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(Persian. میرزا محمد طارق بن شاهرخ March 22, 1394, Soltaniye - October 27, 1449, Samarkand) - ruler of the Turkic state of the Timurids, son of Shahrukh, grandson of Tamerlane. Known as an outstanding mathematician, astronomer and astrologer of his time, he was also interested in history and poetry. Founded one of the most important observatories of the Middle Ages.

Title "Guragan" (pers. گوركانى ‎, Gurkān) - Iranianized version of Mongolian kurugen or Khurgen, “son-in-law”, “khan’s groom”. Tamerlane was the first to accept the title of Gurkani, having become related to the house of the Chingizids. Representatives of the Timurid dynasty traditionally married Chingizid women and thus acquired the title of Guragani.

Born on March 22, 1394 in the city of Sultaniya during the five-year campaign of his grandfather Tamerlane (Timur the Lame). His father was younger son Timur Shahrukh (1377-1447). His mother was Gauharshad Begim, the daughter of a representative of the Turkic tribal aristocracy, Giyasiddin Tarkhan. Mirzo Ulugbek's real name was Muhammad Taragay. So it was named in honor of Timur's father. But he became better known under the name Ulugbek (great bek - translated from Turkic). Ulugbek's teacher was the poet and scientist Arif Azari.

In 1405, Timur died, and after the fall of power of Timur's grandson Khalil-Sultan (1405-1409), Timur's youngest son Shahrukh entered Samarkand. His eldest son Ulugbek in 1409 was declared the ruler of Transoxiana with his capital in Samarkand. In 1411 his rule becomes sovereign.

Three wives of Ulugbek are known: Ak-Sultan Khanika, a Chingizid and daughter of Mahmud Khan, daughter of Khalil Sultan, whose name is not known, and Oge Begim - daughter of Muhammad Sultan, grandson of Timur. The latter was born around 1394, and on August 19, 1412, in Herat, she gave birth to his daughter, Khasiba Sultan Khanzada. Oge-begim dies in 1419, and according to legend she could have been buried in the Gur Emir Mausoleum.

The reconstruction of Ulugbek's face based on his skull was carried out by the famous Soviet anthropologist and sculptor Mikhail Mikhailovich Gerasimov. In the appearance of Ulugbek, like Tamerlane, Mongoloid features prevailed over Caucasoid ones.

According to legend, even as a child, Ulugbek had the opportunity to visit the ruins of the famous observatory of At-Tusi, Nasir ad-Din in Maragha. This impressed the inquisitive Ulugbek strong impression and determined his passion for astronomy. In 1417-1420, Ulugbek built in Samarkandemedres, which became the first building in architectural ensemble Registan. Ulugbek invited him to this madrasah a large number of astronomers and mathematicians of the Islamic world. The other two madrasahs were built in Gijduvan and Bukhara. On the portal of the latter there is an inscription (hadith of the Prophet Muhammad): “The pursuit of knowledge is the duty of every Muslim man and woman.” In general, all the numerous inscriptions on the madrasah encourage people to study science.

Under Ulugbek, Samarkand became one of the world centers of science of the Middle Ages. Here, in Samarkand in the first half of the 15th century, a whole scientific school, which united prominent astronomers and mathematicians - Ghiyasiddin Jamshid Kashi, Kazizade Rumi, al-Kushchi. The historian Hafizi Abru, who wrote a wonderful work on history, lived in Samarkand at that time. Central Asia, famous physician Mavlono Nafis, poets Sirajiddin Samarkandi, Sakkaki, Lutfi, Badakhshi etc.

The preserved underground part of the main quadrant of the Ulugbek Observatory.

Main scientific work Ulugbek is rightfully considered “Ziji Jadidi Guragani” or “New Guragani astronomical tables”. The author completed this work in 1444 after thirty years of painstaking work and astronomical observations. The astronomical reference book was soon translated into Latin language and along with the “Almagest” of Claudius Ptolemy and the astronomical tables of the Castilian king Alfonso X, it was a manual on astronomy in all observatories in Europe.

