Subversive Skylines: Local History and the Rise of the Sayyids in Mongol Yazd

This article examines the emergence of the Ḥusaynī sayyids as key facilitators of the Mongols’ acculturation to Islamo-Persianate society and traces the expansion of their influence at imperial courts through the seventeenth century. Previous scholarship has emphasized the pivotal role of figures like Rashīduddīn Hamadānī in brokering reciprocal processes of acculturation from the empire's centre. This study builds on such work by shifting the focus to Yazd, a provincial city. It explores the evolving and unique role of Yazdī sayyids in facilitating such processes as they fashioned new patronage networks at court and reconfigured the urban morphology of Yazd. Furthermore, using local histories alongside universal ones, this study explores narrative strategies by which Yazdī authors, writing after the Mongol period, commemorated the sayyids’ emergence. It situates these writings in the context of larger transformations that affected relations between provincial elites and the imperial centre throughout these periods

On the margins of minority life: Zoroastrians and the state in Safavid Iran

This article looks at the treatment of the Zoroastrians by central and provincial authorities in early modern Yazd, Kirman and Isfahan, emphasizing the institutional weaknesses of the central or khāsṣạ protection they were supposed to benefit from under the Safavids (907–1135/1501– 1722). It is argued that the maltreatment the Zoroastrians endured under the Safavids had little to do with religious bigotry. Rather, it arose from rivalries between the central and the provincial services of the Safavid bureaucracy, putting Zoroastrians in Yazd, Kirman, Sistan and Isfahan at risk of over-taxation, extortion, forced labour and religious persecution. The argument developed in this article pivots on the material interest of the central and the provincial agents of the Safavid bureaucracy in the revenue and labour potentials of the Zoroastrians, and the way in which the conflict of interest between these two sectors led to such acts of persecution as over-taxation, forced labour, extortion and violenc

Farhād va Shīrīn, [18th century?].

Elegant copy of Farhād va Shīrīn, one of the mas̲navīs of Vaḥshī Bāfqī (d.1583).Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center, Isl. Ms. 336Origin: Lacks dated colophon ; paper, decoration, etc. suggest 18th or early 19th century.Former shelfmark: "504 [?] T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on verso of front flyleaf ; "١٢" inscribed in pencil on 'title page' (p.1) ; "1/9" inscribed in ink on 'title page' (p.1).Binding: Boards covered in textured black cloth with black leather over spine (quarter binding) ; Type III binding though not flush ; board linings and hinges in bright red paper ; sewn in red and lime green thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in lime green and red, good condition ; overall in fair condition with some abrasion, etc.Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper with 11 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, quite distinct) and no laid lines apparent, extremely well-burnished to glossy, crisp and transluscent, grayish color ; some pigment burn.Decoration: Elegant illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.2 consisting of rectangular panel with empty gold cartouche flanked by floral vegetal accents in gold, red, light blue, green, yellow, pink, etc. on fields of 'lapis lazuli' and gold, surmounted by a large (vertically elongated) scalloped semi-circular piece (dome) filled with swirling floral vegetal decoration in gold, pink, blue, green, white, yellow, and red on a gold ground, sumounted by still further domes in lapis and dark maroon, entire piece set into a heavy well of red, lapis (with white cross accents) and turquoise bands defined by gold and black fillets ; gold cloud-bands and floral accents set off basmalah at opening on p.2 written area surrounded by frame consisting of gold bands defined by black fillets and outermost blue rule (columns within and outer margin also defined by gold fillets).Script: Nastaʻlīq ; compact, elegant hand ; serifless, with effect of words descending to baseline, closed counters, and elongated horizontal strokes, final ی usually pointed ; partially vocalized.Layout: Written in 17 lines per page with written area mainly divided to two columns ; frame-ruled (impression of ruling board evident).Collation: i, 5 IV(40), III (46), IV (54), 4 II(70), i ; mainly quaternions and binions ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization.Explicit: "یقین داند که صورت عین معنی است"Incipit: "الهی سینۀ ده آتش افروز در ان سینه دلی و ان دل همه سوز ..."Title from inscription on 'title page' (p.1).Ms. codex.Cat. Pers. MSS. Brit. Mus.,Elegant copy of Farhād va Shīrīn, one of the mas̲navīs of Vaḥshī Bāfqī (d.1583).Mode of access: Internet.Acquired by purchase (funds donated by Horace Rackham).Inscriptions in pencil and ink on verso of front flyleaf "504 [?] T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" and on 'title page' (p.1) "١٢" and "1/9" ; effaced statement at close on p.134 ; fairly clean copy

[Kullīyāt-i Vaḥshī, 17th century?].

