The Millet, or Nation, system was created shortly after the creation of the Sultantate by Timur the Great. The Tyrqs faced a problem common to many empires, that of culturally diverse minority groups under their control. Seeing that any attempt to wipe out the cultures of the several nations and "Tyrqize" them would meet only disaster as hardship, Sultan Timur decided instead to grant a great deal of autonomous countrol to the nations. Under the system, the population of the Sultanate was broken up into millets along traditional and historic lines. While many of the millets had a religous basis, this was not the sole factor, as language and historic relations were also taken into consideration. During the past century, several millets have become nation-states independent from Osman. Today there are four millets, who are overseen by the Millet Directorate. While the millets are given a great deal of autonomy, the Sutlanate itself retains all foreign relations, budgetary, and currency powers.