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

~ (Author), Angus McBride (Illustrator) "Tamerlane or Tamburlane, as he was known in various parts of Europe, is one of the most extraordinary conquerors in history..." (more)
Key Phrases: unidentified manuscripts, lamellar armour, present whereabouts unknown, Golden Horde, Topkapi Lib, Qara Qoyunlu (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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.

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.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (July 26, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0850459494
• ISBN-13: 978-0850459494
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #250,657 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 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 (Colombo, Sri Lanka) - See all my reviews

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.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars another worthwhile Osprey title, August 9, 2002

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

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...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Illuminating and long overdue work, July 19, 2005

By	Steven Larsen (Philadelphia, USA) - See all my reviews

An excellent overview of the arms, armour, tactics, organization and leaders from a period of history throughly ignored in the west. Our lack of knoweldge here is probably due two reasons. First, Tamerlane barely touched the Christian west, prefering instead to pick on the asian and middle eastern Muslim peoples, therefore having little effect on the modern west directly. Second, Tamerlane was a comqueror, not an empire builder. He simply annhilated his foes and left. His destruction of the Ottomans meant little as he allowed them to regroup and later regain their power.

David Nicolle's books often seem to focus heavily on archaeological evidence. In this case it is probably a neccesity. There is much focus on surviving examples helmets, armour and weapons. My knowledge of the eastern types of armour was strengthened from reading this book.

One fact that struck me after taking in the whole of Timur's campaigns is how ridiculous it sounds for critics to blame Christianity and Europe, usually the Crusades, for the sad state of the Muslim world. Take a look at the destruction Timur brought the Muslim lands. Major cities and cultural centers were sacked repeatedly. Untold numbers were slaughtered. This is most likely what set Islam back. Comparing the crusades to Tamerlane' conquests is like comparing a flea bite to nuke.

I am not Angus McBrides biggest fan, but I enjoyed his work here. The plates of Timur in his early years as well as the cover plate are outstanding. Wargamers and miniature painters will love this book.

Buy if you have any interest in the period.