The Cambridge History of Iran - V

The Cambridge History of Iran - I [English, Cambridge, 1968]

The Cambridge History of Iran - II [English, Cambridge, 1989]

The Cambridge History of Iran - III [English, Cambridge, 2000]

The Cambridge History of Iran - IV [English, Cambridge, 1975]

The Cambridge History of Iran - V [English, Cambridge, 1968]

The Cambridge History of Iran - VI [English, Cambridge, 1986]

The Cambridge History of Iran - V

J. A. Boyle

Cambridge University Press

For nearly a thousand years—indeed, until our own century—Iran has generally been ruled by non-Persian dynasties, usually Turkish but sometimes Mongol or Kurdish. This domination at the highest level has had less effect on Iranian national psychology and literary consciousness than might be expected, for all of the alien ruling dynasties have come from races of low cultural development, and thus they have lacked the administrative expertise necessary for ruling a land of ancient settlement and civilization. Whether consciously or unconsciously, they have adopted Iranian culture at their courts, and they have been compelled to employ Iranian officials to administer the country and collect the taxes.

.....

Contents

"List of plates / ix
Preface / xi

1 The Political and Dynastic History of the Iranian World (A.D. 1000-1217) / 1
by C. E. Bosworth, Professor of Arabic Studies, University of Manchester

2 The Internal Structure of the Saljuq Empire / 203
by A. K. S. Lambton , Professor of Persian, University of London

3 Religion in the Saljuq Period / 283
by A. Bausani, Professor of Persian in the Oriental Institute, University of Naples

4 Dynastic and Political History of the Īl - Khāns / 303
by J. A. Boyle, Professor of Persian Studies, University of Manchester

5. The Ismā'īlī State / 421
by M. G. S. Hodgson, Professor in the Department of History and Chairman of the Committee on Social Thought, University of Chicago

6 The Socio - Economic Condition of Iran Under The Īl - Khāns / 483
by I. P. Petrushevsky, Professor of Near and Middle Eastern History, University of Leningrad

7 Religion Under The Mongols / 538
by A. Bausani, Professor of Persian in the Oriental Institute, University of Naples

8 Poets and Prose Writers of the Late Saljuq and Mongol Periods / 550
by J. Rypka, Emeritus Professor of Persian and Turkish, Charles University, Prague; Member of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences

9 The Visual Arts, 1050 - 1350 / 626
by O. Grabar, Professor of Near Eastern Art, University of Ann Arbor, Michigan

10 The Ex Act Sciences in Iran Under the Saljuqs and Mongols / 659
by E. S. Kennedy, Professor of Mathematics, American University, Beirut

Bibliography / 681
Index / 711

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The editors and publishers are grateful to those who have given permission to reproduce plates in this volume.

Chapter I

The Political and Dynastic History of the Iranian World
(A. D. 1000-1217)

I. The Eastern Iranian World on the Eve of the Turkish Invasions

For nearly a thousand years—indeed, until our own century—Iran has generally been ruled by non-Persian dynasties, usually Turkish but sometimes Mongol or Kurdish. This domination at the highest level has had less effect on Iranian national psychology and literary consciousness than might be expected, for all of the alien ruling dynasties have come from races of low cultural development, and thus they have lacked the administrative expertise necessary for ruling a land of ancient settlement and civilization. Whether consciously or unconsciously, they have adopted Iranian culture at their courts, and they have been compelled to employ Iranian officials to administer the country and collect the taxes.

The first such alien rulers were the Saljuq Turks, who appeared in the Iranian world in the first half of the 5th/nth century. For them as well as for their successors, the process of assimilation to the indigenous culture and practices of Persia was not uncongenial, because they were able to draw on the country's ancient traditions of exalted monarchic power and submissiveness by the people. Moreover, in these traditions kingly authority was identified with divine authority, which helped the dynasties to rise above their tribal origins. The Saljuqs had originated as chieftains of nomadic bands in the Central Asian steppes. Their powers and ambitions often hedged about by a complex of traditional tribal rights and customs, the steppe leaders were little more than primi inter pares amongst the heads of all the prominent tribal families. With their entry into the Iranian world, the Saljuqs and their successors found the instruments at hand with which to make themselves, if they so desired, despots of the traditional Persian stamp: these instruments were a settled administration, a steady revenue from taxation, and usually a personal guard and standing army.

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J. A. Boyle

The Cambridge History of Iran

Cambridge

Cambridge University Press
The Cambridge History of Iran
In Eight Volumes
Volume 5
J. A. Boyle

The Saljuq and Mongol Periods
edited by
J. A. Boyle
Professor of Persian Studies, University of Manchester

Cambridge
At The Univers   ity Press
1968

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© Cambridge University Press 1968

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First Published 1968
Sixth printing 2007

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ISBN-13 978-0-521-06936-6 hardback

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Board of Editors

A. J. Arberry (Chairman)
Sir Thomas Adams's Professor of Arabic,
University of Cambridge

Sir Harold Bailey
Emeritus Professor of Sanskrit,
University of Cambridge

J. A. Boyle
Professor of Persian Studies,
University of Manchester

Basil Gray
Keeper of the Persian Antiquities,
British Museum

A. K. S. Lambton
Professor of Persian,
University of London

L. Lockhart
Pembroke College, Cambridge

P. W. Avery (Editorial Secretary)
Lecturer in Persian,
University of Cambridge