Timur at the Gates of Gaza

I'm going to make a modest proposal regarding the Palestinians, prompted by the example of the world’s most successful military commander.

In 1387, Timur — who, as a Sunni Muslim, referred to himself as the “Sword of Islam” — arrived outside the city of Isfahan in Persia. Local leaders surrendered to avoid the utter destruction suffered by other cities that chose to fight, and Timur sent soldiers to collect tribute.

“I trusted the people of Isfahan and delivered the castle into their hands,” Timur wrote in his book Institutes Political and Military.

Things were looking good for the Isfahanians, who were Muslim subjects of the Moẓaffarid Dynasty that Timur was in the midst of conquering.

Episode 23: Isfahan, Ispahan, or Spaam?

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April 10, 2024

Welcome to The Voyages and Travels of the Ambassadors, the epic story of a 17th century trade expedition from Germany to Persia that failed so completely its leader was publicly executed upon his return. This is Episode 23: Isfahan, Ispahan, or Spaam?

But one night during the occupation, a young blacksmith was playing a small drum for his own amusement. Some of the citizens thought it was an alarm, so they gathered their forces and attacked the occupying soldiers, killing some three thousand and shutting the gates against the army camped outside.

Rather than responding with the ordinary pillage and slaughter technique, Timur ordered every soldier to bring him a certain number of heads. Exactly how many civilians died is unknown, but estimates range from 70,000 to 100,000, and eyewitness accounts say at least 30 pyramids of 1,500 heads each were built throughout the city.

The most reliable estimate of Timur’s total 14th century Islamic killing spree is 17 million, which at the time of his conquests was about 5% of the world’s population.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups made a choice similar to that of the Isfahanians: they killed 1200 Jewish “occupiers,” took a bunch of hostages, and celebrated their success.

In hindsight, the Palestinians chose poorly. And yet, judging by the historical examples of militant Islam, they are lucky. It could have been Timur at the gates of Gaza.

My proposal for the Palestinians: Consider yourselves fortunate that one of your own Muslim warlords wasn’t camped outside Gaza on October 27, and start living up to your self-described “religion of peace.”

Yes, it will be hard. But I have faith that you will either do that or the world will send someone to do it for you.

If you like this bit of history, you’ll like my podcast even more.