Walters Ms. W.602, Book of kings (Shahnama)Shāhnāmahشاهنامه<note type="title" xml:id="n260.030487">Title given in colophon: Kitāb-i Shāhnāmah (fol. 334a)</note>FirdawsīAbū al-Qāsim Ḥasan ibn Isḥāq Firdawsī Ṭūsīابو القاسم حسن بن اسحاق فردوسى طوسىAuthor dates preferred by cataloger: d. 411 or 416 AH / 1020-5 CEscribeMuḥammad Mīrak ibn Mīr Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī al-Ustādīمحمد ميرك بن مير محمد الحسينى الاستادىPrincipal catalogerGacek, AdamCatalogerLandau, AmyCatalogerSmith, SitaEditorBockrath, DianeContributorBarrera, ChristinaContributorEmery, DougContributorHerbert, LynleyContributorNoel, WilliamContributorSimpson, ShreveContributorTabritha, ArielContributorToth, Michael B.ContributorValle, ChiaraConservatorJewell, StephanieConservatorQuandt, AbigailThe Walters Art Museum

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This copy of Firdawsī's Shāhnāmah (Book of kings) was written by Muḥammad Mīrak ibn Mīr Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī al-Ustādī, most probably in Herat (present-day Afghanistan). It was completed in 1028 AH / 1618-9 CE. There are two Arabic colophons, one at the end of the preface (fol. 7a) and the other at the end of part 1 (fol. 334a). The preface is by Abū Manṣūr Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Razzāq, who composed it in 346 AH / 957-8 CE. Although incomplete at the end, the manuscript contains eighty-three illustrations. Some are by a later hand and attributed to Safavid artists Rizā ʿAbbāsī and Shaykh ʿAbbāsī in the eleventh century AH / seventeenth CE (fols. 55b, 62b, 391b, 476b, and 479b). The lacquer binding is not contemporary with the manuscript and dates to the thirteenth century AH / nineteenth CE.BaltimoreThe Walters Art MuseumW.602The primary language in this manuscript is Persian. The secondary language of this manuscript is Arabic.fols. 1b - 531aShāhnāmahشاهنامه<note type="title" xml:id="n260.030541">Title given in colophon: Kitāb-i Shāhnāmah (fol. 334a)</note>سپاس وآفرين خدايرا كه اين جهان...Main text preceded by a preface by Abū Manṣūr Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Razzāq; text incomplete (some 135 folios missing from part 2)scribeFol. 7a, end of preface: katabahu Muḥammad /1/ Mīrak bn Mīr Muḥammad /2/ al-Ḥusaynī /3/ al-Ustādī /4/ ghafara dunūbahu /5/ wa-satara ʿuyūb /6/ ahu tamma tamma /7/ tamma /8/ fī sanat 1028 /9/; fol. 334a, end of part 1: tammat al-mujallad al-ūlá [sic] min Kitāb Shāhnāmah /1/ ḥakīm Firdawsī Ṭūsī ṭayyaba tharāhu /2/ fī al-shuhūr sanat 1027 katabahu al-ʿabd al-rājī /3/ Muḥammad Mīrak ibn Mīr Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī /4/ al-Ustādī /5/ ʿafá ʿanhu /6/ m (= tamma) /7/Two colophons in Arabic, one at the end of the preface (fol. 7a), the other at the end of part 1 (fol. 334a), giving the title of the work, the scribe's name, and the date of copying