The accuracy of these tables exceeded everything previously achieved in the East and Europe. Only in the 17th century. Tycho Brahe managed to achieve accuracy comparable to the Samarkand observations, and then surpass it. It is not surprising that “Zij Ulugbek” constantly attracted the attention of astronomers, both in the East and in Europe.

The creation of the Samarkand Observatory became possible because the most important components of success merged in the person of Ulugbek: a talented scientist who clearly understood the scientific goal and the ways of its implementation, and the ruler of a powerful state who had sufficient funds. The most important result of the Samarkand school is the catalog of stars. In the East, such catalogs were called zijs. Previous star catalogs appear to have been based on the observations of Hipparchus, reduced to the appropriate era. “Zij Ulugbek” was largely based on his own observations.

Ulugbek was a great patron of science and the arts. In addition to astronomy and geography, he was interested in poetry and history. By historical work « Tale of Four uluses" ( Tarikh-i-ulus-i-arba'a) was Ulugbek himself.

From 1427 to 1447, Ulugbek practically did not conduct any serious military operations.

In 1428, he carried out an important monetary reform in the country, which had a beneficial effect on the state's economy.

Ulugbek had several sons and daughters. The eldest son was Abd al Latif, and the youngest was Abdulaziz. His daughter Robiya Sultan Begim was later married to the ruler of the Uzbek Khanate, Abu-l-Khair (1428-1468).

After Shahrukh's death in 1447, civil strife began in the country.

After the defeat in the Khorasan campaign in 1447, a conflict arose between Ulugbek and his eldest son Abd al Latif, which turned into hostilities. This war ended with the defeat of Ulugbek. Soon after this, Ulugbek was treacherously killed.

Ulugbek was killed in October 1449. The historian Mirkhond reports on the death of Ulugbek detailed story from the words of Haji Muhammad-Khisrau, who accompanied Ulugbek.

His famous student, the Samarkand astronomer al-Kushchi, after the death of Ulugbek in the 1470s, arrived in Istanbul, where he was appointed professor at the Hagia Sophia madrasah.

Ulugbek's observatory gradually collapsed and at the end of the 17th century was dismantled into bricks.

Ulugbek's star catalog became known to European astronomers after its publication in 1648 in Oxford - one of the oldest centers of science and culture in England - where it was first partially published main job, made in the famous Samarkand observatory of Ulugbek. The work was prepared for publication and commented on by John Greaves (1602-1652), professor of astronomy at Oxford University. Later, fragments of the catalog were published in England several times.

17 years after the first Oxford publication, the learned keeper of the Bodleian Library in Oxford, English orientalist and translator Thomas Hyde (1636-1703) prepared and printed in Persian and Latin a new edition of the Samarkand catalog entitled “ Tabulae Long, ac Lat. Stellarum Fixarum, ex observatione Ulugh Beighi", Oxonii, 1665.

In the Catalog of the Starry Sky, published by Jan Hevelius, there is an engraving depicting a symbolic meeting of the world's greatest astronomers who lived in different times V various countries. They sit at the table, located on either side of the muse of astronomy Urania. Ulugbek is also depicted among them.

The German astronomer and lunar mapmaker Johann Heinrich von Mädler named the lunar crater Ulugbek in his 1830 lunar map in honor of Ulugbek.

Most detailed analysis Ulugbek's star catalogue, based on the study of 8 manuscripts stored in UK libraries, was published in the USA in 1917 by E.B. Noble under the title " Ulugh Beg's Catalog of Stars. Revised from all Persian Manuscripts Existing in Great Britain».

Through the efforts of V.L. Vyatkin in 1908 and 1914, the location of the remains of Ulugbek’s observatory was found and their first excavations were carried out. Research at the observatory was successfully continued by M.E. Masson in 1941, A.A. Pulyavin in 1943 and V.A. Shishkin in 1948.

