quote greeted me upon entering the State Museum of Temurid History. I had held off visiting any museums during my week in Tashkent, needing the opportunity to have some downtime and knowing that I’d be back in September, but the one museum I wanted to visit was the State Museum of Temurid History, also known as the Amir Temur museum.
I had first heard of Amir Temur when visiting the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi in Turkestan, as Amir Temur was the visionary behind the mausoleum. Amir Temur is of Turkish and Mongol descent and was born in Transoxiana, which is now modern-day Uzbekistan, in the 1320s. He was a famous leader who founded the Temurid (also spelled as Timurid) empire in the 14th century. Depending on who you talked to and what sources you referenced, he was either a beloved, powerful ruler or a ruthless despot. I’d read that he was most well-respected in Uzbekistan, so I knew that I’d be able to learn more about Amir Temur’s story there and his influence on the culture and history of Uzbekistan.
Unfortunately I don’t have any photos of my visit to the museum as I went there right after visiting the US embassy, where I wasn’t allowed to bring my phone or any type of electronic device (I felt very proud of myself for navigating my way to the museum without a phone!). But I do have notes I jotted down in my journal that I’d like to share with you - some brief observations and reflections as I wandered around the small but impressive museum. It’ll be as if you’re in my head while my thoughts are coming in real time.
Wow. The central hall of the museum is absolutely stunning. I wish I had my phone to capture the beauty of the museum’s interior, but alas no phone. So here’s a photo off the internet.
Source: Central-Asia.Guide
MUSINGS AND OBSERVATIONSThis is less of a history museum with thousands of artifacts and relics but more of a brief glimpse into the Temurid history. It was the perfect appetizer of an introduction to Uzbek history.
On display is a letter (the real thing!) from Amir Temur to King Charles VI of France from 1402. These two rulers connected?! Why was this never mentioned in history class? I’d never heard of Temur before coming to Central Asia, yet he was in correspondence with European rulers, who we did learn about.
One gallery contains portraits of various Temurid princes, descendants of the great Amir Temur, and details their quick biographies. Amir Temur was definitely prolific in his offspring - one exhibit shows his vast and complex family tree that includes well-known historical figures such as Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal, and Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire. Amir Temur also claimed to be a descendent of Genghis Khan (who ruled a century earlier) and held this warlord in high regard.
It can get confusing that Temur can be spelled multiple ways in the English alphabet. I’ve seen Temur, Timir, and Timur, and Amir Temur was also known as Tamarlane.
This museum has been my favorite out of the museums I’ve visited in Central Asia, although most of them were in Kazakhstan. I wonder if this is because it seems like Uzbekistan has had more investments in their tourism infrastructure.
There was a New York City proclamation on display signed by Rudy Giuliani during his time as mayor of New York City. It celebrates the 9th anniversary of the Republic of Uzbekistan (it only became an independent state in 1991!).
It’s funny that portraits of Amir Temur painted by European artists portray him as very European-looking with Caucasian features, which contrasts sharply with the portraits of him painted by Central Asian artists where you see him with more Asian and Arabic features.
Architecture and art from the Temurid period deeply influenced architecture in India, as evidenced by the design of the Taj Mahal and other buildings built in India around that time.
Learned about Mirzo Ulughbek (also spelled Ulugh Beg), a famous astronomer and grandson of Amir Temur. He’s recognized as one of the most important astronomers and scholars of the 15th century (again, did not learn about him in school!). He built the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand in the 1420s, and the observatory is considered to be one of the finest observatories in the Islamic world at the time. While he was a great astronomer, he was a poor ruler and ended up being overthrown and assassinated.
After leaving the museum, I felt excited to learn more about Uzbek history and visit more museums when I’m back in Uzbekistan in September. There’s a richness to the history here, a sense of strong Uzbek identity and pride, that feels different to the museums I visited in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan - I wonder if that’s because Uzbekistan has less of a leftover legacy from the Soviet Era.
Exterior of the State Museum of Temurid History.
Source: Wikipedia, RyansWorld - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21988099