Laid paper

Foliation: i+531+ii36.523.521.512.5

Written obliquely on versos

Verses written horizontally and obliquelyWritten mostly in black nastaʿlīq script with rubrications and chapter/section headings in white on a gold backgroundEighty-three illustrations, some spuriously attributed to Riz̤ā ʿAbbāsī and Shaykh ʿAbbāsī (fols. 55b, 62b, 391b, 476b, and 479b); Double-page illuminated frontispiece opening the main text of the Shāhnāmah (fols. 8b-9a); illuminated headpiece for the beginning of part 2 (fol. 335b); illuminated headpiece (fol. 106b)Double-page illuminated frontispieceFrontispieceThis is the right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece that precedes the beginning of the main text of the Shāhnāmah (Book of kings).Double-page illuminated frontispieceFrontispieceThis is the left side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece that precedes the beginning of the main text of the Shāhnāmah (Book of kings).Kayūmars̱ enthronedIllustrationHūshang discovers fire while planning to kill a dragon with a stoneIllustrationTahmūras̱ and the dīvsIllustrationFarīdūn defeats Z̤aḥḥākIllustrationFarīdūn enthronedIllustrationThe murder of ĪrajIllustrationThe birth of ManūchihrIllustrationManūchihr kills Tūr in battleIllustrationManūchihr kills SalmIllustrationSām brings Zāl from the mountainsIllustrationSām receives Sindukht as envoy from the king of KābulIllustrationThere is a later inscription on this illustration bearing the name of the painter Rizā with the date 1070 AH / 1659-60 CE.Qubād discusses death before fighting BārmānIllustrationIllegible signatures are present, as well as the spurious date 1082 AH /1671 CE.Rustam lifts Afrāsiyāb by the beltIllustrationRakhsh kills a lion (the first feat)IllustrationRustam kills a dragon (the third feat)IllustrationRustam kills the White Dīv (the seventh feat)IllustrationThe King of Māzandarān changes himself into a rockIllustrationRustam mortally wounds SuhrābIllustrationTahmīnah laments over the body of her son SuhrābIllustrationIncipit page with illuminated headpieceIncipit; headpieceThis incipit page with illuminated headpiece introduces the story of Siyāvush.The fire ordeal of SiyāvushIllustrationSiyāvush plays polo before AfrāsiyābIllustrationSiyāvush marries FarangīsIllustrationGurūy executes SiyāvushIllustrationRustam fights AfrāsiyābIllustrationKay Kāvus receives Kay Khusraw on his arrival from TūrānIllustrationKay Khusraw enthronedIllustrationKay Khusraw reviews his troopsIllustrationFarūd retreats to his fortress and is mortally wounded by RuhāmIllustrationFarīburz marries FarangīsIllustrationRustam kills Ashkabūs and his horseIllustrationRustam captures and kills KāmūsIllustrationRustam pulls the Khāqān of China from his elephant by a lassoIllustrationRustam wrestles with PūlādvandIllustrationRustam kills the demon AkvānIllustrationBīzhan in chains is brought to the wellIllustrationRustam drinks wine with Kay KhusrawIllustrationRustam fights the son of the White Dīv who guarded BīzhanIllustrationRustam rescues Bīzhan from the wellIllustrationKay Khusraw receives Rustam after Bīzhan’s rescueIllustrationBīzhan kills HūmānIllustrationBīzhan slays NastihanIllustrationGīv fights FarshīdvardIllustrationFarīburz kills KulbādIllustrationGīv battles Gurūy (Gurvī)IllustrationBīzhan kills RuyīnIllustrationZangah kills Jāvarjāsp with a spearIllustrationGurgīn cuts off the head of AndarīmānIllustrationGūdarz kills PīrānIllustrationKay Khusraw mourns Pīrān and the dead TuraniansIllustrationKay Khusraw kills Gurūy (Gurvī)IllustrationThe army of Kay Khusraw battles the army of ShīdahIllustrationKay Khusraw, having conquered Afrāsiyāb’s fortress, sits on his throneIllustrationAfrāsiyāb’s chieftains before Kay KhusrawIllustrationKay Khusraw crosses Lake Zarah in pursuit of AfrāsiyābIllustrationKay Khusraw slays AfrāsiyābIllustrationIncipit page with illuminated headpieceIncipit; headpieceThis incipit page with illuminated headpiece introduces part 2 of the Shāhnāmah, beginning with the story of King Luhrāsp.Luhrāsp enthronedIllustrationGushtāsp kills a wolfIllustrationGushtāsp fight with IlyāsIllustrationBidarāfsh kills Zarīr, the brother of GushtāspIllustrationIsfandiyār kills Gurgsār during the seventh exploitIllustrationIsfandiyār kills ArjāspIllustrationRustam and Isfandiyār parleyIllustrationThis illustration is a spurious later attribution to Shaykh ʿAbbāsī with the date 1097 AH / 1685 CE.The first combat of Rustam and IsfandiyārIllustrationRustam shoots Isfandiyār in the eyes with a double-pointed arrowIllustrationRustam kills his brother Shaghād before dying in the pitIllustrationHumāy enthronedIllustrationAlexander the Great mourns the dying DariusIllustrationAlexander the Great meets Rushanak, the daughter of DariusIllustrationAlexander the Great kills Fūr, the king of IndiaIllustrationThe execution of Ardavān by ArdashīrIllustrationArdashīr executes MihrakIllustrationArdashīr hangs Haftvād and his eldest sonIllustrationArdashīr recognizes his son Shāpūr during a polo gameIllustrationArdashīr, on his deathbed, cedes the throne to ShāpūrIllustrationBahrām Bahrāmiyān enthronedIllustrationThis illustration is a spurious later attribution to Shaykh ʿAbbāsī with the date 1097 AH / 1685 CE.The infant king Shāpūr II enthronedIllustrationThis illustration is a spurious later attribution to Riz̤ā ʿAbbāsī with the date 1097 AH / 1685 CE.Shāpūr cuts off the nose and ears of the king of RūmIllustrationShāpūr besieges the Roman fortress of NaṣībīnIllustrationMunzir introduces Bahrām Gūr to two maidens, one a servant, the other a harpistIllustrationBahrām Gūr hunts with his menIllustrationBahrām Gūr enthronedIllustrationBahrām Gūr hunts lionsIllustrationBahrām Gūr decapitates a lionIllustration

