The Cathedral Mosque

I have just finished reading a brilliant book about Temur the Lame (Tamurlane), and so was quite jazzed to visit his capital of Samarkand, and a little disappointed to learn that very little in the city actually belonged to him: the vast majority of the buildings, of course, were Russian, and what ancient monuments survived largely were built by his heirs. There were a few exceptions, and I hired a guide to help seek them out. The most prominent of these was the Bibi Khanum, or the Cathedral Mosque, intended by Temur to have a mightiness to match that of his conquering armies.

This mosque was built by Temur upon his return from India, where he conquered Delhi, and was probably inspired by some of its great monuments. He placed two of his most trusted amirs (lieutenants) in charge of its construction, and promptly set off on another five year campaign of pillage, this time to the West, to Damascus and Anatolia. During his periods away, perhaps his perception of his greatness became inflated, because what had been produced upon his return he found far from adequate. My book tells me that "[m]erely casting an eye upon the mosque, he pronounced against Mohammed Jalad (his builder) a sentence of death and forthwith they drew him on his face and bound his feet and ceased not dragging him and drawing him over the ground on his face, until in this manner they had torn him to pieces." Wanting the job done properly, Temur took charge himself, forcing builders to work night and day until the portal to the mosque reached over 100 feet and its minarets up to 150. The result is brutally magnificent, it's simple elegance not being lost even to the many "repairs" done by the Soviets. The historians of the day declared that "the dome would have been unique but for the sky being its copy, the arch would have been singular but for the Milky Way."

That is the story according to the books. A much more attractive tale of this striking place comes from local lore, as related by our guide and corroborated by many trinket sellers, whose word I take as high authority. In reality, the mosque was not built by Temur, but by his favorite wife, who was from China and had an unpronounceable Chinese name, and as such went by Bibi Khanum (meaning "Dear Wife"), the name now rightfully given to the Cathedral Mosque itself. She had itbuilt for Temur while he was off on the 5 year campaign to the Middle East. This 5 year campaign, however, only took 4 years, and when Bibi heard that Temur was coming back early, panic struck, because the mosque was not yet finished.

She called the architect to her, asking him to redouble his efforts. The architect happened to be in love with Bibi, and agreed, on the condition that she allow him to kiss her. She was aghast, and she suggested that he just take a slave girl from the harem and kiss her all he liked. She took a basket of eggs and said "Look! They are all the same on the inside! Such are women."

But the wily architect retorted by pouring a glass of water and a glass of (of course) vodka, saying "they look the same, but one has no effect while the other sets your veins on fire." Confounded by his logic, Bibi allowed the man to kiss her, but only through her veil. The architects love was so powerful, that his lips left an indelible impression on her cheek.

Temur returned and was pleased with the mosque, but when he saw the lip-shaped mark on his wife's cheek, no excuse would placate him. He ordered the architect and Bibi together to be thrown from the minaret of the newly built mosque. In keeping with the values of the region, it is said that Bibi fell to her death, but the architect grew wings and flew away.

I'm sure there's a lesson in here somewhere, but I'm not sure what it is.