Interesting Facts

To date, some personal belongings of Ulugbek have been preserved, but they are scattered throughout different museums and private collections around the world. His personal chest is now kept in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul. Ulugbek's cup, made of jade, is in the collection British Museum. The ruby stone, which once adorned the crown of Ulugbek, included private collection Arab Sheikh al-Sabah.

Memory

The National University of Uzbekistan is named after Mirzo Ulugbek.
Avenues and streets in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and other cities of Uzbekistan bear the name of Mirzo Ulugbek.
One of the streets of Almaty is named after Ulugbek.
One of the Tashkent metro stations is named after Mirzo Ulugbek.
An urban-type settlement in the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan bears the name Ulugbek.
One of the districts (tumans) of the city of Tashkent is named after Mirzo Ulugbek.
Samarkand State Institute of Architecture and Construction named after Mirzo Ulugbek.
Writer Adil Yakubov wrote the novel “Treasures of Ulugbek”.
Writer Maksud Sheikhzadeh wrote the play “Mirza Ulugbek” in 1964.
In 1966, the film “Star of Ulugbek” was shot in Uzbekistan.
In the 1970s, a multi-part video film “Treasures of Ulugbek” was shot in Uzbekistan.
Writer and poet Khurshid Davron wrote the story “The Grandson of Sahibkiran” (1994) and the play “The Star of Algul or the Last Day of Ulugbek.”
The Mirzo Ulugbek Museum was created in Samarkand.
Monuments in honor of Mirzo Ulugbek were erected in Tashkent and Samarkand.
A monument to Mirzo Ulugbek was erected in Kronvalda Park in Riga, not far from the Embassy of Uzbekistan.
Ulugbekia is a genus of plants of the Borage family.
The Astronomical Institute named after Ulugbek, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, is named after the great scientist.
Ulugbek is a crater on the visible side of the Moon near the northwestern edge of the limb.
(2439) Ulugbek is a main belt asteroid discovered in 1977.

Abstract on the topic:

Plan:

1 Biography
2 Political and scientific activities
3 Results of scientific activities
4 Interesting Facts
5 Memory

Introduction

Mirza (later Sultan) Muhammad ibn Shahrukh ibn Timur Ulugbek Guragan(Persian. میرزا محمد طارق بن شاهرخ ‎, Uzbek Mirzo (keyinchalik Sulton) Muhammad ibn Shohruh ibn Temur Ulug "bek Ko"ragon; March 22, 1394 Soltaniye - October 27, 1449 Samarkand) - ruler of the Timurid state, son of Shahrukh, grandson of Tamerlane. Known as an outstanding astronomer and astrologer. Title Gurkani (Guragan) Gurkān - Iranianized version of Mongolian kurugen or Khurgen, “son-in-law”, “khan’s groom”. The title of Gurkani was first accepted by Tamerlane, who became related to the house of Genghisids. Representatives of the Timurid dynasty traditionally married Chingizid women and thus acquired the title of Guragani.

1. Biography

Born on March 22, 1394 in the city of Sultaniya during the five-year campaign of his grandfather Amir Temur. His mother was Gauharshad Begim, the daughter of a representative of the Turkic tribal aristocracy Giyas ad-din Tarkhan. Mirzo Ulugbek's real name was Muhammad Taragay. So it was named in honor of Amir Temur’s father. But he became better known under the name Ulugbek (great bek - translated from Turkic). Ulugbek's teacher was the poet and scientist Arif Azari. In 1405, Timur died, and after the fall of the power of Amir Temur's grandson Khalil Sultan (1405-1409), Amir Temur's youngest son Shahrukh entered Samarkand. His eldest son Ulugbek in 1409 was declared the ruler of Transoxiana with his capital in Samarkand. In 1411 his rule becomes sovereign.

2. Political and scientific activities

According to legend, even as a child, Ulugbek had the opportunity to visit the ruins of the famous observatory of At-Tusi, Nasir ad-Din in Maragha. This made a strong impression on the inquisitive Ulugbek and determined his passion for astronomy. In 1417-1420, Ulugbek built a madrasah in Samarkand, which became the first building in the Registan architectural ensemble. Ulugbek invited a large number of astronomers and mathematicians of the Islamic world to this madrasah. The other two madrasahs were built in Gijduvan and Bukhara. On the portal of the latter there is an inscription (hadith of the Prophet Muhammad): “The pursuit of knowledge is the duty of every Muslim man and woman.” In general, all the numerous inscriptions on the madrasah encourage people to study science.

