The Age of Tamerlane (Men-at-Arms) [Paperback]

David Nicolle (Author), Angus McBride (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 26, 1990 | Series: Men-at-Arms (Book 222)

Tamerlane or Timur-i-Lenk ('Timur the Lame') is one of the most extraordinary conquerors in history. In the late 14th century his armies seized huge territories from the borders of Mongolia to Palestine and Anatolia. His passage was marked by massacres that outdid even those of the Mongols for sheer savagery. Timur's career was unequalled since Alexander the Great in terms of constant battlefield success. Only in his youth, while recovering his family estates south of Samarqand, did he face occasional defeat. This title tells the remarkable story of Timur and details the organisation, tactics, arms and armour of his all-conquering army.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Packed with specially commissioned artwork, maps and diagrams, the Men-at-Arms series is an unrivalled illustrated reference on the history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the world's military forces, past and present.

About the Author

Dr David Nicolle was born in 1944, the son of the illustrator Pat Nicolle. He worked in the BBC Arabic service before going 'back to school', gaining an MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies and a PhD from Edinburgh University. He later taught World and Islamic art and architectural history at Yarmuk University, Jordan. He has written a number of books and articles on medieval and Islamic warfare, and has been a prolific author of Osprey titles for many years. He currently lives and works in Leicestershire.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing; First Edition edition (July 26, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0850459494
• ISBN-13: 978-0850459494
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.2 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,453,847 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting study of Medieval Warfare, July 15, 2000

By 

Dilip Susruta Samarasinghe - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Age of Tamerlane (Men-at-Arms) (Paperback)

An enjoyable book which covers a little-known subject. It is mainly a study of the Timurid rulers who controlled an area which today comprises of Afghanistan and Central Asia.. These rulers were continually at war with their neighbours who like them were the heirs of the earlier Mongol Empire founded by Genghis Khan. I found it interesting because of its insight of the personality of Timur (Tamerlane) who was on the one hand a cruel despot and on the other a clever ruler. The text itself is full of information on the Timurid armies and those of their enemies, the Turcomans and Uzbeks. The colour plates are particulrly beautiful as they show warriors in armour inspired both by the Islamic and Chinese traditions. Of particular interest are drawings of Timurid horsemen and their mounts in intricate lamellar armour.Most of these are inspired from miniatures drawn from various sources such as Persian and Ottoman Turkey.Timur's Empire stood between the The Islamic world and the Chinese Empire and therefore was inspired by both in the area of warfare and equipment.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars another worthwhile Osprey title, August 8, 2002

By 

ignorance is bliss "therazorsedge555" (Tempe, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Age of Tamerlane (Men-at-Arms) (Paperback)

I've been reading reviews of Osprey titles and nodding my head in agreement. Basically, Osprey's readers want the quality of a 30 dollar title in a twelve dollar title. I think the answer may be found in the larger trade paperbacks Osprey is now printing. That being said, there is still good introductory information in the Men-at-Arms series. Off my soapbox now...This volume deals with the Timurid state that thrived and wilted in Aisa from the late 14th to late 15th centuries. Basically a combination of Mongol cavalry and Turkic infantry, Chinese siege techniques and...medieval War elephants! with good discipline and a penchant for plunder. They faced Byzantines, Mamluks, Ottoman Turks, Armenians, Georgians, Mongols, etc. Dr. Nicolle once again tackles an obscure subject, relying on archeological and textual support for his theses. As he admits in this book and others, there's still a lot open to interpretation. He even questions some of Angus McBride's illustrations. Osprey titles are a good starting point to do deeper research. My nitpicking: photos are often too small to see what Dr. Nicolle is trying to demonstrate, and the time period covered is great ( less so in this title than in others ).The reader is referred to the title dealing with the Ottoman empire from 1300 to 1774 for information on the Timurids' main enemy. Highpoints: Angus McBride's paintings, the illustration of Turco-Mongol bows and their usage. Too bad there is no war elephant plate...

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best information you can get, June 23, 2005

By 

Saif T. Beg "Qara Saif" (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Age of Tamerlane (Men-at-Arms) (Paperback)

This is the best source of information I would recommend to anybody without spending alot of money. While I did and do have the Cambridge titles as well as orginial Turkish and Perisan manuscripts, this is one source I can give to read to the western population without going into too much detail. The Pictures as good and the history is true. A 5/5 for this One.