Persia, an ancient Empire, once extended from Egypt to Central Asia, and from Oxus River to Northern India, including Asia Minor. This land, which once encompassed most of the known world is claimed solely by Iran. Therefore, all the glory of the Persian goes to Iranians, and my country, Afghanistan, which was an important part of Persia, gets almost no recognition. Nevertheless, the Persians are an Aryan race that came from the steppes of Central Asia 2,500-4,000 years ago. They were nomads and mostly lived in huts. They organized a great empire after their migration, South of their original homeland [behind the river Oxus or Amu. In about 550 B.C., Cyrus The Great overrun Median Empire and established the Achaemenid Empire. In 539 B.C. he conquered Babylon and freed the Jews - from which he acquired the title of Messiah, from the Jews. The Empire eventually grow even larger, but it was under full central control. In 331 B.C. Alexander the great conquered Persia. After his death in 323 B.C. one of his generals, Selecus, started his own dynasty in Persia. In 250 B.C., a Parthian by the name of Ardshir took control of Persia and named the dynasty Sassanid, after his grandfather, Sassan. The Empire's only serious rival was Byzantine. Eventually, the Sassanid Empire grew weak, mostly because of political instability. Finally, this great Empire, fell in 641 A.D. under the feet of a new wave of conquerors, those who brought the message of one God through his Prophet, Muhammad, to the land which already had a prophet, Zoroaster [6th century B.C.].

During the reign of Khalifa Omar (634-644), the Muslim armies conquered the Persian Empire, and after the assassination of the last of the Sassanid rulers, Yezdgird III, Persia came to be controlled by foreigners, until the rise of the Safavids in 1499. During the reign of the Umayyads, Persians were treated unequally, even though they were Muslims. The hatred toward the Arabs grew stronger, and clandestine campaigns to overthrow the Umayyads grew, especially in the province of Khurasan, in the city of Merv. The chief propagandist, Abu Muslim of Khurasan, rallied people under the banner of Abu'l Abbas. The last Umayyad Khalifa, Merwan II was chased to Egypt and put to death. Thus in 750, Abu'l Abbas became the new Khalifa and all but one of the Umayyads were massacre. That survivor escaped to the al-Maghrib (western lands of Islam, i.e. North Africa) and then founded the Umayyads dynasty in Spain. Although the Abbasids were favorable towards Persians, non the less, a revival of the Persian literature was being born in Persia starting the 10th century. The language of Pahlavi or middle Persian was the language that most of the work was being done on. However, by this time Arabic was the language of the religion and sciences, and old Persian (the language of Achamenids) was becoming extinct. Arabic and the new religion brought with them new and abstract ideas and terms. Mixed with Arabic, the Persian language was reborn, however, very distinct from old Persian.

It is noteworthy that this language was revived first in Balkh (Northern Afghanistan) and then in the courts of Persian princes who claimed independence from the weak Abbasid Khalifas (after mid 9th century). When one thinks of Persian literature its impossible not to remember Firdausi. However, Firdausi is only one star in the constellation of Persian literary greats. They include Sheikh Sa'di, Maulana Rumi, Khuwaja Shams al-Din Hafiz Shirazi, Nizami and Jami Herawi. Firdausi's Shanama, however, places him only second to Sheikh Sa'di of Shiraz in the world of Persian literature. Independent Persian Princes of the Saminid and Saffarid dynasties [who claimed independence after the weakening of the Abbasids], began to set up their own courts (coping their ancient ancestors who also had court poets who entertained them). These court-poets also served as a 'public relations officers' whose poems would praise and glorify their patron prince. These poems were then heard by the public and were distributed to other courts. The poet would gain popularity and be rewarded accordingly. It was known that if a poet did not received a good reward for his labor, he would change courts. The poets were rewarded a mouthful of jewel or a royal horse or the like, for a good verse. Ab'ul Qasim Mansur (Firdausi) was born into a dehqan (farmer) class in the city of Tus which used to be close to what is now Mashad. Firdausi led a modest life; however, he needed the support of a generous patron to advance his work. Some noblemen of his city, however, contributed to Firdausi's efforts financially. At the age of thirty six Firdausi started to write the Shahnama, in verses. As Firdausi himself mentions in his works, Shahnama was started by Daqiqi of Tus, a talented young man who became panegyrist of the Saminids. But in 980 A.D. Daqiqi was murdered by his Turkish slave, leaving the poems unfinished. At the time it was about a thousand verse - dealing with the rise of Zoroaster and his religion - which Firdausi incorporated into his work. It took Firdausi thirty -five years - all his youth, as mentions himself - to complete the Shahama, in 1010 AD. The Shahnama (literally 'king-book', i.e. book of kings), starts with the creation of the world and ends with the conquest of Persia by Muslims in 630's and the death of Yezdgird III in 641 - which marked the end of the Sassanid rule. All in all, the Shanama has 60,000 poem lines. The Shahama glorifies the great kings and noblemen of Persia. The two opposing sides, for the most part, are Persians vs. Turanians or Turks. It should be noted that the characters in the Shahama are not fiction. Firdausi had available to him sources on which to draw the characters and events from. These sources were the dahqans [a small land owning farmer class]. These dehqans were the only people who had preserved the old traditions. Since Firdausi himself was from the dehqan class, he did not have to venture far to gather information about the glorious past. After Firdausi heard the stories, he sat down and wrote them in verses - of course with a little elaboration in his part. It is important to know that Firdausi did not write the Shahnama chronologically. When he was finished with the whole work, he then organized it chronologically, with some help. Some experts of world literature compare the Shahnama with Homer's Illiad in its style and its characters.

