AFTER THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE CHAGATAI KHANATE, THE CENTRALIZATION POLICY OF TUGHLUK TIMUR KHAN AND THE AMIR

Abstract

After the death of Genghis Khan (1162-1227), the Chagatai Khanate, the substation of the Great Mongol Empire established in Turkestan, had to stay loyal to the centre in the early stage of its establishment, besides it was directly affected by the developments in the centre as well. In the following period, the Chagatai Khanate, which managed to become a separate khanate, underwent administrative and social transformation through charismatic and innovative khans such as Kebek and Ala al-Din Tarmashirin. But, besides the intervention of conservatives in this transformation, the throne fights and administrative depression within the khanate caused the weakening of the central authority. The weakening of the central authority increased the political power of the qarachus, who played a role since the establishment of the khanate, and caused the administration to come under their control indirectly. At the same time, the crisis in the administration resulted in the division of the khanate into two as the Moghul Ulus and the Chagatai Ulus. Tughluk Timur Khan, who ascended the throne in the Moghul Ulus, not only restored the administration with his centralization moves but also made expeditions to the Chagatai Ulus in 1360 and 1361 in order to return the khanate to its former powers. Tughluk Timur Khan's attempts at centralization disturbed the qarachus, and thus after his death Amir Qamar al-Din, who was a qarachu in the Moghul Ulus, rebelled and declared himself as a khan in 1365. In the Chagatai Ulus, the administration of Tughluk Timur Khan was ignored and the qarachus took over the administration. The proclamation of the khanship of Amir Qamar al-Din, who was not of Genghisid descent, was an attempt that had not been made until then and deeply shook the political order in the region. While Amir Qamar al-Din was described as a usurper in the Moghul Ulus, Amir Timur, who took over the administration in the Chagatai Ulus, sat a puppet khan on the throne and increased his influence as a son-in-law to the Genghis lineage. This attempt of Amir Qamar al-Din caused a reaction by the tribes, especially his own, and created opposition against him. On the other hand, Amir Timur made good use of the chaotic environment in which the Moghuls were and conducted expeditions against them for almost 20 years. As a result, these expeditions and the internal opposition broke down Amir Qamar al-Din's influence and caused his death, on the contrary, it allowed Amir Timur to establish dominance over the region.