The Vedic origins of karma: cosmos as man in ancient Indian myth and ritual . By Herman W. Tull. (SUNY Series in Hindu Studies.) pp. x, 181, Albany, N.Y., State University of New York Press, 1989.

Abstract

He ruled, but did not reign; his decrees were issued in the name of his shadow-khans, first Soyurghatmish and then Sultan Mahmud. It is stated in a note (p. 184, n. 63) that Temiir's later biographer Sharaf al-DIn Yazdl, in contrast with the slightly earlier Nizam-i ShamI, systematically expunged all references to these titular Chinggisid rulers. Manz appears unconsciously to have followed him, since her book contains only a few unspecific allusions to the two khans and neither is at any point named. But how insignificant were they? Chinggisid princes doubtless still had their own warbands even in the 1360s: it is worth noticing that ShamI (Zafar-nama, ed. Tauer, I, 38), speaking of Soyurghatmish (the son of a former khan, Danishmandcha: Mu'izz al-ansab, Paris MS., fo. 43) a few years prior to his enthronement, describes him as "one of the great emirs". And the khan's status at the turn of the century may well have been underestimated. Barthold (Four studies on the history of Central Asia, II, 25) saw "no evidence that Timur had at any time rendered honours to the khans in the presence of the troops and in solemn surroundings". According to a French observer writing in 1403, however, Temiir made a point of visiting the "emperor" once a year and showing him honour; though he does add that after performing this duty Temiir paid his sovereign little heed (H. Moranville, "Memoire sur Tamerlan et sa cour", Bibliotheque de VEcole des Charles, LV, 1894, 445). Yet far from languidly residing in Samarqand in the effete style of some latter-day Merovingian, Sultan Mahmud accompanied Temiir on campaigns against the Golden Horde, the Delhi Sultanate and Mamluk Syria (Hookham, pp. 137, 191, 225); and in the battle of Ankara he played an active role, pursuing and capturing the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid (M. M. Alexandrescu-Dersca, La campagne de Timur en Anatolie (1402), Bucharest, 1942, 79-80). One shadow Chinggisid sovereign, at least, seems to have repaid Temiir's hollow deference if such it was with interest.