Katalog

183 includes Alexander’s heroic deeds among those of the Iranian heroes. Some of the kings and heroes are described, warts and all, in a way so human that readers might recognise themselves in these characters. In satire, Firdausī also immortalises his own experiences with Sultān Mah. mūd-i G. aznavī and the poor remuneration he received. This, too, has contributed to the author’s role as a sceptic facing an autocrat’s overwhelming power and to his status as a role model in the eyes of some Iranian writers. The Hellenistic rulers were impressed by the persuasive power of Iran’s royal ide- ology. The ceremonies of the Iranian court were highly appreciated by some of the caliphs and undoubtedly by Iran’s Mongolian Il-Khān dynasty (1256–1340). The literati in Herat in the circle of Prince Bāysunqur (d. 1432/33) undertook a slight revision of the Shāhnāma , to which he added a new introduction. Some of the interpolated verses, Arabicised terminology, and Islamic orientation have been traced back to this version by the most recent editor of the epic, Djalal Khaleghi-Motlagh. Interest in the work during the Timurid period had an impact on the Mughals. The Mughal emperors were descendants of Tīmūr, and they held Iran’s literary heritage in high esteem. In addition to the Turkic languages, Iranian was one of the languages spoken at court. A large number of manuscripts of the Shāhnāma were copied during the heyday of imperial rule under Akbar (r. 1556–1605), and it continued to be copied until the beginning of the reign of Aurangzēb (r. 1658–1707). Manuscripts with numerous textual errors and misspelled names, produced especially during the period of decline between the late eighteenth and mid-nineteenth century, are indicative of the epic’s dissemination among the less educated, though affluent, population. The selection of illustrations for many of these late manuscripts contributed to the popularity of the work. Ca 2017-1/1 (p. 1)