[Rūznāmachah-i muḥāṣarah-i Qalʻah-i Dār al-Jihād ...etc.,late 18th or early 19th century?].[روزنامچه محاصره قلعه دار الجهاد ...الخ,پایان قرن 18 یا آغاز قرن 19م؟].
1
Title:
[Rūznāmachah-i muḥāṣarah-i Qalʻah-i Dār al-Jihād ...etc.,late 18th or early 19th century?].[روزنامچه محاصره قلعه دار الجهاد ...الخ,پایان قرن 18 یا آغاز قرن 19م؟].
Summary:
Splendid copy of a collection of works (majmūʻah) opening with Rūznāmachah-i muḥāṣarah-i Qalʻah-i Dār al-Jihād or Vaqāʼiʻ-i Ḥaydarābād, the journal of the seige of Ḥaydarābād by Awrangzīb in Rajab and Shaʻbān 1097 [1686] composed by Niʻmat Khān ʻĀlī Shīrāzī (d.1710), followed by a Mas̲navī of Niʻmat Khān, Nān va ḥalvā by Bahāʼ al-Dīn ʻĀmilī (d.1621), Farhād va Shīrīn (title in rubricated heading given as Khusraw va Shīrīn), one of the mas̲navīs of Vaḥshī Bāfqī (d.1583), and a few other poetic excerpts. Illustrated with six fine miniatures. Contributions to the cataloguing from Ali Rafi.
Other Title(s):
Vaqāʼiʻ-i Niʻmat Khān-i ʻĀlīوقايع نعمت خان عالىVaqāʼiʻ-i Ḥaydarābādوقايع حيدرآبادروزنامه وقايع محاصره حيدرآبادMas̲navī afṣaḥ khuṭabā va amlaḥ shuʻarāمثنوى افصح خطبا و املح شعراKhusraw va Shīrīnخسرو و شيرين
Subject(s):
Masnavis, Persian--Early works to 1800.
Persian poetry--1500-1796.
Manuscripts, Persian--Michigan--Ann Arbor.
Aurangzeb,--Emperor of Hindustan,--1618-1707.
Mogul Empire--History--Early works to 1800.
Golconda (India)--History--Siege, 1687--Early works to 1800.
Notes:
Ms. codex.
Title supplied by cataloguer from inscription on 'title page' (fol.2a).
Former shelfmarks: "525 [?] T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" and "260" inscribed in pencil on recto of front flyleaf.
Incipit:
[Vaqāʼiʻ-i Ḥaydarābād] "روزنامچۀ وقايع ايام محاصرۀ قلعه دار الجهاد حيدرآباد سيز دهم رجب سنه ٣٠ دمى كه مدرس كشاف صبح در صفۀ صدق و صفا ..." ; [Mas̲navī] "حمد و شكر او را كه هرچه هست ازوست دام هستى حلقه دار از هاى و هوست ..." ; [Nān va ḥalvā ] "ايها اللاهي عن العهد القديم ايها الساهي عن النهج القويم ..." ; [Farhād va Shīrīn] "الهى سينۀ ده آتش افروز در ان سينه دلى و ان دل همه سوز ..."
Contents:
1. fol.2b-fol.99b : Rūznāmachah-i muḥāṣarah-i Qalʻah-i Dār al-Jihād / Niʻmat Khān ʻĀlī.
2. fol.100a : [blank].
3. fol.100b-fol.168a : [Mas̲navī] / Niʻmat Khān ʻĀlī.
4. fol.168b : [blank].
5. fol.169a-fol.179a : Nān va ḥalvā / Bahāʼ al-Dīn ʻĀmilī.
6. fol.179b : [blank].
7. fol.180a-fol.204b : Khusraw [Farhād] va Shīrīn / Vaḥshī Bāfqī.
8. fol.204b-fol.213a : [other poetic excerpts].
9. fol.213b-fol.214b : [blank].
Physical Details:
Collation:
4 IV(32), II (36), 2 IV(52), III-1 (57), 3 IV(81), III (87), IV (95), II (99), 8 IV(163), V (173), III (179), 3 IV(203), IV+3 (214) ; middle of the quire marks in the form of black oblique strokes appear in opposite outer corners of the facing leaves ; a few leaves ruled and tinted but left blank in opening work (see fol.33b, 42a, 74b) ; catchwords present.
Layout:
Varies ; opening prose work written in 19 lines per page ; written area often divided to three columns with verses on the diagonal or alternating diagonal and horizontal in 10-16 lines (hemistiches) per column, for 15 to 24 lines of verse per page ; frame-ruled.
Script:
Nastaʻlīq ; bold, elegant hand in a heavy line ; serifless, with effect of words descending to baseline, elongation and exaggerated thickness of horizontal strokes, pointing mainly in distinct dots ; Arabic excerpts in a bold naskh, mainly serifless (though alif of lam alif ligature has left-sloping barbed serif) with dramatically sweeping descenders, usually fully vocalized.
