Rahat al-sudur
Encyclopedia
The Rahat al-sudur wa-ayat al-surur or Rahat al-sudur , is a history of the Great Seljuq Empire
, its breakup into minor beys and the subsequent Khwarazmian occupation, written by the Persian historian Muhammad bin Ali Rawandi
and finished around 1204/1205. Rawandi was encouraged and supported in his endeavour by Shihab al-Din al-Kashani. Written in Persian and originally dedicated to Süleymanshah II
, Rawandi re-dedicated his work to the Sultan of Rum
, Kaykhusraw I.
. However, events after 1175 are directly witnessed by Rawandi since he was a member of Toghrul III's
court, making the Rahat al-sudur an invaluable source for Toghrul's reign.
Rawandi appears to have intended the Rahat al-sudur to be a historical work, yet the book contains chapters on backgammon
, chess
, calligraphy
, horsemanship, hunting and feasting. The final two chapters encompass the sultanate of Toghrul III
, the last Seljuq
beys and the Khwarazmian invasion. Rawandi viewed the Sultanate of Rum
as champions of the Sunni faith and deplored the Khwarazmians. The final section consists of Hanafi legal works and courtly accomplishments. A final chapter was to cover anecdotes and jest, was never written. The book, as a whole, is written in a moralizing nature.
The Rahat al-sudur was translated into Turkish during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Murad II
.
Great Seljuq Empire
The Great Seljuq Empire was a medieval Persianate, Turko-Persian Sunni Muslim empire, originating from the Qynyq branch of Oghuz Turks. The Seljuq Empire controlled a vast area stretching from the Hindu Kush to eastern Anatolia and from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf...
, its breakup into minor beys and the subsequent Khwarazmian occupation, written by the Persian historian Muhammad bin Ali Rawandi
Muhammad bin Ali Rawandi
Muhammad bin Ali Rawandi , was a Persian historian who wrote the Rahat al-sudur wa ayat al-surur during the fall of the Great Seljuk Empire and the subsequent invasion by the Kharwarzmian empire....
and finished around 1204/1205. Rawandi was encouraged and supported in his endeavour by Shihab al-Din al-Kashani. Written in Persian and originally dedicated to Süleymanshah II
Süleymanshah II
Suleiman II aka Rukn ad-Din Suleiman Shah , was the Seljuk Sultan of Rûm between 1196–1204.Son of Kilij Arslan II, he overthrew his brother, Sultan Kaykhusraw I who had succeeded their father in 1192 and became sultan in 1196....
, Rawandi re-dedicated his work to the Sultan of Rum
Sultanate of Rûm
The Sultanate of Rum , also known as the Anatolian Seljuk State , was a Turkic state centered in in Anatolia, with capitals first at İznik and then at Konya. Since the court of the sultanate was highly mobile, cities like Kayseri and Sivas also functioned at times as capitals...
, Kaykhusraw I.
Content
The early history of the Seljuqs written in the Rahat al-sudur, relies heavily upon the Saljuq-namaSaljuq-nama
The Saljuq-nama or Seljuk-nama,, is a history of the Great Seljuk Empire written by the Persian historian Ẓāhir al-Dīn Nīshāpūrī around 1175...
. However, events after 1175 are directly witnessed by Rawandi since he was a member of Toghrul III's
Toghrul III of Seljuq
Toghrul III was the last sultan of the Great Seljuq Empire.The son of sultan Arslan Shah, he succeeded him in 1175 or 1176. In 1190 he tried to free itself from the tutelage of the Atabeg of Azerbaijan, Kizil Arslan, but he was overthrown and imprisoned by the latter, who proclaimed himself sultan...
court, making the Rahat al-sudur an invaluable source for Toghrul's reign.
Rawandi appears to have intended the Rahat al-sudur to be a historical work, yet the book contains chapters on backgammon
Backgammon
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games for two players. The playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice, and players win by removing all of their pieces from the board. There are many variants of backgammon, most of which share common traits...
, chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
, horsemanship, hunting and feasting. The final two chapters encompass the sultanate of Toghrul III
Toghrul III of Seljuq
Toghrul III was the last sultan of the Great Seljuq Empire.The son of sultan Arslan Shah, he succeeded him in 1175 or 1176. In 1190 he tried to free itself from the tutelage of the Atabeg of Azerbaijan, Kizil Arslan, but he was overthrown and imprisoned by the latter, who proclaimed himself sultan...
, the last Seljuq
Seljuq dynasty
The Seljuq ; were a Turco-Persian Sunni Muslim dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries...
beys and the Khwarazmian invasion. Rawandi viewed the Sultanate of Rum
Sultanate of Rûm
The Sultanate of Rum , also known as the Anatolian Seljuk State , was a Turkic state centered in in Anatolia, with capitals first at İznik and then at Konya. Since the court of the sultanate was highly mobile, cities like Kayseri and Sivas also functioned at times as capitals...
as champions of the Sunni faith and deplored the Khwarazmians. The final section consists of Hanafi legal works and courtly accomplishments. A final chapter was to cover anecdotes and jest, was never written. The book, as a whole, is written in a moralizing nature.
The Rahat al-sudur was translated into Turkish during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Murad II
Murad II
Murad II Kodja was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1451 ....
.