The Epic of Amir Timur's Rise
According to Uzbek legend, the great conqueror Amir Timur (Tamerlane) was born with a clot of dried blood in his fist — a sign of his destiny as a warrior. As a young man, he was a sheep thief and a bandit until a vision from the spirit of his ancestor showed him his true path. After being wounded in battle, he limped through the mountains and took refuge in the cave of a holy man who prophesied that Timur would conquer from Damascus to Delhi. Timur's rise from obscure origins to ruler of the mightiest empire since Genghis Khan is seen as proof of divine favor. His construction projects in Sam