Mirzo Ulugbek is a ruler who turned his gaze to the stars

The history of Uzbekistan is rich in the names of great thinkers and scientists who have left an indelible mark on the centuries. They lived at different times, but their knowledge, progressive and humanistic views contributed to the development of science and culture. 

Among the galaxy of encyclopedic scientists, Mirzo Ulugbek occupies a special place - an astronomer, mathematician, historian, connoisseur of music, poetry, statesman, who made a huge contribution to the development of world science and universal civilization.
Mirzo Ulugbek (Muhammad Taragai) was born on March 22, 1394 in Sultaniyah (Iranian Azerbaijan) during Amir Temur's next campaign in Iraq and Azerbaijan. He was the eldest son of Shahrukh and the grandson of the great Amir Temur on his father's side, on his mother's side — the grandson of the influential Kipchak amir Giyas al-Din Tarkhan. The name Muhammad Taragai, given at birth, was replaced in childhood by the nickname Ulugbek ("The Great Bey"). 
The written sources of the XIV—XV centuries contain very scant data on the childhood of Mirzo Ulugbek. Since childhood, Ulugbek, together with his mentor Sarai Mulk-khanum, accompanied Amir Temur on his military campaigns, attended important meetings and receptions of foreign ambassadors. It should be noted the special participation of Amir Temur in the upbringing, education of his grandson, the formation of his interests, and the acquisition of knowledge. Sahibkiran sensed in him an extraordinary mind and ability for knowledge. Before his grandfather's death, Ulugbek was at his court surrounded by the best teachers.
After the death of Amir Temur in February 1405, there was a struggle for the throne in Movarounnahr for several years, in which Sahibkiran's youngest son Shahrukh won, and the huge state was divided into two large regions — Movarounnahr and Khorasan. By the end of the first decade of the XV century, almost all of Amir Temur's inheritance was concentrated in the hands of Shahrukh. In 1409, he appointed his son ruler of Movarounnahr, while he remained in Khorasan, which he ruled during his father's lifetime.
Mirzo Ulugbek became ruler at the age of 15 under the tutelage of Shah Malik. In 1411, his independent rule began, and for forty years, until 1449, political and economic stability continued in Movarounnahr, Samarkand turned into a center of education, science and culture.
Mirzo Ulugbek paid great attention to education. By his order, madrasas were built: in 1417 in Bukhara, in 1420 in Samarkand, in 1433 in Gijduvan, where along with religious 
Through the sciences, students gained knowledge in mathematics, geometry, astronomy, medicine and other disciplines. Madrasahs have survived to the present day.
The most advanced educational institution was the Samarkand madrasah, located on Registan Square. According to researchers, this is one of the best monumental structures of the Middle Ages. The first mudaris was appointed Mawlan Muhammad Khawafi, a dervish, a commoner with deep scientific knowledge.
Famous scientists of their time, associates of Mirzo Ulugbek — Kazi-Zadeh Rumi, Giyasiddin Jamshid, Hussein Birjandi, Ali Kushchi taught at the madrasah.
According to written sources, Mirzo Ulugbek sometimes lectured students on mathematics and astronomy himself. 
Attaching great importance to the observance of sanitary and hygienic conditions, Mirzo Ulugbek ordered the construction of a bathhouse and a hairdressing salon next to the madrasah. Trees were planted around the madrasah so that students could study and relax in the shade in the hot summer.
Alisher Navoi wrote in the work "Khayrotul Abror" that young people came to Samarkand in the hope of the support that Mirzo Ulugbek provided to those who wanted to study. Young men from poor families could also receive knowledge in the madrasah. He ordered such students to be given scholarships and clothes.
The Samarkand madrasah became famous far beyond the borders of Movarounnahr. It is known that it trained not only mosque servants, but also civil servants, scientists, teachers for maktabs and madrasahs. This contributed to the rise of science and culture. 
The main difference between the Samarkand madrasah of Mirzo Ulugbek and other similar institutions of Movarounnahr was the teaching methods used. Mirzo Ulugbek carried out a reform in the madrasah. Students were not required to obey unconditionally, memorizing the text. A schedule has been established that is mandatory for both students and teachers. Attendance of classes was recorded. 
One of the points of Mirzo Ulugbek's reform was the inclusion of the maintenance of madrassas in the state budget. 
Mirzo Ulugbek built an observatory in Samarkand to conduct astronomical observations. As the famous academician Galina Pugachenkova wrote: "The time of Ulugbek's forty-year reign was sometimes a brilliant flowering of secular culture in Movarounnahr, especially the development of exact and natural sciences, mathematics and astronomy, which this crowned scientist, extraordinary in the history of the East, was passionately fond of."
The main result of Mirzo Ulugbek's scientific activity, which brought him world fame, is "Zij—i Jadidi Guragani" ("New Guragan Astronomical Tables", or "New Gurganian zij"). The work is valuable because it was compiled as a result of practical observations long before the invention of the telescope.
It is well known that similar catalogues of tables were compiled before Mirzo Ulugbek, but by the beginning of the XV century in science there was a need for more accurate and detailed tables. Mirzo Ulugbek's Zij met all the requirements of that time. The work consists of four books. The first one is devoted to the chronology and calendars of the Chinese, ancient Turks, Persians, Greeks, and Arabs. The second is spherical astronomy and mathematical geography, it presents mathematical and geographical tables. The third book talks about the movement of planets and stellar astronomy, contains tables of planetary movements and a star catalog describing the coordinates of 1,018 fixed stars. The fourth book is devoted to astrology.
Mirzo Ulugbek's achievements as a medieval scholar and ruler of Movarounnahr were recognized and highly appreciated all over the world. He was and remains a great scientist of his era. The results of the research of the Samarkand Astronomical School have taken a worthy place in the treasury of world science.

Feruza Shamukaramova,
Candidate of Historical Sciences,
Leading researcher at the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan.