Maqsud's family was descended from Chaghatai Khan and had ruled the area since the time of the Yuan dynasty, though by the 20th century all the other Khanates in Turkestan had disintegrated. Maqsud spoke Turkic in a Chinese accent and often wore Chinese clothing,[1] and also spoke fluent Chinese.[2] He reputedly drank copious amounts of alcohol and did not allow anyone to take pictures of him.[3]