Beatrice Forbes Manz is Associate Professor of History at Tufts University, Massachusetts. Her previous publications include The Rise and Fall of Tamerlane (1989) and, as editor, Studies on Chinese and Islamic Central Asia (1995).

• List of maps; Preface; Chronology; Family tree of major Timurid princes; Introduction; 1. The formation of the Timurid State under Shahrukh; 2. Issues of sources and historiography; 3. Shahrukh's Dīwān and its personnel; 4. Political and military resources of Iran; 5. Timurid rule in southern and central Iran; 6. Political dynamics in the realm of the supernatural; 7. The dynasty and the politics of the religious classes; 8. The rebellion of Sultan Muhammad b. Baysunghur and the struggle over succession; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

Review of the hardback: 'She provides a rich portrait of Iranian society over an exceptionally broad spectrum … this book provides the first broad analysis of political dynamics in late medical Iran and challenges much received wisdom about civil and military power, the relationship of government to society, and the interaction of religious figures with the ruling class.' Middle East