Extensive historical study of Amir Timur's conquests of Afghan and Iranian cities. Kulliyat-e Farsi Taymurnamah (literally, The biographical account of Timur) is a biography of Timur or Tamerlane (1336-1405), the Turkic-Mongolian founder of the Timurid dynasty and lineage. It chronicles in detail his personal, political, and military life, including campaigns and conquests, and events in the regions of present-day Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran. Many biographies of Timur were produced during his lifetime and after. This lithographed version was published in Tashkent by Matba-e Ghulam Hasan in 1912. The last page of the introduction (pages 2-7) states that this book was written in 1792 during the reign of Shah Murad, founder of the emirate of Bukhara. The full name of the author, Mirza Muhamamd Qasim Ibn Abdul Khaliq Bukhari, appears on the cover, but no other information about him is provided. The introduction to this copy is a typical Persian historiographical trope praising God's supremacy and linking the rise of a ruler, Timur, to divine sanction. The author emphasizes that this connection also held true with the prophets, from Abraham to Muhammad, and for the first four caliphs of Islam, Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman, and Ali. On page four the author states that "humanity" is of two types, firstly the prophets, then the kings, as protectors of religion, makers and keepers of peace, and defenders of justice with courage and bravery. (He says nothing about people who do not fit either of these categories.) Timur (Amir Timur Gorgan) is seen as the latter type, "unquestionably brave, and conqueror of the world from Bulgaria to China, and the ruler of Iran and Turan." The author refers to other biographers of Timur, including Qazi Abdul Wakil and Abdul Razzaq Samarqandi. He covers Timur's family background, coronation as a ruler in Balkh in 1369-70, and his military campaigns. The work also expands beyond the life of Timur to cover events relating to the lives of his descendants, including the coronation of Mirza Shahrukh as a dynast in Herat, the rise of Babur as emperor in Khorasan and India, and the emergence of the Uzbeks and Safavids as new political lineages in Mawaranahr, Khorasan, and Iran. Particular historical events, individual figures, and narratives are marked with bold subheadings within the text and above. The first dastan (narrative) on pages eight to 15 concerns the birth of Timur. The last dastan is on his death and briefly discusses his descendants, notably his 34 sons and his many grandchildren. Notes and the signatures of anonymous readers, or perhaps of the author, appear in the margins of the text, as well as seals and stamps of many other readers on the last page of the book. The work is about 440 pages, paginated with Indo-Arabic numerals. World Digital Library.
Manuscript. Turkish (Arabic script) and Persian. Title from bottom edge. Name of scribe not indicated Probably written in Turkey. Paper: very light cream-color polished laid paper with horizontal chain lines and no visible watermarks; elaborate floral unvan in blue, gold and red; text enclosed in a fine ruled border of black and gold ink; rubrication with overlining; few marginal corrections; catchwords on rectos. Naskh; 23 lines in written area 16.5 x 7.5 cm. Fol. 1b-378b. Library of Congress. Persian manuscript, M77?. Contemporary reddish-brown polished binding with gold medallions and borders front and back. Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress website.
Manuscript. Persian. Title from fol. 2a. Scribe not identified. Place of writing not determined; probably Iran or Turkey. Paper; light cream color laid paper with no visible chain lines or watermarks; elaborate floral unwan in gold, blue and red; text enclosed in ruled border of blue and gold; numerous illustrations; black ink with rubrication and overlining; catchwords. Naskh; 21 lines in written area 17 x 8.5 cm. Numerous illustrations and tables on fol. 2-19; some small illustrations in body of text. Fol. 2b-238a. Library of Congress. Persian manuscript, [unnumbered]. Modern dark brown leather binding. Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress website.