Iranshah (poet)

Hakim Iranshah ibn Abi al-Khayr (Persian: حکیم ایرانشاه بن ابی الخیر), commonly known as Iranshah (ایرانشاه; or Iranshan), was a Persian poet who lived in the Seljuk Empire in the 11th and 12th centuries.^[1][2]

Iranshah is the author of two epic poems, Kush-nama and Bahman-nama, both written in the same style as the Shahnama of Ferdowsi (died 1019/25).^[3] Although no mention of its author is made in either of the works, the Mujmal al-tavarikh va al-qisas (written in 1126) credits Iranshah with its composition.^[2][1] Iranshah most likely wrote the Bahman-nama between 1092 and 1108, as indicated by mentions of historical events, and reverence of the sultans Mahmud I (r. 1092–1094) and Muhammad I Tapar (r. 1105–1118). Set in the mythological Iranian world, the work tells the adventures of Kay Bahman, the son of Isfandiyar.^[1] Iranshah states that the Bahman-nama was inspired by the ceaseless battles and wars of his patron, Muhammad I Tapar, which reminded him of the ceaseless battles between Bahman and Rostam's family. This implies that the work was also written to serve as advice for solving the socio-political issues of the time.^[4]

The Kush-nama was written between 1108 and 1111, and is referred to as Qessa-ye Kush-e Pil-Dandan ("the tale of Kush the Tusked") and Akhbar-e Kush-e Pil-Dandan ("accounts of Kush the Tusked") in the Mujmal al-tavarikh. Also mythological in nature, it tells the story of Kush the Tusked (or Pil-gush, "The Elephant-eared"), the son of Kush (brother of the evil king Zahhak).^[2]

The modern Iranian historian Jalal Matini ranks Iranshah as the third best writer of epic poetry among his contemporaries, behind Ferdowsi's Shahnama and Asadi Tusi's Garshasp-nama.^[2]

The correct spelling of Iranshah's name is uncertain. He is called "Iranshan" in two out of four books of the Mujmal al-tavarikh, while in the other two he is called "Iranshah" and "Inshah."^[2] Modern historians refer to him as either Iranshah or Iranshan.^[2][5][1] He was a Muslim, albeit it is unknown if he was either Sunni or Shi'i.^[2]

References

1. Hanaway 1988, pp. 499–500.
2. Matini 2008.
3. Askari 2016, pp. 32–33.
4. Askari 2016, p. 33.
5. Askari 2016, p. 33 (see note 117).

Sources

• Askari, Nasrin (2016). The medieval reception of the Shāhnāma as a mirror for princes. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-30790-2.
• Hanaway, W. L. (1988). "Bahman-nāma". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume III/5: Bahai Faith III–Baḵtīārī tribe II. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 499–500. ISBN 978-0-71009-117-8.
• Matini, Jalal (2008). "Kuš-nāma". Encyclopædia Iranica, online edition. New York.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)