The Shahnama of Firdausi in the Lands of Rum

This chapter discusses the contribution of the Shahnama of Firdausi to Ottoman discourse, focusing on its reception, propagation and perception in the diyar-i Rum or the lands of Rum. The Shahnama of Firdausi, was never prepared as an illustrated copy in its original Persian in the Ottoman court, nor indeed in the lands of Rum. It was, however, translated into Turkish several times. In conclusion, at least two functions can be posited for the Shahnama of Firdausi in the lands of Rum. The first, as a model for the Ottoman dynastic sehnames and an inspiration for its name, as well as for the post of the official historiographer, is the more immediately apparent. The Shahnama 's second, semi-documentary, function as a source for the pre-Islamic history of Greater Iran, which was shared by the Anatolian Turkish speaking polities, including the Ottomans, is less apparent, but not less important. Keywords:diyar-i Rum; Firdausi; historiography; Iran; Ottoman; Persian; Shahnama

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