Turkic/Mongol conqueror who made Samarkand the capital of a vast nomad empire extending from Mongolia to the Mediterranean, but centered on Iran, Afghanistan, and Soviet central Asia. Many Timurid monuments, built by Timur himself and his grandson, Ulugbek, still survive in Samarkand. The monuments are covered in azure, turquoise, gold, and alabaster mosaics and are dominated by the great cathedral mosque and his mausoleum, the Gur-e Amir. Of Islamic faith, he is remembered for his barbarous conquests and the cultural achievements of his dynasty.