Hafiz-i Abru
Timurid-era historian and geographer, author of the “Majma al-tawarikh”, a universal history that covers the times of Amir Temur and the reign of Shah Rukh.
- Occupation:
- Scientist, Historian, Geographer or geologist
- Real name:
- Shihab al-Din Abd Allah ibn Lutf Allah ibn Abd al-Rashid al-Khwafi
- Born:
- c. 1360 — 1430
Biography
Hafiz-i Abru, whose full name was Shihab al-Din Abd Allah ibn Lutf Allah ibn Abd al-Rashid al-Khwafi, was one of the leading historians and geographers of the Timurid age. The year of his birth is not known: sources give 1358 as well as 1361–1362, so it is usually placed around 1360. Most sources say he was born in Herat in Khorasan, while others do not name the city. He was educated in Hamadan, in western Iran.
In the 1380s he joined the entourage of Amir Temur and took part in his campaigns. He was seen at gatherings of scholars and men of letters and was known as a good chess player. After Temur died in 1405 he stayed on with Temur’s son Shah Rukh, and for the rest of his life he was attached to Shah Rukh’s court in Herat.
In 1412, on Shah Rukh’s commission, he wrote a continuation of Nizam al-Din Shami’s “Zafarnama”, carrying the account of Temur’s last years down to 1405. He is also considered the likely author of a sequel to Rashid al-Din’s “Jami al-tawarikh” that deals with the Ilkhans Oljeitu and Abu Said.
His principal work is the “Majma al-tawarikh” (“Assembly of Chronicles”), a world history in four parts: the prophets and pre-Islamic Iran, the caliphate to 1258, Iran under the Seljuqs and Mongols, and the Timurids. The last part also circulates under its own title, “Zubdat al-tawarikh”, and is dedicated to Baysunghur, a son of Shah Rukh. He worked on it from the 1410s into the 1420s.
Hafiz-i Abru also wrote on geography. In 1414 he began translating the Arabic “Masalik al-mamalik” into Persian but did not finish it; he put its information into his own work on the history of Fars, Kirman and Khorasan. The geographical section includes a map of the world and a grid of degrees, and gives coordinates for the cities of Transoxiana such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Kesh and Termez.
In 1429 he accompanied Shah Rukh on his second campaign against the Qara Qoyunlu. On the return journey he died in Zanjan, in Azerbaijan, in June 1430 (Shawwal 833 AH), and was buried there. Manuscripts of his works are kept in libraries in Saint Petersburg, Oxford and Tashkent.
Career
- Court of Shah Rukh in HeratCourt historian · 1405–1430
- Court of Prince BaysunghurHistorian
Life path
- c. 1360Birth
Born in Khorasan, according to most sources in Herat; the exact year is not known.
- Early yearsStudies in Hamadan
Received his education in the Iranian city of Hamadan.
- 1380sAt the court of Amir Temur
Joined Temur’s entourage and took part in his campaigns.
- 1405In the service of Shah Rukh
After Temur’s death he stayed with Temur’s son Shah Rukh and was attached to his court in Herat.
- 1412Continuation of the “Zafarnama”
On Shah Rukh’s commission he wrote a sequel to Nizam al-Din Shami’s work, bringing the events down to 1405.
- 1414Work on the geographical text
Began translating the Arabic “Masalik al-mamalik” into Persian and used its information in his own work.
- 1420s“Majma al-tawarikh”
Completed a world history in four parts, the last of which is dedicated to Baysunghur.
- 1429Campaign against the Qara Qoyunlu
Accompanied Shah Rukh on his second campaign.
- 1430Death
Died in Zanjan on the way back and was buried there.
Works
- “Dhayl-i Zafarnama-yi Shami” (1412)Historical work
A continuation of Nizam al-Din Shami’s “Zafarnama”, telling of Temur’s last years down to 1405.
- “Dhayl-i Jami al-tawarikh”Historical work
A sequel to Rashid al-Din’s work covering the period when Oljeitu and Abu Said ruled Iran.
- “Majma al-tawarikh” (“Assembly of Chronicles”)Historical work
A world history in four parts, from the prophets to the Timurids.
- “Zubdat al-tawarikh-i Baysunghuri”Historical work
The closing part of the “Majma”, dedicated to Prince Baysunghur, covering the times of Temur and Shah Rukh.
- “Geography of Hafiz-i Abru”Historical and geographical work
The history and geography of Fars, Kirman, Khorasan and Transoxiana, with a world map and a grid of degrees.
Legacy
The writings of Hafiz-i Abru are counted among the main written sources for the age of Amir Temur and the Timurids. Besides social and economic detail, they preserve passages from works that have not survived. The geographical section is valuable for the study of Transoxiana and Khorasan in the late 14th and early 15th centuries.
Era: The Timurid age, late 14th to the first third of the 15th century- Writing of the continuation of the “Zafarnama” on Shah Rukh’s commission (1412)
- Shah Rukh’s second campaign against the Qara Qoyunlu (1429)
- Death of Hafiz-i Abru in Zanjan (1430)