Under Ulugbek, Samarkand became one of the world centers of science of the Middle Ages. Here, in Samarkand in the first half of the 15th century, a whole scientific school arose around Ulugbek, uniting prominent astronomers and mathematicians - Giyasiddin Jamshid Kashi, Kazizade Rumi, Ali Kushchi. The historian Hafizi Abru, who wrote a wonderful work on the history of Central Asia, the famous physician Mavlono Nefis, the poets Sirajiddin Samarkandi, Sakkaki, Lutfi, Badakhshi and others lived in Samarkand at that time.

The preserved underground part of the main quadrant of the Ulugbek Observatory.

Ulugbek's main interest in science was astronomy. In 1428, the construction of the Ulugbek Observatory was completed, the main instrument of which was a wall quadrant with a radius of 40 meters and a working part from 20° to 80°, which had no equal in the world. Ulugbek's collaborators included such outstanding astronomers as Kazi-zade ar-Rumi, al-Kashi, al-Kushchi. In the observatory of Ulugbek by 1437 it was compiled Gurgan zij- catalog of the starry sky, in which 1018 stars were described. The length of the sidereal year was also determined there: 365d6h10m8s (with an error of +58s). Ulugbek’s main scientific work is rightfully considered “Ziji Jadidi Guragani” or “New Guraganian Astronomical Tables”. The author completed this work in 1444 after thirty years of painstaking work and astronomical observations. The astronomical reference book was soon translated into Latin and, along with the Almagest of Claudius Ptolemy and the astronomical tables of the Castilian king Alfonso XV, was a manual on astronomy in all observatories in Europe.

The creation of the Samarkand Observatory became possible because the most important components of success merged in the person of Ulugbek: a talented scientist who clearly understood the scientific goal and the ways of its implementation, and the ruler of a powerful state who had sufficient funds. The most important result of the Samarkand school is the catalog of stars. In the East, such catalogs were called zijs. Previous star catalogs appear to have been based on the observations of Hipparchus, brought down to the appropriate era. “Zij Ulugbek” was largely based on his own observations.

Ulugbek was a great patron of science and the arts. In addition to astronomy and geography, he was interested in poetry and history. The author of the historical work “The History of Four Uluses” ( Tarikh-i-ulus-i-arba"a) was Ulugbek himself.

From 1427 to 1447, Ulugbek practically did not conduct any serious military operations.

In 1428, he carried out an important monetary reform in the country, which had a beneficial effect on the state's economy.

Ulugbek had several sons and daughters. The eldest son was Abd al Latif, and the youngest son Abd al Aziz. His daughter Robiya Sultan Begim was later married to the ruler of the nomadic Uzbeks, Abu-l-Khairkhan (1428-1468).

After Shahrukh's death, civil strife began in the country.

After the defeat in the Khorasan campaign in 1447, a conflict arose between Ulugbek and his eldest son Abd al-Latif, which turned into hostilities. This war ended with the defeat of Ulugbek. Soon after this, Ulugbek was treacherously killed.

3. Results of scientific activities

USSR postage stamp, 1987.

His famous student, the Samarkand astronomer al-Kushchi, after the death of Ulugbek in the 1470s, arrived in Istanbul where he was appointed professor at the Hagia Sophia Madrasah.

Ulugbek's observatory gradually collapsed and at the end of the 17th century was dismantled into bricks.

Ulugbek's star catalog became known to European astronomers after its publication in 1648 in Oxford - one of the oldest centers of science and culture in England - where the main work carried out in the famous Samarkand observatory of Ulugbek was partially published for the first time. The work was prepared for publication and commented on by John Greaves (1602-1652), professor of astronomy at Oxford University. Later, fragments of the catalog were published in England several times.

