The history of southern and central Iran illustrates the positive and negative sides of Timurid rule. The region was a prosperous center of agriculture, manufacture, and trade, ruled directly by Timurid governors, and its strong tax base and military manpower were important assets to the realm as a whole. The numerous histories written in this area provide valuable information about the notable class in its cities and their relations with the Timurid government. Timurid personnel often remained for long periods in one city and became closely involved with city life. Chaghatay emirs were part of the local power structure, not just as rulers, but also as builders, commercial investors and landowners. In this they resembled Mamluk emirs. The city notables on their side depended for much of their power on their local clientage, but many also served the Timurid government.

During times of peace and prosperity, the Timurids did much to win the hearts and minds of their subjects, but when central order broke down, they did just as much to lose them. For much of the time, rulers and notables cooperated in the maintenance of a healthy tax base and suitably imposing city structure. The goodwill and the habit of collaboration that the government developed through its support of the urban and agricultural economy were crucial to the maintenance of its power. As I showed in Chapter 4, during regional contests governors required the cooperation of both Turco-Mongolian military and Iranian city populations in order to hold their regions.