We envision the history of our cities to be a step-by-step sequence of accomplishments, from small settlements to towns to the sprawling metropolises we see today. The darker parts are remembered as merely interludes – ‘dark ages’ – in the grand story, when in reality those dark ages have had a much larger impact on the course of our history than most periods of peace and prosperity.
10. Delhi
Timur, or Tamerlane, was one of the more successful Turko-Mongol rulers that swept across Asia in the aftermath of the Mongol conquests. At its extent in the 15th century, the Timurid empire stretched from Russia to the southern coast of Iran. The Timurid Renaissance – a golden age of arts, culture and science across the empire – would have a lasting impact on the region for centuries to come.
Timur was also, to change the subject a bit, extremely brutal and fanatical in his conquests, and that’s saying something for a Mongol ruler. One of Timur’s most brutal campaigns was staged against the Delhi Sultanate in 1398, ruled by the Tughluq dynasty from their capital at New Delhi. The Tughluqs were, according to Timur, too soft on their non-Muslim subjects, making them a fitting target for brutal conquest and enslavement.
Read Full Article »