In the Catalog of the Starry Sky, published by Jan Hevelius, there is an engraving depicting a symbolic collection of the greatest astronomers of the world who lived at different times in different countries. They sit at the table, located on either side of the muse of astronomy Urania. Ulugbek is also depicted among them.

The German astronomer and lunar mapmaker Johann Heinrich von Mädler named the lunar crater Ulugbek as part of Ulugbek. (English) Russian , plotted on his 1830 lunar map.

The most detailed analysis of Ulugbek's star catalogue, based on the study of 8 manuscripts stored in UK libraries, was published in the USA in 1917 by E.B. Noble [ Who?] entitled " Ulugh Beg's Catalog of Stars. Revised from all Persian Manuscripts Existing in Great Britain».

4. Interesting facts

To date, some personal belongings of Ulugbek have been preserved, but they are scattered across various museums and private collections around the world. His personal chest is now kept in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul. Ulugbek's cup, made of jade, is in the collection of the British Museum. A ruby stone that once adorned the crown of Ulugh Beg, part of the private collection of the Arab sheikh al-Sabah.

5. Memory

Postage stamp of Uzbekistan, 1994.

The National University of Uzbekistan is named after Mirzo Ulugbek.
Avenues and streets in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and other cities of Uzbekistan bear the name of Mirzo Ulugbek.
Monuments in honor of Mirzo Ulugbek were erected in Tashkent and Samarkand.
Writer Maksud Sheikh-zadeh wrote the play “Mirza Ulugbek” in 1964.
Writer Yakubov, Adil wrote the novel “Treasures of Ulugbek”.
In 1966, the film “Star of Ulugbek” was shot in Uzbekistan.
In the 1970s, a multi-part video film “Treasures of Ulugbek” was shot in Uzbekistan.
One of the Tashkent metro stations is named after Mirzo Ulugbek.
One of the districts of the city of Tashkent is named after Mirzo Ulugbek.
The Mirzo Ulugbek Museum was created in Samarkand.
Samarkand State Institute of Architecture and Construction named after Mirzo Ulugbek.
The French educator Voltaire called Ulugbek's scientific school an "academy".

Literature

Bartold V.V. Ulugbek and his time. / Bartold V.V. Soch., T.2, Part 2. - M., 1964, p.23-196.
Kary-Niyazov T. N. Astronomical school of Ulugbek. / M.-L.: Publishing house. USSR Academy of Sciences, 1950.
Matvievskaya G. P., Sirazhdinov S. Kh. About the mathematical works of Ulugbek’s school. / In the book: From the history of the Ulugbek era. Tashkent: Nauka, 1965, p. 173-199.
Matvievskaya G. P., Rosenfeld B. A. Mathematicians and astronomers of the Muslim Middle Ages and their works (VIII-XVII centuries). / In 3 volumes. M.: Nauka, 1983.
Bulatov M. S., Ulugbek Observatory in Samarkand. / Historical and mathematical studies, XVIII, 1986, p. 199-216.
Matvievskaya G. P., Sokolovskaya Z. K. Ulugbek (1394-1449) / Moscow, Science, 1997.
Fazlıoğlu İ. The Samarqand Mathematical-Astronomical School: A Basis for Ottoman Philosophy and Science // Journal for the History of Arabic Science. - 2008. - Vol. 14. - P. 3-68.
Kari-Niazov T. N. Ulugh Beg // Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. - 2008.

