Temür, Painter of Politics

Extract

Persia in the post-Mongol era is an ambiguous concept. The area is riddled with different ethnicities, religions, and seemingly endless claims to power. The Timurid Empire is no exception to this trend. Temür rises to power in 1370 using Central Asian nomadic styles of ruling and quickly dominates this geographic region inhabited by a plethora of ethnicities and religions. He understands the volatility of maintaining a large, diverse empire and takes key steps in securing his “united” rule. The key political move that this paper examines is Temür's commissioning of art. The art endorsed by the Timurid government surrounds the illumination of manuscripts and the illustration of literature. The Timurids conveyed two main messages to those living under their empire. The first message targets the main ethnic groups: Iranians, Mongols and Turks, justifying Temür as their rightful leader. The second message is delivered to the ethnic minorities, instilling fear to prevent rebellions and ensure subjugation. This paper will demonstrate that the Timurids decided to present political messages through cultural media because they understood the how literature and art were imperative in shaping identity.