Terrifying plague kills millions Chinese oust Mongol rulers Ottomans carve out a new empire The sternpost rudder, a new device for steering ships, is adopted Violence in Japan threatens stability Tatar leader Timur controls much of Asia African emperor's travels bring glory to Mali

6. Tatar leader Timur controls much of Asia Seemingly inspired by his ancestor, the conqueror Genghis Khan, Timur, also known as Tamerlane, of Turkestan is attempting to create his own Asian empire. From his capital at Samarkand in central Asia, Timur has driven his troops through Afghanistan, Persia, and Asia Minor. The Tatar then sacked Delhi and massacred most of its inhabitants in 1398. View from Today