Timur (1336–1405; r. 1370–1405), also known as Tamerlane, was a Turkic conqueror of Mongol descent. He rose from among the nomadic and pastoralist tribes of Central Asia to found the Timurid empire (1370–1507), which spanned most of Central Asia as well as parts of present-day Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Russia and the Indian subcontinent. While his capital was at Samarkand in present-day Uzbezistan, he continually remained on the move with his armies. He is known for his brutal and ravaging campaigns over a 35-year military career, modelled on that of Mongol ruler Genghis Khan.