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History vs. Tamerlane the Conqueror - Stephanie Honchell Smith

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He was born in the 1330s in the Chaghatayid Khanate, formerly the Mongol Empire. On the steppe, he rose from a lowly sheep thief to become one of history’s greatest conquerors, uniting nearly all of Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran under his rule. But was he a great state builder or a bloodthirsty tyrant? Stephanie Honchell Smith puts this controversial figure on trial in History vs. Tamerlane.

Why did Timur’s biographers exaggerate the number of deaths caused by his conquests? What other reasons, besides those listed in the video, might have influenced this?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Stephanie Honchell Smith
  • Director Brett Underhill
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Animator Brett Underhill
  • Composer Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox

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