Background
He was a son of Miran Shah and a grandson of Timur.
He was a son of Miran Shah and a grandson of Timur.
During Timur"s lifetime, Khalil Sultan gained Timur"s particular favor. He distinguished himself during the campaign in India and in 1402 was given rule of Ferghana valley. Upon Timur"s death in 1405 Khalil viewed himself as his successor.
Timur"s appointed successor Pir Muhammad was quickly cast aside, and Khalil gained control of Samarkand.
Khalil gained Timur"s treasury and bestowed the puppet title of Chagatai Khan (which before had always been granted by Timur to a descendant of Genghis Khan to legitimize his rule) to a Timurid prince. Meanwhile, Shahrukh Mirza, who was ruling in Herat, also decided to press his claims.
Nevertheless, Khalil"s position began to weaken. The latter had considerable influence over Khalil, convincing him to appoint people of so-called low birth to high positions at the expense of the nobility.
A famine caused him to be even more despised.
However, Persian historian Khwandamir instead claims that Khudaidad Hussain began a civil war against Khalil and took him prisoner, delivering him along with his territory to eastern Chagatai Khan Shams-i-Jahan (r 1399–1408). Shams-i-Jahan, however, had Khudaidad Hussain executed for his treason to Khalil and returned Khalil his kingdom. Khalil"s rule in Samarkand finally ended when Shahrukh Mirza entered the city unopposed on May 13, 1409.
Transoxiana was then given to Shahrukh Mirza"s son Ulugh Beg.
Khalil decided to surrender to Shahrukh Mirza, who had captured Shad Mulk. He died there in 1411.