Elegant copy of the collected poetic works (dīvān) of Vaḥshī Bāfqī (d.1583), opening with his mas̲navī Farhād va Shīrīn.Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center, Isl. Ms. 335Origin: As appears in colophon on p.519, copied by one Muḥammad, known as ʻIṭrī (Mehmet Itri). Date of transcription is not specified though paper, decoration etc. may suggest 17th or even late 16th century.Former shelfmark: "107 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on verso of front flyleaf.Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark maroon leather ; Type II binding (with flap, though now lost) ; pastedowns and flyleaves in pink coated and textured paper (embossed in a repeating leaf pattern) ; upper and lower covers carry central gold-painted spray of leaves and flowers set in a rectangular panel defined by gold fillets with tooled rosette accent cornerpieces and tooled border in gold ; text block edges gold-painted in vegetal designs ; sewn in red thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in yellow and red, good condition ; overall in somewhat poor condition with loss of flap, much abrasion, some staining, lifting of leather, etc. ; some subtle repairs to spine.Support: non-European laid paper of perhaps a few types ; mainly non-European laid paper with 8-9 laid lines per cm. (horizontal or vertical) and occasional chain lines visible (even in pairs, see p.136), heavily sized and burnished, medium cream in color, quite sturdy / dense and fairly thick ; leaf carrying pp.349-350 delaminating ; added / replacement leaves at close in European laid paper with "TSC" or "TSG" (possibly below an eagle, see p.520-524) ; repairs.Decoration: Superbly executed illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.2 consisting of large rectangular piece with central gold cartouche (empty) surrounded by swirling floral vegetal decoration in gold, pink, yellow, red, and light blue on lapis lazuli and gold (evoking book cover design), bordered in a dark blue / lapis band with white accents and surmounted by a row of gold lozenges filled with similar floral vegetal decoration itself surmounted a light blue band separating it from a scalloped semi-circular piece (dome) carrying the same manner of swirling floral vegetal decoration on fields of gold and lapis lazuli, all set in a well of red with white accents and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in dark blue ; additional exquisite headpieces at openings of other sections (see pp.86, 138, 352) ; written area throughout surrounded by frame consisting of a heavy gold band defined by black fillets, rules defining columns within also in gold.Script: Nastaʻlīq (talik) ; elegant Ottoman hand ; serifless, with effect of words descending to baseline, closed counters, and elongated horizontal strokes.Layout: Written in 13 lines per page, with written area mainly divided to two columns ; frame-ruled.Collation: ii, V-1 (9), 4 V(49), IV (57), 20 V(257), II-1+2 (262), ii ; chiefly quinions ; leaves between sections (see pp.85, 135-137, 348-351) and final leaves left blank ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization.Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, mainly in Arabic, reads "تمت الكتاب بعون الملك الوهاب على يد اضعف العباد محمد الشهير بعطرى غفر ذنوبه تم تم"Explicit: "یا صاحب ننگ و نام می باید بود یا شهره خاص و عام می باید بود القصه کمال جهد می باید کرد در وادی خود تمام می باید بود"Incipit: "الهی سینۀ ده آتش افروز در ان سینه دلی و ان دل همه سوز ..."Title supplied by cataloguer.Ms. codex.Cat. Pers. MSS. Brit. Mus.,Elegant copy of the collected poetic works (dīvān) of Vaḥshī Bāfqī (d.1583), opening with his mas̲navī Farhād va Shīrīn.Mode of access: Internet.Acquired by purchase (funds donated by Horace Rackham).Inscription in pencil on verso of front flyleaf "107 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" ; effaced seal impression on p.3 ; collation statement in margin of p.346 "اوراق عدد ١٠٦" and p.518 (deliberately covered by paper fill) ; fairly clean copy

[Rūznāmachah-i muḥāṣarah-i Qalʻah-i Dār al-Jihād ...etc., late 18th or early 19th century?].

