Eastern Persia has experienced its own cultural flowering under Sultan Husayn Mirza Bayqara, the Timurid ruler of Herat, who has controlled the region from 1469.

The Uzbeks had in 1501 conquered Transoxiana from the Timurid Babur.

Under Muhammad Shaybani, the Uzbeks could now threaten Khurasan.

Husayn, suffering from the effects of advanced age, had made no move against them, even after Babur advised him to act, and the Uzbeks had began conducting raids into Khurasan.

Finally changing his mind, he had begun to march against them but died in 1506 just after beginning his advance.

The inheritance of his empire had been disputed between his sons Badi' and Muzaffar Husain.

Babur, who had begun an expedition in support of Husayn, noted the infighting between the brothers, decided the area is impossible to defend, and retreated.

The next year, Muhammad Shaybani conquers Herat and causes Husayn's successors to flee, putting an end to Timurid rule in Khurasan.