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CULTURAL LIFE DURING SHAHRUKH MIRZO'S REIGN
Muazzamkhon Makhmudova
Senior Lecturer of the Department
of World History of Fergana State University, PhD
maxmudovamuazzam1982@gmail.com
Rustamova Nigoraxon
4th year student of the Faculty of
History of Fergana State University
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15654331
Annotatsiya:
Ushbu maqolada temuriy hukmdor Shohrux Mirzoning ilm-
fan va madaniyat homiysi sifatidagi faoliyati yoritiladi.
Tayanch so‘zlar:
Hirot maktabi,
Abdurazzoq Samarqandiy, Davlatshoh
Samarqandiy, kutubxona, Shayx ul-islom al-Jazariy, “Sharhi risola”.
Аннотация:
В этой статье освещается деятельность тимуридского
правителя Шахруха Мирзы как покровителя науки и культуры.
Ключевые слова:
Гератская школа, Абдураззак Самарканди,
Давлатшах Самарканди, библиотека, Шейх уль-Ислам аль-Джазари, “Шархи
Рисала”.
Annotation:
This article highlights the activities of the Timurid ruler
Shahrukh Mirza as a patron of science and culture.
Key words:
Herat school, Abdurazzaq Samarkandi, Davlatshah Samarkandi,
library, Sheikh ul-Islam al-Jazari, “Sharh-i Risala”.
Shahrukh Mirzo (1405-1447) left a deep imprint on history as a prominent
figure of the Timurid dynasty, a skilled statesman, and a patron of culture. His
reign marked not only the pinnacle of the Timurid Empire's political and
military might but also a highly advanced stage of development in science,
literature, art, and architecture.
Shahrukh Mirzo was an enlightened ruler who placed great importance on
science and culture. Renowned scholars, poets, and artists worked in his court.
He patronized the most progressive intellectuals of his time, creating extensive
opportunities for their creative and scientific endeavors. Shahrukh's patronage
played a crucial role in the advancement of astronomy, mathematics, medicine,
philosophy, and other fields of science.
During the Timurid era, the cities of Samarkand and Herat became centers
of science and culture. These achievements were the result of the rulers'
consistent policy aimed at developing knowledge and enlightenment. Amir
Timur also treated scholars with special respect. In every country he conquered,
he sought out local scholars and invited them to Samarkand. He had mosques,
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madrasas, and libraries built for them. Sahibkiran himself was a man of great
intellect and actively participated in scholarly debates and discussions with
scientists[1:9].
During his reign, Shahrukh Mirzo treated scholars and artisans with the
same respect as his father had, bringing scholars from various regions to Herat.
He extensively studied various scientific subjects and consistently supported
scholars, writers, poets, and artists. During Shahrukh Mirzo's rule, the libraries
of Herat were enriched with valuable scientific works. The city stood out for its
abundance of libraries containing rare and precious manuscripts.
Shahrukh Mirza was a ruler who paid great attention to science, especially
religious and historical knowledge. The famous historian Abdurrazzaq
Samarqandi, who served in his court, described Shahrukh as the “ewcomer of
the century”, emphasizing that he studied many works on hadith, fiqh, and
history[2:40]. During the Timurid era, Turkic literature developed rapidly.
However, information about the poets who lived and worked during this period
is limited. Nevertheless, one of the most famous poets was Amir Haji Sayfiddin
Nukuz, known by the pen name Sayfi. He served in government during the
reigns of Amir Timur and Shahrukh Mirza and composed works in both Persian
and Turkic. Davlatshah Samarkandi mentions him as a Turkic poet in his
works[3:33]. From this perspective, the emergence of poets like Sakkokiy and
Sayyid Ahmad Mirzo who created works in the Turkic language, and the fact that
works such as “Merojnoma”, “Qutadug'i bilig”, “Tazkirat ul-avliyo” and “Hibbat
ul-haqoyiq” which are among the finest examples of Turkic literature, were
written in Uyghur script, demonstrates the importance attached to science and
the Turkic language at the court. Additionally, during the reign of Shahrukh
Mirza, Baysunghur Mirza contributed to scientific activity by transforming his
palace in Bagh-i-Safid into a library[4:251].
