Katalog

232 Short Biographies of Persons indicated in the Index with an asterisk (*) Shāh ‘Abbās I (1571–1629; r. 1588–1629) Shāh ‘Abbās I was the fifth ruler of the Safavid dynasty in Iran (1501–1722), which was in con- tact with the Mughals in India and often served as a source of inspiration for Mughal art and architecture. Under his rule, Iran reached its greatest territorial expansion. 1 In 1598 Isfahan was made the new capital, which saw the increased production of manuscripts such as the Shāhnāma that became an important demonstration of imperial patronage and ideology. 2 Shāh ‘Abbās II (1632–1666; r. 1642–1666) Sultān Muh. ammad Mīrzā, the seventh ruler of the Safavid dynasty in Iran, reigned as Shāh ‘Abbās II. He took an active interest in govern- ance and worked towards the consolidation of the Iranian Empire. His reign was marked by a significant increase in the activities of the western trading companies and consistent struggle with the Mughals, who aimed to conquer Kandahar in order to prove their hereditary descent from Tīmūr (r. 1370–1405). 3 ‘Abd al-Ja’far Beg (‘Abd al-Jabbār Beg) ‘Abd al-Ja’far Beg (Servant of the Powerful) was a wazīr of the seventh king, ‘Abdullāh Qutb Shāh (r. 1626–1672), of the Qutb Shāhī dynasty of Golconda (1496–1687). 4 Mullāh ‘Abd al-Samad   Mullāh ‘Abd al-Samad was the secretary of the ‘Abdullāh Qutb Shāh (r. 1626–1672). 5 Mullāh ‘Abdul Mali   Mullāh ‘Abdul Mali was a spiritual guide to a king of the Qutb Shāhī dynasty of Golconda (1496–1687). ‘Abdullāh Qutb Shāh (1614–1672; r. 1626–1672) ‘Abdullāh Qutb Shāh was proclaimed seventh ruler of Golconda after his father’s death. He continued to maintain diplomatic relations with Iran and evoked the Shāh’s name during his Friday sermon at Golconda. 6 The Mughals con- sidered this practice, along with the recitation of the names of the Twelve Shī’a Imāms , a sin. It was thus only a matter of time until ‘Abdullāh was forced to sign the Deed of Submission to the Mughals in 1636. 7 Painting during the time of ‘Abdullāh came in contact with foreign elements and spread the popularity of European themes such as the Virgin and Child and the Holy Family. 8 ‘Alā’ ud-Dīn (Shāh Alauddin; śāha alāvadīna; r. 1445–1451)   Shāh ‘Alā’ ud-Dīn was the final ruler of the Sayyid dynasty in India (1414–1451). ‘Alā’ ud-Dīn ‘Omar Khiljī (r. 1296–1316) Shāh ‘Alā’ ud-Dīn was the second ruler of the Khiljī dynasty in India (1290–1320). ‘Alī ‘Ādil Shāh II (1638–1672; r. 1656–1672) Upon the death of his father, ‘Alī ‘Ādil Shāh II succeeded to the throne as the eighth ruler of the ‘Ādil Shāhī dynasty of Bijapur (1490–1686), an Indo-Islamic kingdom in the Deccan. The decline of the mighty Bijapur sultanate that began with his predecessor continued during his reign, marked by attacks mounted by the Hindu warrior Śivājī (r. 1674–1680). 9 Azīm ush-Shān (1664–1712)   ‘Azīm ush-Shān, the second son of Bahādur Shāh I (r. 1707–1712), was appointed viceroy of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa by his grandfather Aurangzēb. Upon his father’s death, ‘Azīm announced himself emperor of the Mughal dynasty and minted coins in his name. In spite of having the support of the court, he was soon challenged by his brother Jahāndār Shāh. In the war of succession, Jahāndār Shāh (r. 1712–1713) emerged victorious. Abū Sa’īd (r. c. 1451–1469)   After Shāh Rukh’s death, Abū Sa’īd (d. 1469), grandson of Mīrān Shāh, claimed the throne of Samarkand. With him, the Timurid Empire entered a new phase of disintegration whilst the line of Mīrān Shāh con- tinued to play a prominent role in what remained. Abū’l