The Timurid dynasty, self-designated as Gurkani, was the ruling dynasty of the Timurid Empire (1370âÂÂ1507). It was a Sunni Muslim dynasty or BarlÃÂs clan of Turco-Mongol origin descended from the warlord Timur (also known as Tamerlane). The word "Gurkani" derives from Gurkân ()âÂÂa Persianized form of the Mongolian word kürgen, meaning 'son-in-law'. This was an honorific title used by the dynasty as the Timurids were in-laws of the line of Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire, as Timur had married Saray Mulk Khanum, a direct descendant of Genghis Khan. Members of the Timurid dynasty signaled the Timurid Renaissance, and they were strongly influenced by Persian culture and established two significant empires in history, the Timurid Empire (1370âÂÂ1507) based in Persia and Central Asia, and the Mughal Empire (1526âÂÂ1857) based in the Indian subcontinent.
The origin of the Timurid dynasty goes back to the roots from Khamag Mongol Khanate as subclan of militaristic chieftain broader tribe Borjigins which is ethnical Mongol tribe known as Barlas, who were remnants of the Mongol army of Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire. After the Mongol conquest of Central Asia, some historians says Barlas were the Royal Kheshig armies who were appointed to established there headquarters in Transoxiana region for surveillance, the Barlas settled in what is today southern Turkistan, from Shymkent to Taraz and Almaty, which then came to be known for a time as Moghulistan â "Land of Mongols" in Persian â and intermingled to a considerable degree with the local Turkic and Turkic-speaking population, so that at the time of Timur's reign the Barlas had become thoroughly Turkicized in terms of language and habits.
Additionally, by adopting Sunni Islam, the Central Asian Turks and Mongols adopted Persian literary and high culture for there administration parts, which had dominated Central Asia since the early days of Islamic influence. Persian literature was instrumental in the assimilation of the Timurid elite into Perso-Islamic courtly culture.