A thousand year old epic poem by the Persian poet Firdawsi. [O Cels. 1]
Firdawsi (934–1020 or 1025 AD) composed the vast Shahnama (Book of Kings) consisting of 50,000 rhyming couplets on the history of the Persians from the first man to the battles with their sworn enemies in Turan and the Muslim conquest in the 7th century. This Persian national epic with its dramatic episodes and battle scenes is full of stories begging for illustration.
Battle scene from Shahnama, fol. 226b
Persian culture permeated the Ottoman Empire. This translation into Turkish by Madhi was dedicated to Sultan Osman II (who reigned 1618–22 AD). The scribe is named as Juri, but the numerous artists remain anonymous. In Shahnama's 29 miniatures Chinese influence is revealed in the dragons and flowers.
This particular manuscript was produced in Turkey in 1029 AH (i.e. 1620 AD). It was donated to the Library by the brothers Gustaf (1723–89) and Ulrik Celsing (1731–1805), both of whom were Swedish diplomats in Constantinople.
The Shahanama can be viewed in the Library's permanent exhibition Expo Rediviva.
Further reading
Tornberg, Carl Johan, Codices Arabici, Persici et Turcici Bibliothecae Regiae universitatis Upsaliensis, Lundae : Litteris Berlingianis, 1849
