Tamerlane ruled over one of the largest empires in history - an empire that stretched from Syria in the east to the fringes of China, and from southern Russia to northern India. He was a ruthless conqueror, feared throughout Asia, Europe and Africa, and a superb military tactician. Yet he was also a patron of the arts and learning and he turned his capital - Samarkand - into a great city. Arabshah's biography of Tamerlane is that of a contemporary, and was written soon after the events it describes. It is highly detailed and, in contrast to most biographies of Tamerlane, is also highly...