Tamerlane was one of history’s greatest conquerors— but was he a great state builder or a bloodthirsty tyrant? You decide.

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He was born in the 1330s in the Chaghatayid Khanate, formerly the Mongol Empire. On the steppe, he rose from a lowly sheep thief to become one of history’s greatest conquerors, uniting nearly all of Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran under his rule. But was he a great state builder or a bloodthirsty tyrant? Stephanie Honchell Smith puts this controversial figure on trial in History vs. Tamerlane.

Lesson by Stephanie Honchell Smith, directed by Brett Underhill, PorkchopBob Studio.

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View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/history-vs-tamerlane-the-conqueror-stephanie-honchell-smith
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