SCIENCE AND LEARNING IN THE ERA OF MIRZO ULUG’BEK

Abstract

Mirzo Ulug’bek was one of the greatest scholars of the medieval world. He ruled the region of Mawarannahr from Samarkand in the fifteenth century, but he is remembered not as a warrior or a conqueror, but as a scientist and a supporter of learning. Under his rule, Samarkand became one of the most important centres of science in the world. He built madrasas where students could study mathematics, astronomy, geometry, and other subjects. He also built a great observatory where he and his fellow scientists observed the stars and produced one of the most accurate star catalogs of the medieval age. This article examines how Ulug’bek promoted science and education, what he and his scholars achieved, and how his legacy influenced the development of knowledge both in the Islamic world and beyond.