Splendid copy of a collection of works (majmūʻah) opening with Rūznāmachah-i muḥāṣarah-i Qalʻah-i Dār al-Jihād or Vaqāʼiʻ-i Ḥaydarābād, the journal of the seige of Ḥaydarābād by Awrangzīb in Rajab and Shaʻbān 1097 [1686] composed by Niʻmat Khān ʻĀlī Shīrāzī (d.1710), followed by a Mas̲navī of Niʻmat Khān, Nān va ḥalvā by Bahāʼ al-Dīn ʻĀmilī (d.1621), Farhād va Shīrīn (title in rubricated heading given as Khusraw va Shīrīn), one of the mas̲navīs of Vaḥshī Bāfqī (d.1583), and a few other poetic excerpts. Illustrated with six fine miniatures. Contributions to the cataloguing from Ali Rafi.Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center, Isl. Ms. 354Origin: Lacks dated colophon ; paper, decoration, etc. would suggest latter 18th century. Date accompanying ownership statement provides a terminus ante quem of 1236 [1820 or 21]. This manuscript may have been one of the valuables inherited by Z̤iyāʾ al-Salṭanah Shāh Begum from her father's mother Āsiyah Khānum.Former shelfmarks: "525 [?] T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" and "260" inscribed in pencil on recto of front flyleaf.Binding: Upper and lower covers lost, as well as spine leather (sewing, etc. fully exposed on spine) ; Type III binding (without flap) ; sewn in red thread, six stations, over two wide tapes, still intact ; overall in quite poor condition with upper and lower covers lost, abrasion, lifting and losses of spine leather, etc. ; housed in box for protection.Support: non-European (likely Indian or Persian) laid paper with 11 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, fairly distinct) and no chains clearly visible, thin, crisp and transluscent though sturdy, highly sized and burnished to glossy, grayish in color ; written area surface dyed pink, yellow, light green, etc. ; some breakthrough within written area in first few quires of second work.Decoration: Exquisite illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening of first work consisting of rectangular piece with gold cartouche (carrying the basmalah in white ink) flanked by delicate vegetal designs in gold, white and pink on a blue ground and bordered in bands of black and gold, surmounted by double w-shaped piece filled with delicate floral vegetal decoration in pink, green, yellow, etc. on fields of gold, blue, and green, all set in an elaborate well consisting of bands of red, gold interlace, and black and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue and vegetal forms in gold ; another splendid headpiece at opening of second work on fol.100b consisting of rectangular piece with gold cartouche (carrying the basmalah in white ink) flanked by vegetal designs in gold and green on a blue ground and bordered in bands of green and gold, surmounted by w-shaped piece filled with delicate floral vegetal decoration in pink, green, yellow, etc. on bands of gold, blue, and dark lavender, all set in an elaborate well consisting of bands of black, gold, and green overlaid with floral designs and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue and vegetal forms in gold ; illuminated marginal decoration bordering written area of incipit and facing page of opening and second work each consisting of a band of floral and vegetal forms in gold with green and red accents ; written area surface dyed pink, yellow, light green, etc., gold-flecked and surrounded by gold frame, divisions within also ruled in gold ; headings and keywords rubricated ; overlining in red ; textual dividers in the form inverted commas in red ; opening work illustrated with one half-page (fol.50a) and one full-page (fol.53b) miniature and final work illustrated with three half-page (fol.193b, 195a, 203b) miniatures and one full-page (fol.198a) miniature, all in Indian style.