Editing Ulugh Beg (section)

== War of succession and death ==
[[Image:Tomb of Tamerlane.jpg|thumb|right|170px|Ulugh Beg's headstone at the foot of Timur's in the [[Gur-e-Amir]]]]
In 1447, upon learning of the death of his father [[Shah Rukh]], Ulugh Beg went to [[Balkh]]. Here, he heard that [[Ala al-Dawla Mirza|Ala al-Dawla]], the son of his late brother [[Baysunghur]], had claimed the rulership of the [[Timurid Empire]] in [[Herat]]. Consequently, Ulugh Beg marched against Ala al-Dawla and met him in battle at [[Bala Murghab|Murghab]]. He defeated his nephew and advanced toward Herat, massacring its people in 1448. However, [[Abul-Qasim Babur Mirza]], Ala al-Dawla's brother, came to the latter's aid and defeated Ulugh Beg.<ref name="auto3"/>

Ulugh Beg retreated to Balkh where he found that its governor, his oldest son [[Abdal-Latif Mirza]], had [[Revolt of Abdal-Latif Mirza|rebelled against him]]. Another civil war ensued.<ref name="auto3"/> Abdal-Latif recruited troops to meet his father's army on the banks of the [[Amu Darya]] river. However, Ulugh Beg was forced to retreat to Samarkand before any fighting took place, having heard news of turmoil in the city. Abdal-Latif soon reached Samarkand and Ulugh Beg involuntarily surrendered to his son. Abd-al-Latif released his father from custody, allowing him to make [[Hajj|pilgrimage]] to [[Mecca]]. However, he ensured Ulugh Beg never reached his destination, having him, as well as his brother Abdal-Aziz assassinated in 1449.<ref>{{cite web |title=ʿABD-AL-LAṬĪF MĪRZĀ – Encyclopaedia Iranica |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/abd-al-latif-mirza-sultan-timurid-ruler-in-samarqand-1449-50 |website=Iranicaonline.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>''The history of Persia. Containing, the lives and memorable actions of its kings from the first erecting of that monarchy to this time; an exact Description of all its Dominions; a curious Account of India, China, Tartary, Kermon, Arabia, Nixabur, and the Islands of Ceylon and Timor; as also of all Cities occasionally mention'd, as Schiras, Samarkand, Bokara, &c. Manners and Customs of those People, Persian Worshippers of Fire; Plants, Beasts, Product, and Trade. With many instructive and pleasant digressions, being remarkable Stories or Passages, occasionally occurring, as Strange Burials; Burning of the Dead; Liquors of several Countries; Hunting; Fishing; Practice of Physick; famous Physicians in the East; Actions of Tamerlan, &c. To which is added, an abridgment of the lives of the kings of Harmuz, or Ormuz. The Persian history written in Arabick, by Mirkond, a famous Eastern Author that of Ormuz, by Torunxa, King of that Island, both of them translated into Spanish, by Antony Teixeira, who liv'd several Years in Persia and India; and now render'd into English.''</ref><ref>Jonathan L. Lee, ''The "Ancient Supremacy": Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731'' (1996), p. 21</ref> 

Eventually, Ulugh Beg's reputation was rehabilitated by his nephew, [[Abdallah Mirza]] (1450–1451), who placed his remains at Timur's feet in the [[Gur-e-Amir]] in Samarkand,<ref>Ahmad Hasan Dani, Akhmadali Askarovich Askarov, Sergeĭ Pavlovich Gubin, ''Rediscovery of the civilization of Central Asia: integral study of silk roads, roads of dialogue, steppe route expedition in USSR'' (1991), p. 82</ref> where they were found by [[Soviet]] archaeologists in 1941.