Notes

IBN ARABSHAH. MIRACLES OF FATE OF THE HISTORY OF TEMUR - www.vostlit.info/Texts/rus17/Ibn_Arabshah/text1.phtml?id=5713
International conference of astronomers in Samarkand::: 615 years of Mirzo Ulugbek::: Ulugbek Observatory in Samarkand - www.e-samarkand.narod.ru/News.files/090609.htm
History of Kazakhstan in Persian sources. T.5. Almaty: Dyke-Press, 2007, p.88
“This is a triumph of the masters of the Mughal era” // “Vremya Novostey”, No. 31, February 25, 2009 - www.vremya.ru/2009/31/10/223715.html - interview with Princess of Kuwait Hissa al-Sabah about the exhibition “Treasury” peace. Jewelry art of India in the era of the Great Mughals."
Education in the Republic of Uzbekistan - Universities of the Republic - www.edu.uz/modules/pasport/singlepas.php?lid=30
The Mirzo Ulugbek Museum has been created in Samarkand - www.kultura.uz/home/29-news/475-2010-09-12-16-26-57.html

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The great Uzbek poet Alisher Navoi was only eight years old when Ulugbek was killed near Samarkand. In his youth, Navoi went to Samarkand, because the fame of this city of scientists thundered, where memories of the great Samarkand astronomer were still fresh. This is what Navoi wrote about Ulugbek:

“Sultan Ulugbek, a descendant of Khan Timur, was a king the like of whom the world had never known.

All his relatives disappeared into oblivion. Who remembers them nowadays? But he, Ulugbek, extended his hand to science and achieved a lot. Before his eyes, the sky became close and sank down.

Until the end of the world, people of all times will copy laws and rules from his laws" (Navoi meant the laws of movement celestial bodies, the study of which Ulugbek devoted his life).

So great poet predicted immortality in the memory of people for the great scientist.

How did the life of Timur’s grandson turn out and how could he, the heir of a formidable conqueror, acquire the fame of a learned astronomer?

Following the historians, we will briefly talk about the life of Ulugbek. Military campaigns in those days lasted for years. His wives and children usually followed Timur to distant countries with a convoy. In such a military train, on March 22, 1394, Timur’s third son, Shahrukh, and his young wife Gauhar-Shad-aga gave birth to a boy. The newborn was named Mohammed-Taragay.

Subsequently, during the life of his grandfather, the boy began to be called the “great bek” (emir). The nickname Ulugbek, that is, big, great bek, stuck with the boy for the rest of his life.

Timur treated the upbringing of his grandchildren with care. Obviously, he wanted to at least find himself in his grandchildren worthy successor. The cruel conqueror and organizer of a huge empire did not find anyone worthy among his sons.

Timur ordered Shahrukh to hand over his newborn son to his grandmother Saray-Mulk-Khanym. This was the custom of Timur's court.

And so little Muhammad began to wander with his grandmother with his grandfather’s military convoys. He visited Armenia, when his grandfather opposed the formidable Sultan Bayazet, and Afghanistan, accompanying his grandfather on his campaign against India.

Apparently, Timur loved his grandson very much and took care of him. The court historian wrote this: “It was difficult for Timur to part with his beloved grandson, but he was afraid that the hot climate of India would be harmful for the boy.”

A four-year-old boy and his grandmother were left in Kabul. It is known that Ulugbek, about five years old, together with his grandmother met his grandfather, nicknamed Tamerlane by the Russians, returning from the Indian campaign. At the end of March 1399, a magnificent camp was set up on the flat bank of a huge and muddy river. Here Saray-Mulk-Khanim brought a five-year-old boy to Timur. Ulugbek remembered for the rest of his life both his meeting with his grandfather on the banks of the Amu Darya and his wintering in Armenia.

Timur’s little grandchildren, by the will of their grandfather, took part in the ceremonial receptions of foreign ambassadors. It is quite possible that it was Ulugbek who accepted the credentials of King Enrique from the hands of the Castilian ambassador Clavijo for transfer into the hands of his grandfather. This was the custom of those times, and ten-year-old Ulugbek was probably present at the reception of ambassadors from distant Castile. There is no doubt that before his death, the decrepit Timur was thinking about the future role of his beloved grandson. True, he did not appoint him as his heir, but until the end of his days Timur did not part with Ulugbek.

Ulugbek was with Timur’s army, which was marching against China, when Timur-Leng (Iron Lame) died on February 18, 1405 in the city of Otrar (on the Syr Darya).

