Khalil Sultan - Biography

Biography

During Timur's lifetime, Khalil Sultan gained the conqueror's particular favor. He distinguished himself during the campaign in India and in 1402 was given rule of Ferghana valley. Upon Timur's death in 1405 Khalil viewed himself as his successor. Timur's appointed successor Pir Muhammad was quickly cast aside, and Khalil gained control of Samarkand. Khalil gained Timur's treasury and bestowed the puppet title of Chagatai Khan (which before had always been granted by Timur to a descendant of Genghis Khan to legitimize his rule) to a Timurid prince. Khalil also gained an ally, Sultan Husain, who had previously also made claims to the throne as a grandson of Timur.

Meanwhile, Shah Rukh, who was ruling in Herat, also decided to press his claims. He advanced to the Oxus River against Khalil but turned back when Khalil's father Miran Shah, as well as his brother Aba Bakr, marched from Azerbaijan in support. Nevertheless, Khalil's position began to weaken. He was unpopular in Samarkand, where the nobility despised his wife Shad Mulk. The latter had considerable influence over Khalil, convincing him to appoint people of low birth to high positions at the expense of the nobility. A famine caused him to be even more despised. He decided to return to Ferghana valley with his former mentor, Khudaidid Husain, who went to Moghulistan (the realm of the eastern Chagatai Khans) in an attempt to win their support. However, Persian historian Khwandamir instead claims that Khudaidid Husain began a civil war against Khalil and took him prisoner, delivering him along with his territory to eastern Chagatai Khan Shams-i-Jahan (r. 1399–1408). Shams-i-Jahan, however, had Khudaidid Husain executed for his treason to Khalil and returned Khalil his kingdom.

Khalil's rule in Samarkand finally ended when Shah Rukh entered the city unopposed on May 13, 1409. Transoxiana was then given to Shah Rukh's son Ulugh Beg. Khalil decided to surrender to Shah Rukh, who had captured Shad Mulk. He received his wife back, and was appointed governor of Ray. He died there in 1411. His wife committed suicide shortly after his death.