Dates to the thirteenth century AH / nineteenth CE; Qajar-style lacquer boards (no flap); central ovals and pendants decorated with animal scenes; doublures with dentelle-style filigree work

1028 AH / 1618-9 CE (fol. 7a, end of preface); 1027 AH / 1617-8 CE (fol. 334a, end of part 1)Probably Herat (present-day Afghanistan)Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequestRelevant WorksRichard, Francis. Catalogue des manuscrits persans. (Paris: Bibliothèque nationale, 1989), no. 278.Storey, C. A. Persian Literature: A Bio-Bibliographical Survey, Vol. 1. (London: Luzac, 1927- ), 112-159.Schmitz, Barbara. “Miniature Painting in Harāt, 1570-1640.” (PhD diss., New York University, 1981), 353-358.ArtMedicineMuseumPoetryScriptMuhammad, the ProphetRomaniaKashmiriHorsesWalters Art MuseumBlockbookDocumentGeneologyAstrologyDevotionHistoryLegalLiterature -- PoetryLiterature -- ProseLiturgyPhilosophyScienceScience -- MedicineScriptureSufismTheologyMineralogyLogicGeographyGeomancyCosmologyCartographyFortune-tellingKoranQur`anFirmanPalimpsestPrayerBibleGospelsPsalterMissalLectionaryBook of HoursAntiphonaryPrayerbookHomilaryProcessionalHorologionBreviaryHymnalChroniclePsalter/HoursMaghrebSub-Saharan (West) AfricaTurkeyAfghanistanCentral Arab Lands (Near East)Central AsiaEgyptEnglandIndiaIranIraqPakistanGermanyFranceAustriaNetherlandsEthiopiaArmeniaFlandersGreeceMamlukMughalOttomanOttonianArmenianByzantineAbbasidQajarRajputChristianArabicAustrianDutchEgyptianFatimidGermanIndianIslamicPersianSafavidTimuridTurkishUmayyadEnglishFrenchFlemishEthiopianCarolingianCalligraphyChartsColophonHeadpieceIlluminationIllustrationMedallionMiniatureOrnamentPainting'Kufic'Early Abbasid scriptRaginiRomanesqueGothicWatermarkTreasure BindingGrotesquesHistoriated initialInhabited initialCarolingian MinusculeGothic Book handWhite-vine letteringEnglish secretaryTexturaBatardaHumanisticUncialAccordion bookAlbumBookCodexManuscriptHeraldrySaint's LifeDrawingGrisailleOriginal BindingBindingNew Abbasid stylecharterLiturgicalDevotionalScripturalTheologicalLegalHistoricalScientificScientific -- MedicalLiterary -- ProseLiterary -- PoetryPhilosophicalAstrologicalSufiEnglishBookCodexColophonHistoryIlluminationIllustrationIranIslamicManuscriptPersianWalters Art MuseumQajarAfghanistanLiterature -- Poetry