Immediately after Timur's death, civil strife began. None of the Timurids wanted to submit to Pir-Muhammad, whom Timur appointed as his successor. Samarkand was captured by the power of Khalil-Sultan. Shahrukh, Timur's son, took refuge in Herat. Eleven-year-old Ulugbek was taken to Bukhara by his guardian and mentor Shah-Malik.

For four years, Shahrukh and Shah-Malik (on behalf of Ulugbek) fought with Khalil-Sultan. During all the campaigns and battles, the growing Ulugbek was also with the army.

Finally, in 1409, when Ulugbek was fifteen years old, Shahrukh defeated his rivals, took possession of Timur’s legacy and retired to Herat, and declared his eldest son Ulugbek ruler of Samarkand. But only two years after his accession to Samarkand, Ulugbek was able to get rid of the guardianship of the powerful Shah-Malik.

It is unlikely that Shah Malik, this stern warrior (guardian and mentor), could encourage the desire for science in Ulugbek. On the contrary, everything was aimed at instilling in little Muhammad a love for military campaigns, military glory, and the art of diplomacy. Everyone tried to convince Ulugbek that it was he, Timur’s beloved grandson, who should defend the empire created by his great grandfather from the Mongols and nomadic Uzbeks. Timur's comrades surrounding Ulugbek were still delirious and military glory, and hopes for easy enrichment. The young ruler of Samarkand could not (and at first, perhaps, did not want) to resist his entourage. And indeed, in the first years of his reign, Ulugbek undertook a number of military campaigns, taking time away from his studies in science.

The court flatterers tried to support the warlike spirit in Ulugbek. To this day, in the Djizak gorge (the gorge is called the “Tamerlane Gate”) an inscription carved on a rock has been preserved, which reports on the campaign of Ulugbek in 1425:

“With the help of the Lord God, the great Sultan, the conqueror of kings and peoples, the shadow of God on earth, the support of the divine law, Ulugbek (may God extend the time of his reign!) undertook a campaign in the country of the Mongols and returned from that people unharmed.” The results of the campaign are not mentioned in this inscription.

In 1427, Ulugbek undertook a campaign to the north against the nomads. This campaign ended in the defeat of Ulugbek. Shahrukh very reluctantly forgave his son for his military failure and almost deprived him of the Samarkand governorship. From this time on, Ulugbek significantly lost interest in the glory of a warrior, passionately devoted himself to scientific pursuits and began the construction of an astronomical observatory.

Born on March 22, 1394 in the city of Sultaniya during the five-year campaign of his grandfather Tamerlane. His mother was Gauharshad Begim, the daughter of a representative of the Turkic tribal aristocracy Giyas ad-din Tarkhan. Mirzo Ulugbek's real name was Muhammad Taragay. So it was named in honor of Timur's father. But he became better known under the name Ulugbek. Ulugbek's teacher was the poet and scientist Arif Azari. In 1405, Timur died, and after the fall of power of Timur's grandson Khalil Sultan, Timur's youngest son Shahrukh entered Samarkand. His eldest son Ulugbek in 1409 was declared the ruler of Transoxiana with his capital in Samarkand. In 1411 his rule becomes sovereign.

Political and scientific activities

According to legend, even as a child, Ulugbek had the opportunity to visit the ruins of the famous observatory of At-Tusi, Nasir ad-Din in Maragha. This made a strong impression on the inquisitive Ulugbek and determined his passion for astronomy. In 1417-1420, Ulugbek built a madrasah in Samarkand, which became the first building in the Registan architectural ensemble. Ulugbek invited a large number of astronomers and mathematicians of the Islamic world to this madrasah. The other two madrasahs were built in Gijduvan and Bukhara. On the portal of the latter there is an inscription: “The pursuit of knowledge is the duty of every Muslim man and woman.” In general, all the numerous inscriptions on the madrasah encourage people to study science.

