Timur's father was a noble of the Barlas, which was a Mongolian Tribe in Uzbekistan. Timur was muslim and although he was not related to Genghis Khan, he wanted to continue the legacy of conquest. Around 1360, Timur began to gain power as a military leader of Turkic tribesman. He and his crew went around the region subjugating small villages and towns. Eventually he amassed a large army that covered a big portion of the Middle East, and he took over rule of a segment of the Mongol empire. Because he was not directly related to Genghis Khan, he appointed puppets and figureheads to maintain the legitimacy of his rule.