Abstract

The series begins with a fabricated work that became part of the Persian classical literature under two names, Siyasat-namah (“Book of Government”) and Siyar al-muluk (“The Lives of Kings”). This text is still being published and republished under the authorship of Nizam al-Mulk, the distinguished Prime Minister of the Seljuks. However, based on the results of historical and textual analysis, it turned out that the text was compiled by Muhammad Mu‘izzi Nishapuri, head of the poetry department under the Seljuk rulers, Malik Shah and his son Sanjar, and then attributed by him to the murdered Nizam al-Mulk with a certain purpose.

The fabricated document was created based on a genuine legal document, which was subsequently extended due to an added commentary. This document came down to us in two editions.

Imprint

А.А. Hismatullin. Amir Mu‘izzi Nishapuri. Siyasat-namah / Siyar al-muluk («The Book of Government / “The Lives of Kings”): fabrication attributed to Nizam al-Mulk, series: moralistic literature of the Seljuk era in Persian: originals and counterfeits. (I). — SPb: Saint Petersburg Oriental Studies; М.: ООО Sadra, 2020. — 664 p.