Timur's will named a grandson in Kandahar, but another grandson took Samarkand and the treasury first

Timur fell ill at Otrar on his way to invade China and died on 19 February 1405. Before dying he named his grandson Pir Muhammad, son of his late son Jahangir, as heir, and the emirs with him promised to carry out the will. They then said Pir Muhammad, in Kandahar, was too far away. Timur's youngest son, Shah Rukh, was recognised in the provinces he governed from Herat. The emirs of the army's right wing, without telling the centre, proclaimed another grandson, Khalil Sultan, son of Miran Shah, and with help from the commander of Samarkand took the capital. Khalil seized Timur's treasury, struck coins in his own name and set up a nine-year-old prince as nominal khan. Hostile chroniclers blamed his wife, Shad Malik, for his appointments, and a famine turned the city against him. In 1407 Pir Muhammad was murdered by one of his own emirs. Shah Rukh fought Khalil in the name of avenging Pir Muhammad, captured him, and on 13 May 1409 entered Samarkand unopposed. Khalil gave up his claim for the governorship of Ray and died there in 1411, aged 27. Ibn Arabshah alleged poison and wrote that Shad Malik killed herself. Shah Rukh gave Samarkand to his son Ulugh Beg.