Jami' al-tawarikh

Jāmiʿ al-Tawārīkh (meaning 'The Compendium of Chronicles') is an important book about history made in the Mongol Ilkhanate. It was written by Rashid al-Din Hamadani between 1247 and 1318 AD at the start of the 14th century. Because it talks about many places and events around the world, it is often called "the first world history."

The book has three volumes and was written in both Arabic and Persian. It describes many cultures and big events from China to Europe, with special attention to the history of the Mongol Empire. The book includes beautiful pictures and careful writing, made by many scribes and artists. The goal was to make two new copies each year, one in Persian and one in Arabic, to share in schools and cities across the Ilkhanate, the Middle East, Central Asia, Anatolia, and the Indian subcontinent.

Only parts of the book have survived today, with about 400 pages still existing. The oldest known copy is in Arabic, and some pages are kept in the Khalili Collection of Islamic Art in London, England. Other pages are in the Edinburgh University Library. Two early copies written in Persian are kept in the Topkapı Palace Library in Istanbul. These remaining pieces are very valuable examples of art from the Ilkhanate time.

Contents

The Jāmiʿ al-Tawārīkh has four main parts. The largest part, called the Taʾrīkh-ī Ghazānī, tells the stories of Mongol and Turkish tribes, their families, and legends. It also covers the history of the Mongols from Genghis Khan until the death of Mahmud Ghazan.

The second part talks about the rule of Öljaitü until 1310 and the histories of many people groups across Eurasia. This includes stories from the time of Adam up through kings of pre-Islamic Iran, Muhammad and his leaders, and many different groups like the Ghaznavids, Khwarezm, and people from China, India, and Europe.

The third part, called Shu'ab-i panjganah, discusses the families of Arabs, Jews, Mongols, Franks, and Chinese. There are copies of this in a library in Istanbul, but it has only been shared on microfilm.

The last part, Suwar al-aqalim, is a collection of geography facts. Sadly, no copies of this part are known to exist today.

Author

Main article: Rashid al-Din Hamadani

Rashid al-Din Hamadani was born in 1247 in Hamadan, Iran. He came from a Jewish family and studied medicine. He later joined the court of the Ilkhan emperor, Abaqa Khan, as a doctor. Around the age of thirty, he converted to Islam. He became very important in politics and served as the vizier for emperor Ghazan starting in 1304. He held this role through three different rulers. Sadly, he was later accused of harming one of these rulers, Öljaitü, and was executed in 1318.

Rashid al-Din worked hard to rebuild Iran after tough times caused by invasions. He helped create a stable system for society and the economy. He also supported artists and architects and expanded a university at Rab'-e Rashidi, which brought learners from many places. He wrote many books, but only a few survive today besides his famous work, the Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh. People said he was one of the most well-paid authors in Iran because of his great wealth.

Description

The Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh was a very important project during the Ilkhanate time. It was not just a beautifully illustrated book but also a way to support the rule of the Mongols over Iran. The book was first asked for by Il-Khan Ghazan, who wanted to keep the memory of the Mongols' nomadic past alive even though they had settled down and adopted Persian ways. At first, the book was only about the history of the Mongols and their ancestors, and it was called Taʾrīkh-ī Ghazānī. To write this history, Rashid al-Din created a whole area at the university of Rab'-e Rashidi in the capital city of Tabriz. This area had many buildings, like a mosque, a hospital, a library, and classrooms, and it employed over 300 workers.

After Ghazan passed away in 1304, his successor Öljaitü asked Rashid al-Din to expand the book to include the history of the entire known world. This bigger version was finished sometime between 1306 and 1311.