During Firdausi's lifetime (940?-1020?), the only great patron of literature was Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, who was a Turkish Sultan who conquered Central Asia during late 10th and early 11th century. His court was rich with poets and scientists. After great difficulties Firdausi managed to grant an audience with the Sultan. Firdausi presented, to Mahmud, the story of Rustam and Esfandyar. The Sultan was impressed with the poems and therefore named him Firdausi, in reference to Heaven - meaning that Abu'l Qasim Mansur with his poems turned his court into Heaven. The Sultan ordered that Firdausi be paid two gold coins for every verse. However, Firdausi refused by saying let all his work be finished before getting any reward. Never the less, the sultan paid him handsomely before he departed for Tus, to complete his work on Shanama. Meanwhile, the other poets in the court became jealous and raised Sultan's suspicion toward Firdausi. So when the next time Firdausi came to the court of Sultan Mahmud with Shanama being completed, he was handled coldly. The Sultan gave him a coin of silver for every verse. Firdausi's hopeful heart was shattered; so he donated the money to the people around him. When this news came to the attention of the sultan, he was embarrassed for his unroyal gift; but again, Firdausi's rivals called this act of Firdausi a sign of disrespect to a great sultan. So Firdausi became a fugitive.

Years later when the Sultan came to his senses he sent an elephant full of gold to Firdausi. As the gifts of the Sultan were entering one gate of the city [Tus], from the other gate the body of Firdausi was being carried out for burial. The royal party took his "inheritance" to his daughter, but she refused in anger. Then it was said by Firdausi's sister, that he liked to build a dam on the Tus river as a symbol of his legacy. The sultan ordered such a dam to be built. In this way, Firdausi, one of the greatest poets of Persia died, in sickness, poverty, misery, and neglect, leaving behind a great literary work became the pride of Persia. The art example which I chose from the museum is a miniature book illustration by Aqa Mirak [gift of Arthur A. Honghton Jr. 1970 301 .54 Folio 461 Verso]. The miniatures shows the Persian champion, Rustam, fighting another renowned worrier, Esfandiayar, [this episode tells us that Esfandiyar came to defeat Rustam so that he could qualify for kingship. Rustam found out that his opponent is dangerous, so he went to Simorgh (a legendary bird) to find out how he can defeat Esfandiyar. The Simorgh told him to make a two headed arrow and then to shoot it into Esfandiayr's eyes. Rustam did so, and that's how he overcame Esfandiyar]. Although this miniature is simplified in composition, it is extremely effective. The movemental quality given to the two champions and their horses, further enhances this battle scene. Clean lines and clear forms is mastered by the artist; which pleasing choice of color adds much more to the majesty of this beautiful miniatures. This miniatures is part of a 254 miniatures volume, which was owned by the second Safavid king, Shah Tahmasp (ruled from 1524-70). It was customary for every king to have a personal illustrated copy of Shanama, done by the most prestigious artists of the time. Shah Tahmasp was himself a most dedicated and sensitive patron of the arts. This volume is also important since much of the architecture and decorative arts of that period had not survived. This collection provides us with an impressive documentation of early Safavid culture. The quality of many of the miniatures in this volume remain unsurpassed in Persian painting; and it may be counted among the masterpieces of world art - done by the most distinguished artists of the day.

By: Rameen Javid Moshref (Afghan Communicator Magazine)
Email: Rameenm@hotmail.com