Decoration:
Exquisite illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening of first work consisting of rectangular piece with gold cartouche (carrying the basmalah in white ink) flanked by delicate vegetal designs in gold, white and pink on a blue ground and bordered in bands of black and gold, surmounted by double w-shaped piece filled with delicate floral vegetal decoration in pink, green, yellow, etc. on fields of gold, blue, and green, all set in an elaborate well consisting of bands of red, gold interlace, and black and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue and vegetal forms in gold ; another splendid headpiece at opening of second work on fol.100b consisting of rectangular piece with gold cartouche (carrying the basmalah in white ink) flanked by vegetal designs in gold and green on a blue ground and bordered in bands of green and gold, surmounted by w-shaped piece filled with delicate floral vegetal decoration in pink, green, yellow, etc. on bands of gold, blue, and dark lavender, all set in an elaborate well consisting of bands of black, gold, and green overlaid with floral designs and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue and vegetal forms in gold ; illuminated marginal decoration bordering written area of incipit and facing page of opening and second work each consisting of a band of floral and vegetal forms in gold with green and red accents ; written area surface dyed pink, yellow, light green, etc., gold-flecked and surrounded by gold frame, divisions within also ruled in gold ; headings and keywords rubricated ; overlining in red ; textual dividers in the form inverted commas in red ; opening work illustrated with one half-page (fol.50a) and one full-page (fol.53b) miniature and final work illustrated with three half-page (fol.193b, 195a, 203b) miniatures and one full-page (fol.198a) miniature, all in Indian style.
Support:
non-European (likely Indian or Persian) laid paper with 11 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, fairly distinct) and no chains clearly visible, thin, crisp and transluscent though sturdy, highly sized and burnished to glossy, grayish in color ; written area surface dyed pink, yellow, light green, etc. ; some breakthrough within written area in first few quires of second work.
Binding:
Upper and lower covers lost, as well as spine leather (sewing, etc. fully exposed on spine) ; Type III binding (without flap) ; sewn in red thread, six stations, over two wide tapes, still intact ; overall in quite poor condition with upper and lower covers lost, abrasion, lifting and losses of spine leather, etc. ; housed in box for protection.
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Origin:
Lacks dated colophon ; paper, decoration, etc. would suggest latter 18th century. Date accompanying ownership statement provides a terminus ante quem of 1236 [1820 or 21]. This manuscript may have been one of the valuables inherited by Z̤iyāʾ al-Salṭanah Shāh Begum from her father's mother Āsiyah Khānum.
Ownership and History:
Inscriptions in pencil on front flyleaf "525 [?] T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" and "260" ; on ‘title page’ rectangular seal impression of Z̤iyāʼ al-Salṭanah Shāh Begum (1799-1873) [ضياء السلطنه شاه بيگم] seventh daughter and private secretary of Fatḥ ʻAlī Shāh Qājār (r.1797-1834), as well as an accomplished calligrapher, accompanying ownership statement dated 1236 [1820 or 21] ; on verso of final leaf (fol.214b), possible shelfmark / inventory mark or book price with Hindu-Arabic and siyāq numerals (contribution to the cataloguing from Ali Rafi) ; occasional marginal corrections.
Contributor(s) / Included work(s):
07--Naʻmat K̲h̲ān-i-ʻĀlī,--d. ca. 1710.--Mas̲navī.
07--نعمت خان عالى.--مثنوى.
09--ʻĀmilī, Bahāʼ al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn,--1547-1621.--Nān va ḥalvā.
09--عاملى, بهاء الدين محمد بن حسين.--نان و حلوا.
11--Vaḥshī Bāfqī,--d. 1583.--Farhād va Shīrīn.
11--وحشى بافقى.--فرهاد و شيرين.
Mas̲navī afṣaḥ khuṭabā va amlaḥ shuʻarāمثنوى افصح خطبا و املح شعراKhusraw va Shīrīnخسرو و شيرين
References:
Cat. Pers. MSS. Brit. Mus.,p.268Cat. Pers. MSS. Brit. Mus.,p.703Berthels, E. "Niʿmat K̲H̲ān, called ʿĀlī, Mīrzā Nūr al-Dīn Muḥammad." In EI2,vol.VIII, p.48, col.1Cat. Pers. MSS. Brit. Mus.,p.663Dominic Parviz Brookshaw, “ŻIĀʾ-AL-SALṬANA,” Encyclopaedia Iranica,Online Edition, August 15, 2006.
Posted by evyn on May 16, 2011
Tags: Abdul Hamid Collection, Fully Catalogued, Persian MSS
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