Art Around the World World Art    

Lesson 5: Battleground of Timur and the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt

by Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the art region or artist.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

In Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād's battle scene, 'Battleground of Timur and the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt,' a chaotic tangle of armed forces collide in a riot of shapes and colors. Cavalry soldiers and foot soldiers battle for their lives, while flag bearers hoist their banners high, and musicians trumpet horns in the background. Horses and men alike are clad in brightly colored armor. Weaponry includes swords, spears, bows, and arrows. Note the spiral swirl of the clouds, the red and brown trees, the small tufts of grass, and the rock outcropping in the upper left corner that seems to claw at the men. The painting captures the historical event of 'Timur the Lame,' the Mongol conqueror, defeating the Mamluk Sultan Nasir-ad-Din Faraj outside the city of Damascus in 1400.

Vocabulary

Mongol: A native or inhabitant of Mongolia; a Mongolian.
Sultan: A Muslim ruler that follows the religion of Islam.
Quiver: An archer's portable case for holding arrows.
Foot Soldier: A soldier who fights on foot; an infantryman.
Cavalry: Soldiers who fight on horseback.
Damascus: Capital city of the country of Syria.
Shah: A title of the emperors, kings, princes, and lords of Persia/Iran.

Concepts

1. Persian painter Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād was born in 1450 in Herat, Timurid Empire, now Afghanistan. See his image below.

2. Zoom in and find Behzād's birth country of Afghanistan on the map of South Central Asia below.

3. Behzād was an orphan who was raised by a well-known painter.
4. Behzād had many powerful art benefactors including a Sultan and a Shah.
5. Geometric shapes feature prominently in Behzād's works. He is best known for his Persian miniature paintings (small paintings on paper) and book illustrations.
6. He died in Herat in 1535 at the age of 85.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Find the following in the artwork:

• 20 Horses
• Spears
• Bows
• Arrows
• Quivers
• Swords
• Horse Armor
• Grass
• Clouds
• Red Flag
• Yellow Flag
• Horn Instruments

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Map the Artwork

• Zoom in to find the location of the battle, in Damascus, Syria.

Activity 4: Color the Map of Afghanistan   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 10 of 'Art History Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Activity 5: Color the Artist   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 11 of 'Art History Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Activity 6: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 12 of 'Art History Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Review

Question 1

What is the setting of the artwork?

1 / 5

Answer 1

The setting of the painting is a clearing outside Damascus, Syria.

1 / 5

Question 2

Who are the characters in the artwork?

2 / 5

Answer 2

The characters are the foot and cavalry soldiers of Timur and the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt. There are also men carrying flags and blowing horns.

2 / 5

Question 3

Who won the battle?

3 / 5

Answer 3

Timur won the battle and took the city of Damascus.

3 / 5

Question 4

What do both the soldiers and the horses wear?

4 / 5

Answer 4

The soldiers and the horses both wear colorful armor.

4 / 5

Question 5

What are some of the weapons used in the fight?

5 / 5

Answer 5

Weapons used in the fight include swords, spears, and bows and arrows.

5 / 5

❮ ❯

1. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting of the painting is a clearing outside Damascus, Syria.
2. Who are the characters in the artwork? The characters are the foot and cavalry soldiers of Timur and the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt. There are also men carrying flags and blowing horns.
3. Who won the battle? Timur won the battle and took the city of Damascus.
4. What do both the soldiers and the horses wear? The soldiers and the horses both wear colorful armor.
5. What are some of the weapons used in the fight? Weapons used in the fight include swords, spears, and bows and arrows.

References

'Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Shah.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Siege of Damascus (1400).' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.