In the first half of the 15th century, the fine arts, particularly miniature
painting, flourished in the city of Herat. The Herat school, which developed
during this period, became one of the most advanced artistic styles in the Islamic
world. Notably, in the 1420s-1430s, a large workshop dedicated to the art of
bookmaking - a library - was established in the palace of Shahrukh Mirzo. This
library evolved into a center for the production of manuscript books, where
painters, calligraphers, engravers, muzahhibs (book illuminators), and other
skilled artisans gathered[5].
Shahrukh Mirzo was devoted to religion and Sharia. He supported pious
scholars, renovated mosques and pilgrimage sites, and revitalized religious life.
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Under his rule, the Mongol laws known as Yasa were abolished, and Islamic law
was implemented in their place. This reform was continued by subsequent
Timurids, including Abu Said and Husayn Bayqara.
Thanks to the scientific and spiritual environment created by Shahrukh
Mirza, the most knowledgeable scholars and scientists of his time gathered
around the palace. Among them, the prominent religious figure Sheikh ul-Islam
al-Jazari holds a special place. He was known for his deep knowledge in the field
of hadith science, and his work “Kitobi bidayat dar mustalahoti ilmi hadith”
(“Initial Guide to the Terminology of Hadith Science”) is considered one of the
most important scientific sources of his time. This work was completed in 1428
and was highly praised by its contemporaries, saying, “No one in this world has
seen a book like it, and the listeners have not heard a work of this
caliber”[6:192]. Another fact confirms the knowledge and status of Sheikh ul-
Islam al-Jazari: Mawlana Jalaluddin Ishaq, known as the “Father of the Poor”,
took the exam from the famous “Sahihayn” (Collections of Hadiths of Imam
Bukhari and Imam Muslim) in the presence of al-Jazari. This event clearly proves
that al-Jazari was not only a deep scholar but also one of the most respected
scholars of his time[7:33-34].
Among the other eminent hadith and fiqh scholars of Shahrukh Mirzo's era,
notable figures such as Sheikh Ali Kalon, Saydi Ahmad Kabir, Sheikh Abu Ishaq,
and Ruknuddin Muhammad are also worthy of attention.
Furthermore, one of the most renowned scholars of this period was Khoja
Soinuddin Ali Isfahani, who was regarded as one of the most erudite and
accomplished representatives of science in his time. While his date of birth
remains unknown, it is recorded that he passed away on August 12, 1432, in
Herat. Isfahani authored works in both Arabic and Persian. His compositions,
such as “Sharhi Fusus al-hikam”, “Kitobi Mafohis” and “Sharhi Qasidai Ibn Fariz”
stand out for their profound scientific content and refined literary style[6:194].
The reliable restoration of the golden pages of history is carried out
precisely through written sources and historical works created in such periods.
Scientific, religious, and historical works written during the reign of Shahrukh
Mirza are still valued as important sources today.
The “Zafarnama” written by Sharafiddin Ali Yazdi, a prominent historian of
his time, belongs to this category of valuable works. Another historian who
illuminated the pages of history was Shamsuddin Khojarmi and Qutbuddin
Ahmad al-Imadi.
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In their works, as well as in the historical margins of Sayid Sharif's “Reading
Commentary” the conflicts within the palace are clearly highlighted. At the age of
twenty-five, Abdurrazzaq Samarqandi managed to compose a treatise and
gained the favor of the Khagan Shahrukh[8:66]. This treatise is called “Sharhi
risala” and is decorated with the humayun nicknames of the khagani said. The
creator says the following about his work: “It is such a treatise that no diligent
person has ever seen and no one's ear has ever heard of a treatise equal to it in
terms of the completeness of its meanings, the strength of its arguments, and its
beautiful and delicate composition”[9:365]. This treatise was created as a
commentary on Qozi Azduddin's work “Risolayi Azudiya”, “Sharhi risola”
includes commentaries on the work that best explains the meanings of letters
and names in “Risolayi Azudiya” collecting crescents of benefits and precious
pearls. During Shahrukh's reign, there was a library containing rare works of his
time. The fame of this library spread throughout the world[10:59].
In conclusion, during the long reign of Shahrukh Mirza, significant progress
was made in the fields of culture, art, and science in some centers of the country.
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