Tuzk-e-Taimuri

Tuzk-e-Taimuri (Persian: تزک تیموری ) is considered by many as the autobiography of Amir Timur.

Timur's generally recognized biographers are:

* Ali Yazdi, commonly called Sharaf ud-Din, author of the "Zafarnāma" in Persian (ظفرنامه). His book was translated from Persian into French by Petis de la Croix in 1722 , and from French into English by J. Darby in the following year
* Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abdallah, al-Dimashiqi, al-Ajami (commonly called Ahmad Ibn Arabshah). His book was translated from Persian by the Dutch Orientalist Colitis in 1636.

In the work of the former, as Sir William Jones remarks, "the Tatarian conqueror is represented as a liberal, benevolent and illustrious prince", in that of the latter he is "deformed and impious, of a low birth and detestable principles." But the favourable account was written under the personal supervision of Timur's grandson, Ibrahim, while the other was the production of his direst enemy.

Among less reputed biographies or materials for biography may be mentioned a second "Zafarnāma", by Nizam al-Din Shami, stated to be the earliest known history of Timur, and the only one written in his lifetime.

Timur's purported autobiography, the "Tuzk-e-Taimuri" ("Memoirs of Temur") is a later fabrication,Request quotation|date=November 2007 although most of the historical facts are accurate.Manz, B.F. "Tīmūr Lang", in Encyclopaedia of Islam.]

Text online

* [http://persian.packhum.org/persian/main?url=pf%3Ffile%3D80201013%26ct%3D97 "Malfuzat-i Timuri, or Tuzak-i Timuri", The Autobiography of Timur]
* [http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/h_es/h_es_malfuzat_frameset.htm "Malfuzat-i Timuri, or Tuzak-i Timuri", by Amir Tîmûr-i-lang] In The History of India as Told by its own Historians. The Posthumous Papers of the Late Sir H. M. Elliot. John Dowson, ed. 1st ed. 1867.

See also

* Tuzk-e-Babri‎
* Tuzk-e-Jahangiri‎
* Zafarnama

References