This Ancient Curse Allegedly Launched World War II
Rumor has it that an ancient, powerful curse contributed to the start of World War II. On June 22, 1941, Joseph Stalin ordered Soviet archaeologists to open the tomb of Amir Timur in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, unleashing the curse that was said to protect the famous conqueror in his burial place.
They found an inscription in the tomb that read, “When I rise from the dead, the world shall tremble.” Upon opening Timur’s coffin, they saw another inscription: “Whoever disturbs my tomb will unleash an invader more terrible than I.”
Just a few hours later, Adolf Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. As a result, an estimated 26 million people died. Nazi Germany’s attack on Soviet Russia was the largest in terms of the number of casualties and the area it covered, as it stretched across the entire Eastern front.
It was one of the darkest moments of World War II. Both sides suffered catastrophic losses and damages. But then, in 1942, Stalin had Timur’s remains reburied in Samarkand in accordance with Islamic tradition.
Shortly after, the German army surrendered at the Battle of Stalingrad, and the Russians claimed victory. It was a major turning point in the war for the Allies.
Of course, some say that there is no connection between the curse and the Nazi surrender. But you can decide for yourself whether it was a coincidence or not.
The cursed tomb belonged to Amir Timur, a warlord and nobleman who controlled a large portion of Asia during the 14th century.
He was known as one of the best military leaders and killed around 17 million people. He also had an appreciation for architecture and the arts.
Timur, also known as Tamerlane, was born in the 1320s in what is now Uzbekistan. His early life was filled with chaos and power struggles.
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During a battle, he sustained injuries that left him with a permanent limp, but that did not stop him from becoming one of the greatest military leaders.
As part of his strategy to rise to power, he claimed to be a descendant of Genghis Khan. He quickly established himself as a conqueror and founded the Timurid Empire in modern-day Iran and Afghanistan.
He expanded his empire from India to Turkey and Russia to Egypt, taking over the Eurasian Steppes.
After he stormed through a region, he would leave scorched landscapes and thousands of skulls in his wake.
Despite his thirst for blood, he maintained a lifelong interest in art, culture, and learning. He invited poets, scholars, and artists to his court in his capital city of Samarkand.
Today, Samarkand is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. The architecture still shows influence from Timur’s time.
Timur died in 1405 on his way to conquer China. He was brought back to Samarkand and laid to rest in a tomb called Gur-e Amir. The tomb was built in 1403 after Timur’s grandson and heir died suddenly.
Since then, a curse has protected the tomb, daring someone else to come and unleash a terrible fate upon not only themselves but the world.
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