Khalil Sultan

Khalil Sultan (Persian: خلیل سلطان) was the Timurid ruler of Transoxiana from 18 February 1405 to 1409. He was a son of Miran Shah and a grandson of Timur.

Khalil
Sultan
Contemporary portrait of Khalil Sultan enthroned, in his genealogy of the Timurids, 1405-1409 (Topkapi Sarayi Müzesi, H2152) f.32a
Amir of the Timurid Empire
Reign	18 February 1405–1409
Predecessor	Timur
Successor	Shah Rukh
Born	1384
Died	4 November 1411 (aged 27) Ray, Timurid Empire
Spouse	Jahan Sultan Agha Shad Malik Agha One other wife
Issue	Ali Mirza Muhammad Bahadur Mirza Berkul Mirza Talucher Mirza Muhammad Bayqara Mirza Shirin Beg Agha Saray Malik Agha Sultan Badi-al-Mulk Agha
Names Burhan-ud-din Khalil[1]
Dynasty	Timurid
Father	Miran Shah
Mother	Khanzada
Religion	Islam

Biography

During Timur's lifetime, Khalil Sultan gained Timur's particular favor. He distinguished himself during the campaign in India and in 1402 was given rule of the Ferghana Valley. Upon Timur's death in 1405, Khalil viewed himself as his successor. Timur's appointed successor Pir Muhammad was quickly cast aside, and Khalil gained control of Samarkand. Khalil gained Timur's treasury and bestowed the puppet title of Khan (which before had always been granted by Timur to a descendant of Genghis Khan to legitimize his rule) to a Timurid prince, the nine-year-old Muhammad Jahangir. The latter was the son of Timur's first designated heir, the late Muhammad Sultan, with Khalil thus paying nominal respect to Timur's wishes. Khalil also gained an ally, Sultan Husayn Tayichiud, who had previously also made claims to the throne as a grandson of Timur.^[2][3]

Khalil Sultan at the Wall, fighting rivals. Samarqand (likely), c. 1405-11. Topkapi Sarayi Library, H.2152, f. 59b.

Meanwhile, Shahrukh Mirza, who was ruling in Herat, also decided to press his claims. He advanced to the Oxus River against Khalil but turned back when Khalil's father Miran Shah, as well as his brother Abu Bakr ibn Miran Shah, marched from Azerbaijan in support. Nevertheless, Khalil's position began to weaken. He was unpopular in Samarkand, where the nobility despised his wife Shad Mulk. The latter had considerable influence over Khalil, convincing him to appoint people of so-called low birth to high positions at the expense of the nobility. A famine caused him to be even more despised. He decided to return to the Ferghana Valley with his former mentor, Khudaidad Hussain, who went to Moghulistan (the realm of the eastern Chagatai Khans) in an attempt to win their support.^[4] However, Persian historian Khwandamir instead claims that Khudaidad Hussain began a civil war against Khalil and took him prisoner, delivering him along with his territory to eastern Chagatai Khan Shams-i-Jahan (r. 1399–1408). Shams-i-Jahan, however, had Khudaidad Hussain executed for his treason to Khalil and returned Khalil his kingdom.^[5]

Khalil's rule in Samarkand finally ended when Shahrukh Mirza entered the city unopposed on May 13, 1409. Transoxiana was then given to Shahrukh Mirza's son Ulugh Beg. Khalil decided to surrender to Shahrukh Mirza, who had captured Shad Mulk. He received his wife back, and was appointed governor of Ray. He died there in 1411. His wife committed suicide shortly after his death.^[6]

Family

Khalil Sultan created an extensive Turko-Mongol genealogy in 1405-9, which helped legitimize his rule as the only descendant of both Genghis Khan, through his mother, and Timur, through his father (Topkapi Sarayi Müzesi, H2152, detail).^[7][8]

Consorts

Khalil had three wives:

• Jahan Sultan Agha, daughter of Ali Mirza Arlat;
• Shad Malik Agha;
• Mother of Ali Mirza;

Sons

Khalil had four sons:

• Ali Mirza - mother's name unknown;
• Muhammad Bahadur Mirza - Jahan Sultan Agha;
• Berkul Mirza - Jahan Sultan Agha;
• Muhammad Bayqara Mirza - Shad Malik Agha;

Daughters

Khalil had three daughters:

• Khichak Agha, Shirin Beg Agha - with Jahan Sultan Agha;
• Saray Malik Agha - with Shad Malik Agha;
• Sultan Badi-al-Mulk Agha - with Shad Malik Agha, married to Ulugh Beg, son of Shah Rukh;

Ancestry

Ancestors of Khalil Sultan
8. Amir Muhammad Taraghai 4. Timur, Timurid Emperor 9. Tekina Khatun 2. Jalal ud-din Miran Shah 10. Hayut Jauni Qurbani 5. Mengli Agha 1. Khalil Sultan 12. Amir Naghday Qongirat 6. Aq Sufi Qongirat 3. Khanzada Begum 14. Jani Beg, Khan of the Golden Horde 7. Shakar Beg