Ulugh Beg

Ulugh Beg (; 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

References

Category:Timurid dynasty  
Category:1394 births  
Category:1449 deaths  
Category:15th-century monarchs in Asia  
Category:15th-century Iranian people  
Category:People from Soltaniyeh  
Category:Sunni Muslims  
Category:Persianate societies  
Category:Timurid rulers  
Category:Medieval astronomers  
Category:Burials at Gur-e-Amir  
Category:Samarkand in the Timurid Empire