Under Ulugbek, Samarkand became one of the world centers of science of the Middle Ages. Here, in Samarkand in the first half of the 15th century, a whole scientific school arose around Ulugbek, uniting prominent astronomers and mathematicians: Giyasiddin Jamshid Kashi, Kazizade Rumi, Ali Kushchi. The historian Hafizi Abru, who wrote a wonderful work on the history of Central Asia, the famous physician Mavlono Nefis, the poets Sirajiddin Samarkandi, Sakkaki, Lutfi, Badakhshi and others lived in Samarkand at that time.

The preserved underground part of the main quadrant of the Ulugbek Observatory.

Ulugbek’s main scientific work is rightfully considered “Ziji Jadidi Guragani” or “New Guraganian Astronomical Tables”. The author completed this work in 1444 after thirty years of painstaking work and astronomical observations. The astronomical reference book was soon translated into Latin and, along with the Almagest of Claudius Ptolemy and the astronomical tables of the Castilian king Alfonso XV, was a manual on astronomy in all observatories in Europe.

The creation of the Samarkand Observatory became possible because the most important components of success merged in the person of Ulugbek: a talented scientist who clearly understood the scientific goal and the ways of its implementation, and the ruler of a powerful state who had sufficient funds. The most important result of the Samarkand school is the catalog of stars. In the East, such catalogs were called zijs. Previous star catalogs appear to have been based on the observations of Hipparchus, brought down to the appropriate era. “Zij Ulugbek” was largely based on his own observations.

From 1427 to 1447, Ulugbek practically did not conduct any serious military operations.

In 1428, he carried out an important monetary reform in the country, which had a beneficial effect on the state's economy.

After Shahrukh's death, civil strife began in the country.

ULUGBEK Muhammad Taragay (22.III 1394 - 27.X 1449) - Uzbek astronomer, one of the great scientists of the Middle Ages, grandson of the famous conqueror Timur (Tamerlane). In 1409, Timur's son and Ulugbek's father Shahrukh declared him the ruler of Samarkand.

WITH youth showed a penchant for scientific pursuits. Bright personality Ulugbek, his diverse education, the desire to implement the ideas of enlightenment contributed to the rallying around him of such outstanding astronomers as Kazy-zade-ar-Rumi, Jemshid Giyas-ad-din-al Kashi, Ali Kushchi and others. The life’s work of Ulugbek and the scientists around him was the creation of a large observatory in the country. To prepare and implement this idea, a representative meeting of astronomers was convened in Samarkand in 1417, which outlined a program for the construction of an observatory near the city, carried out in 1417-1420. The observatory was a grandiose three-tiered round building 30.4 m high. The main part it was a gigantic quadrant with a radius of 40 m, which had no equal in the world. The observatory was also equipped with many other instruments for performing astronomical measurements. It carried out observations with the aim of compiling new astronomical tables with such precision “so that in determining the angular distances of the luminaries... a minute and even a second of arc would not go unnoticed”*. The set goal was achieved, and as a result of a thirty-year cycle of observations, which began already in 1417, Samarkand astronomers, under the leadership and with the direct participation of Ulugbek, compiled the “New Guragan Tables” - main work observatory, which contains the coordinates of 1018 stars, determined for the first time since Hipparchus and, moreover, with unprecedented accuracy. It was the last word medieval astronomy. For a long time, Ulugbek's catalog was considered the best in the world. It was published in 1665 in Oxford and has been reprinted several times with numerous commentaries. Great importance in the history of astronomy there were planetary tables, as well as determination of the inclination of the ecliptic to the equator and annual precession, carried out by Samarkand astronomers.

Ulugbek's passion for science, his educational activities And disdain towards religion caused the reactionary sheikhs to become bitter. Ulugbek was accused of heresy. Ulugbek's eldest son Abd al-Letif, who was under the influence of the clergy, declared war on him, which ended in the defeat of his father. Soon after this, Ulugbek was treacherously killed as an “apostate from Islam.” Religiously minded fanatics subsequently completely destroyed the observatory. Through the efforts of the Russian scientist V.L. Vyatkin in 1908 and 1914. The first excavations of the observatory were carried out in 1941 and 1948. they were successfully continued by Soviet scientists. Currently, the remains of the observatory building and part of the giant quadrant are carefully preserved.