Latest / Tamerlane: The Conqueror Who Tried to Rebuild the Mongol Legacy — Fexingo History / Tamerlane's Captive Papermakers and the Samarkand Paper Industry
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Tamerlane bringing captive artisans to Samarkand — tilemakers, calligraphers, astronomers. But there's one craft that quietly transformed his empire more than almost any other, and it's easy to overlook. Luna: What's that? Lucas: Papermaking. Before Tamerlane, paper was a luxury in Central Asia — mostly imported from China or from the Islamic heartlands. But after his campaigns, he brought entire communities of papermakers to Samarkand, and they set up workshops that turned the city into a major production center. Luna: Wait — papermaking was already a thing in the Islamic world, right? Lucas: Oh, absolutely. The technology had spread from China to the Islamic world centuries earlier — there were paper mills in Baghdad, Damascus, and Cairo by the 8th and 9th centuries. But in Central Asia, especially under the Chagatai Khanate, paper wasn't widely produced locally. Most of it was imported, and it was expensive. Lucas: Tamerlane changed that. After his sack of Damascus in 1401, he deported skilled papermakers to Samarkand. The Spanish envoy Ruy González de Clavijo, who visited Samarkand in 1404, described workshops where paper was being made from linen rags — a technique that had been perfected in the Middle East. Luna: So it wasn't just about capturing people — it was about capturing knowledge. Lucas: Exactly. And it wasn't just Damascus. He also brought papermakers from Tabriz and from Chinese Turkestan. The result was that Samarkand developed a paper industry that produced high-quality paper — strong, smooth, and perfect for the elaborate manuscripts that the Timurids loved. Luna: Was this paper used for the Zafarnama? Lucas: Almost certainly. The Zafarnama — the official biography of Tamerlane written by Sharaf al-Din Ali Yazdi — was produced in the kitabkhana, the royal workshop, and it would have used Samarkand-made paper. The same goes for the many other manuscripts that Tamerlane's successors commissioned. Lucas: But paper wasn't just for luxury books. It had practical uses too — bureaucracy. Tamerlane's empire was vast, and he needed a way to communicate orders, collect taxes, and keep records. Paper made that possible in a way that papyrus or parchment couldn't, because it was cheaper and easier to produce in bulk. Luna: So the paper industry helped him govern? Lucas: Absolutely. The Yassa — the Mongol legal code — was recorded on paper. Tax records, military muster rolls, diplomatic letters — all of it required a steady supply of paper. By bringing papermakers to Samarkand, Tamerlane ensured that his capital had the infrastructure to support a functioning imperial administration. Luna: And it must have had economic benefits too — trade. Lucas: Big time. Samarkand was already a hub on the Silk Road, and paper became a significant export. Merchants would buy Samarkand paper and carry it to China, India, and the Middle East. The quality was so good that it was prized even in places that had their own papermaking traditions. Lucas: Interestingly, the papermakers themselves were often given special status. They were exempt from certain taxes, and they worked in dedicated quarters of the city. Clavijo mentions that the papermakers' district in Samarkand was one of the most prosperous areas. Luna: So Tamerlane knew that keeping them happy was good for business. Lucas: Exactly. He wasn't just a destroyer — he was a builder. And part of building an empire is creating the infrastructure for culture and administration. The paper industry was a key part of that. Without it, the Timurid Renaissance — the flowering of art, literature, and science under his successors — might not have happened. Luna: It's fascinating how something as simple as paper can change history. Lucas: It really is. And it's a good reminder that Tamerlane's legacy isn't just about battles and skull towers. It's also about the quiet, everyday technologies that make civilization possible. Lucas: You know, speaking of the quiet side of running a show like this — we're able to keep making episodes like this because of a small group of listeners who support us through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No ads, no corporate backing — just people who enjoy these deep dives. It's pretty amazing. Luna: Yeah, it really is. And it means we can keep covering these niche topics that might not get attention elsewhere. Lucas: Exactly. So if you've been enjoying our Tamerlane series and want us to do more on Central Asian history, that's what keeps it going. No pressure — just wanted to mention it. Luna: Now, back to paper — what happened to the Samarkand paper industry after Tamerlane died? Lucas: It continued under his successors, especially his grandson Ulugh Beg, who was a great patron of scholarship. Ulugh Beg's observatory and his madrasa required huge amounts of paper for astronomical tables and educational texts. The industry thrived into the 15th century. Lucas: But as the Timurid Empire fragmented, the paper industry declined. By the 16th century, Samarkand was no longer the center it had been. The rise of the Safavids and the shift of trade routes hurt the local economy. Still, the technology had spread — papermaking became established in other parts of Central Asia, like Bukhara and Khiva. Luna: So the knowledge outlived the empire. Lucas: Exactly. And that's often the case with Tamerlane's legacy. The things he built — cities, industries, cultural institutions — had a life of their own, even after his conquests faded. The papermakers he brought to Samarkand didn't just make paper; they helped create a literate, bureaucratic, culturally rich empire that influenced the entire region for centuries. Luna: I'd love to hear more about the actual process of papermaking — how it was done. Lucas: Sure. The basic technique was similar across the Islamic world. Linen rags were collected, soaked in water, and beaten into a pulp. The pulp was then spread onto a framed screen — a mould — and pressed to remove water. The resulting sheets were dried and polished with a stone to create a smooth surface. Lucas: In Samarkand, they used local materials. The water from the Zarafshan River was ideal — soft water that produced a finer pulp. And the polishing stones came from the nearby mountains. Clavijo noted that the paper from Samarkand had a distinctive sheen that made it particularly good for calligraphy. Luna: So it was a blend of imported technique and local resources. Lucas: Right. And that's a pattern you see throughout Tamerlane's empire. He took the best from everywhere — Chinese craftsmen, Persian poets, Arab engineers — and brought them together in Samarkand. The paper industry was just one example of that synthesis. Luna: It really puts a human face on the empire — not just soldiers and kings, but artisans and workers. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why I think the story of paper is worth telling. It's easy to get caught up in the drama of battles and sieges, but the real engine of civilization is often something as humble as a sheet of paper. Luna: Well said. Thanks for digging into this one. Lucas: Thanks for listening. And if you want to support more deep dives like this, you know where to find us.