Hasan Qutb Shāh (1600–1687; r. 1672–1687)   Abū’l Hasan Qutb Shāh was the eighth and last sultān of the Qutb Shāhī dynasty of Golconda (1496–1687). A great patron of the arts and follower of the famous saint Shāh Rājū, he was nicknamed Tānā Shāh (King of Taste). After the fall of Bijapur in 1686, the Mughal army was free to concentrate on Hyderabad and ultimately captured Golconda the following year. Tānā Shāh’s defeat marked the end of the Qutb Shāhī dynasty and the beginning of the Nizām dynasty under the control of the Mughals in Hyderabad. The arts had flourished under Qutb Shāhī rulers, and the tradition continued into the early eighteenth century under the Mughals. 9 Ahmad Khān   Ahmad Khān was probably a wazīr to a king of the Qutb Shāhī dynasty of Golconda (1496–1687). Akbar (1542–1605; r. 1556–1605)   Akbar succeeded his father, Humāyūn, as Mughal ruler at the age of thirteen under the guidance of regent Bairām Khān, Humāyūn’s friend and general, whom he dismissed in 1560, taking over the administration himself. Akbar’s rule was aimed at establishing a strong administration, expansion, and liberal social policies. Questioning the Muslim religious establishment, Akbar abolished s hari’a , a practice of collecting taxes from Hindu pilgrims, in 1563, and jizya , an annual tax imposed on the property of non-Muslims, in 1579. He also celebrated the Hindu festival of light, Diwāli. Despite his ina- bility to read or write, Akbar exerted a spectacu- lar influence on literature and the visual arts. Var- ious manuscripts were illustrated during his reign such as the Tūtīnāma (Tales of a Parrot), Hamzanāma (Stories of the Adventures of Hamza), Razmnāma (Book of Wars), and Akbarnāma, his biography compiled by his friend Abū’l Fazl. 10 Māhārāna Amar Sīngh I (1559–1620) Amar Sīngh I, the Māhārāna of Mewar, was the eldest son of Māhārāna Pratāp. Amar Sīngh (1613–1644)   Rāo Amar Sīngh Rāthor was the eldest son of Gaj Sīngh, the Māhārāna of Marwar. Achieving high esteem for his valour and might, he was a courtier at Shāh Jahān’s court and served as the governor of Nagaur. 12 Muh. ammad Amīn Khān Turānī (d. 1721) Muh. ammad Amīn Khān, son of Muh. ammad Sa’īd Mīr Jumla, an important politician at the Deccani and Mughal courts, served as prime minister of Golconda during the reign of ‘Abdullāh Qutb Shāh (r. 1626–1672). Both Amīn and his father shifted their political allegiance and left Golconda to serve the Mughal Emperor Shāh Jahān (r. 1628–1658). Aurangzēb (1618–1707; r. 1658–1707) Upon Shāh Jahān’s death, his four sons com- menced a struggle for the throne. Aurangzēb emerged victorious, crowning himself emperor with the title ‘Ālamgīr (World Seizer). Akbar’s ideology, which had already begun changing during Shāh Jahān’s rule, saw a full transforma- tion under Aurangzēb, who devoted seven years to learning the Qur’ān . Royal patronage of manuscripts and book illustration declined during his rule, and artists often went to other courts and cities in search of work. The writing of the chronicles of his reign, the ‘Ālamgīrnāma, was brought to a halt in his tenth regnal year. He was considered a vigorous ruler for half a cen- tury, but the empire declined rapidly after his death, ultimately coming under the control of the British East India Company in 1858. 13 Āzād Khān (1631–1716)   Āzād Khān was a favour- ite of Emperor Shāh Jahān. In 1670 he became deputy wazīr to Aurangzēb and full wazīr in 1676, retaining the office until the end of Aurangzēb’s reign. He was regarded as a kind and sympathetic figure that was closely related to the imperial family. 14 Biographies