Ulugh Beg

Ulugh Beg (Persian: الغ‌ بیگ; 22 March 1394 – 27 October 1449) was a Timurid sultan, astronomer, and mathematician who ruled parts of Central Asia from 1447 to 1449. Born as Mirza Muhammad Taraghay, he was the son of Shahrukh Mirza and Gawhar Shad, and the grandson of Timur. Though his reign as ruler was brief, Ulugh Beg is best remembered for his monumental contributions to astronomy and science, particularly through the construction of the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand.^[1]

Ulugh Beg
Sultan of the Timurid Empire
Portrait of Ulugh Beg
Reign	1447–1449
Predecessor	Shahrukh Mirza
Successor	Abdal-Latif Mirza
Born	22 March 1394 Soltaniyeh, Timurid Empire
Died	27 October 1449 (aged 55) near Samarkand, Timurid Empire
Burial	Gur-e-Amir, Samarkand
Father	Shahrukh Mirza
Mother	Gawhar Shad
Religion	Sunni Islam

Reign

Ulugh Beg was appointed governor of Samarkand by his father in 1409 and ruled the region for nearly four decades before formally ascending the Timurid throne in 1447. His political rule was marked by internal instability and rivalry with other Timurid princes, particularly his son Abdal-Latif Mirza. Despite his administrative challenges, Ulugh Beg maintained control over Transoxiana and continued his father’s legacy of supporting Persianate culture and Islamic scholarship.^[2]

Scientific Legacy

Ulugh Beg is widely regarded as one of the greatest astronomers of the Islamic Golden Age. In 1420, he founded a madrasa in Samarkand that became a major center of learning. Between 1424 and 1429, he oversaw the construction of the Ulugh Beg Observatory, one of the most advanced astronomical institutions of its time. There, he compiled the Zij-i Sultani, a star catalogue that listed over 1,000 stars with remarkable accuracy.^[3][4]

His observatory featured a massive meridian arc and other instruments that allowed for precise measurements of celestial bodies. His work corrected many errors in Ptolemaic astronomy and remained influential in both the Islamic world and Europe for centuries.^[5]

Death and Legacy

In 1449, Ulugh Beg was overthrown and executed near Samarkand by order of his own son, Abdal-Latif Mirza, during a dynastic power struggle. Despite his tragic end, Ulugh Beg’s legacy as a scientist eclipsed his political failures. His observatory and star catalogue are considered among the most important achievements of medieval Islamic science.^[6][7]