GENEALOGICAL TRADITIONS OF THE TIMURID DYNASTY: AN ANALYSIS BASED ON WRITTEN, EPIGRAPHIC AND SEMIOTIC SOURCES

Abstract

This article presents a comparative analysis of written and epigraphic sources related to the genealogy of the Timurid dynasty, including mausoleum tomb inscriptions, the genealogical tree compiled by Husayn ibn Ali Shah, Mu‘jiz al-Ansab, and genealogical data found in the works of Hafiz Abru and Sharaf al-Din Ali Yazdi. The study examines Timur’s association with the Chinggisid lineage, the origins of the Barlas tribe, differences between the narratives in The Secret History of the Mongols and Rashid al-Din’s accounts, and the ideological foundations of Timurid political legitimacy. Additionally, the Timurid dynastic banner symbol, its political-semiotic function, and its place within the context of medieval Islamic material culture are analyzed based on the Catalan Atlas and other historical sources.