Samarkand and the Silk Road

Both Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta, two of Asia’s most celebrated travellers, used words of praise in their books when they described Samarkand. The city was conquered in the 13th century by the Mongols and in the 14th century by Timur (1336-1405), founder of the Timurid dynasty, who made it the capital of his empire. Timur challenged himself by undertaking an ambitious rebuilding campaign, which brought new lustre to the city. In this study day, we will analyse the importance of Samarkand during the Mongol and Timurid domination and its fundamental commercial role at the centre of the Silk Road.

Tutor: Roberta Marin MA

Term: Autumn

Day: Saturday

Time: 10am-4.30pm

Start Date: 18 November 2023

No. of weeks: 1

Full fee: £52

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