An important finding related to Bibi-Khanym has been discovered

Saroymulkhanim, Gavharshodbegim, Shodimulk, Khadichabegim, Khonzodabegim, Gulbadanbegim… We have often heard about these royal women of the Timurid court, read about them in historical sources and books. Yet, no source provides a clear depiction of their appearances. We can only imagine their faces based on the descriptions and portrayals given to them.

However, as part of the research being conducted to shape the exhibition at the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, scholars have come across a sensational discovery related to Saroymulkhanim a Timurid princess who was highly esteemed by Sahibqiran Amir Temur and honored with the title “Great Lady” or “Bibi-Khanym”.

When discussing the royal women of the Timurid court, the name of Saroymulkhanim the lifelong companion of Amir Temur, a woman admired by Sahibqiran for her great intellect and beauty, and granted the noble title “Great Lady” or “Bibi-Khanym” is always mentioned with special reverence.

The Recognition of Clavijo, the Spanish Traveler

By exploring the history of our land especially the unique styles of Timurid princesses' attire and their beauty secrets it becomes evident that opulence has long been a part of Uzbek statehood. Moreover, the women of Turan distinguished themselves not only by their beauty but also by their intellect, strategic thinking, and influential presence in political spheres. This is confirmed by the Spanish traveler Clavijo in his Diary of a Journey to Samarkand – The Court of Amir Temur: “After everyone had taken their place, Bibi-Khanym, Sahibqiran’s senior wife, emerged from one of the tents. She was dressed in a long robe of red fabric, lavishly embroidered with golden threads. The dress was so long that nearly fifteen handmaidens followed behind her.

Her face was painted so white that from afar, it looked like a sheet of white paper. This white powder was used as protection from the sun. Bibi-Khanym’s face was covered with a thin white veil. On her head, she wore a red headdress from which a delicate fabric fell over her shoulders. The tall headdress was decorated with precious gems and pearls. Her hair was jet black and fell over her shoulders. Women in this region preferred black hair and sometimes even dyed it darker.

A man beside Bibi-Khanym held a parasol to shield her from the sun. The parasol was made of white silk and shaped like a small domed tent. Bibi-Khanym approached the central platform where Sahibqiran was seated and sat beside him.”

The Princess Behind Amir Temur’s “Kuragon” Title

Saroymulkhanim, born in 1341, was the daughter of Qazan Khan, one of the Mongol rulers from the Chagatai Ulus. When Qazan Khan was deposed and executed, Saroymulkhanim was only five years old. Upon reaching maturity, in 1355, she was married to Amir Husayn, the grandson of Mawarannahr’s ruler, Amir Qazaghan.

In 1370, after defeating Amir Husayn in battle and ordering his execution, Sahibqiran Amir Temur took control of Mawarannahr. Among Amir Husayn’s consorts, he chose Saroymulkhanim daughter of Qazan Khan and, after the required three-month waiting period (iddah), married her. Through this marriage, Amir Temur was honored with the title Kuragon, a Mongolian term meaning “son-in-law”. Since Saroymulkhanim was the daughter of a Mongol khan, Amir Temur became known as “Amir Temur Kuragon”, signifying his alliance by marriage with the Mongol royal line.

The Timurid Tradition

In the court of Sahibqiran, it was customary for princes born into the Timurid dynasty to be placed under the care and upbringing of Saroymulkhanim from a young age. The artistic and literary inclinations of Shahrukh Mirzo and Khalil Sultan, as well as Mirzo Ulughbek’s profound devotion to science, literature, and music, are clear testaments to her influence. This tradition continued into the Mughal era. The high cultural status of the people is evident in the prominent women who followed: Shahrukh Mirzo’s wife Gavharshodbegim, Babur’s mother Qutlugh Nigar Khanim, his grandmother Esan Dawlatbegim, his sister Khonzodabegim, Jahangir’s wife Nur Jahan, Shah Jahan’s daughter the architect and designer Jahanara, and his wife Mumtaz Arjumand Banu. They were all not only patrons of the arts and literature but also wise state figures and poets. Many may not know that a depiction of Saroymulkhanim actually exists. A miniature illustration accompanying a manuscript of Sharaf al-Din Ali Yazdi’s Zafarnama, preserved at the Seattle Art Museum in the United States, depicts Saroymulkhanim traveling from Samarkand with Shahrukh ibn Temur and Khalil Sultan ibn Miranshah to Amir Temur’s camp in northwestern Iran.

According to art historian Priscilla Soucek, this miniature added after Saroymulkhanim’s death is found in a later manuscript version of Amir Temur’s biography as written in Zafarnama. It portrays her alongside one of Temur’s sons, the young Shahrukh. It is estimated that the image was created approximately 30 years after Saroymulkhanim’s death. In the miniature, she is depicted mounted on horseback, positioned with higher status and honor in comparison to her stepson Shahrukh, who at the time was about ten years old.

Events related to women mentioned in historical sources were sometimes also reflected in manuscript illustrations. In the handwritten version of Sharaf al-Din Ali Yazdi’s Zafarnama, scenes from the lives of Saroymulkhanim and Khonzodabegim are also portrayed.

According to the information in the text, the miniature likely depicts the moment when Saroymulkhanim’s entourage encounters a group of mounted men sent from Temur’s camp to welcome them. However, the composition of the image gives the impression of a journey in progress rather than a formal reception. The riders on the left appear to be Saroymulkhanim and her attendants, while the men on the right may be the attendants of ten-year-old Shahrukh at that time.

As noted by art historian Priscilla Soucek, this event took place in 1387, when Saroymulkhanim met Temur in northwestern Iran, where she was engaged in outreach and political communication efforts. At that time, Miranshah was 21 years old, Shahrukh though only ten accompanied his stepmother on the journey, and Khalil Sultan was just a three-year-old child.

This miniature can be considered a rare source that gives visual form to imagined representations of the appearance of Timurid princesses.

Lola Shoimova

The article may be republished with a reference link to the Center’s official website.