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; bold, elegant hand in a heavy line ; serifless, with effect of words descending to baseline, elongation and exaggerated thickness of horizontal strokes, pointing mainly in distinct dots ; Arabic excerpts in a bold naskh, mainly serifless (though alif of lam alif ligature has left-sloping barbed serif) with dramatically sweeping descenders, usually fully vocalized.Layout: Varies ; opening prose work written in 19 lines per page ; written area often divided to three columns with verses on the diagonal or alternating diagonal and horizontal in 10-16 lines (hemistiches) per column, for 15 to 24 lines of verse per page ; frame-ruled.Collation: 4 IV(32), II (36), 2 IV(52), III-1 (57), 3 IV(81), III (87), IV (95), II (99), 8 IV(163), V (173), III (179), 3 IV(203), IV+3 (214) ; middle of the quire marks in the form of black oblique strokes appear in opposite outer corners of the facing leaves ; a few leaves ruled and tinted but left blank in opening work (see fol.33b, 42a, 74b) ; catchwords present.Incipit: [Vaqāʼiʻ-i Ḥaydarābād] "روزنامچۀ وقایع ایام محاصرۀ قلعه دار الجهاد حیدرآباد سیز دهم رجب سنه ٣٠ دمی که مدرس کشاف صبح در صفۀ صدق و صفا ..." ; [Mas̲navī] "حمد و شکر او را که هرچه هست ازوست دام هستی حلقه دار از های و هوست ..." ; [Nān va ḥalvā ] "ایها اللاهی عن العهد القدیم ایها الساهی عن النهج القویم ..." ; [Farhād va Shīrīn] "الهی سینۀ ده آتش افروز در ان سینه دلی و ان دل همه سوز ..."Title supplied by cataloguer from inscription on 'title page' (fol.2a).Ms. codex.9. fol.213b-fol.214b : [blank].8. fol.204b-fol.213a : [other poetic excerpts].7. fol.180a-fol.204b : Khusraw [Farhād] va Shīrīn / Vaḥshī Bāfqī.6. fol.179b : [blank].5. fol.169a-fol.179a : Nān va ḥalvā / Bahāʼ al-Dīn ʻĀmilī.4. fol.168b : [blank].3. fol.100b-fol.168a : [Mas̲navī] / Niʻmat Khān ʻĀlī.2. fol.100a : [blank].1. fol.2b-fol.99b : Rūznāmachah-i muḥāṣarah-i Qalʻah-i Dār al-Jihād / Niʻmat Khān ʻĀlī.Dominic Parviz Brookshaw, “ŻIĀʾ-AL-SALṬANA,” Encyclopaedia Iranica,Cat. Pers. MSS. Brit. Mus.,Berthels, E. "Niʿmat K̲H̲ān, called ʿĀlī, Mīrzā Nūr al-Dīn Muḥammad." In EI2,Cat. Pers. MSS. Brit. Mus.,Cat. Pers. MSS. Brit. Mus.,Splendid copy of a collection of works (majmūʻah) opening with Rūznāmachah-i muḥāṣarah-i Qalʻah-i Dār al-Jihād or Vaqāʼiʻ-i Ḥaydarābād, the journal of the seige of Ḥaydarābād by Awrangzīb in Rajab and Shaʻbān 1097 [1686] composed by Niʻmat Khān ʻĀlī Shīrāzī (d.1710), followed by a Mas̲navī of Niʻmat Khān, Nān va ḥalvā by Bahāʼ al-Dīn ʻĀmilī (d.1621), Farhād va Shīrīn (title in rubricated heading given as Khusraw va Shīrīn), one of the mas̲navīs of Vaḥshī Bāfqī (d.1583), and a few other poetic excerpts. Illustrated with six fine miniatures. Contributions to the cataloguing from Ali Rafi.Mode of access: Internet.Acquired by purchase (funds donated by Horace Rackham).Inscriptions in pencil on front flyleaf "525 [?] T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" and "260" ; on ‘title page’ rectangular seal impression of Z̤iyāʼ al-Salṭanah Shāh Begum (1799-1873) [ضياء السلطنه شاه بيگم] seventh daughter and private secretary of Fatḥ ʻAlī Shāh Qājār (r.1797-1834), as well as an accomplished calligrapher, accompanying ownership statement dated 1236 [1820 or 21] ; on verso of final leaf (fol.214b), possible shelfmark / inventory mark or book price with Hindu-Arabic and siyāq numerals (contribution to the cataloguing from Ali Rafi) ; occasional marginal corrections