Miklós Sárközy
Institute of Ismaili Studies, Academic Research and Publications, Department Member
- Iranian Archaeology, Iran, Ancient and Sasanian History; Early Judeo-Persian, the historical philology of Iranian languages, the history of Iranian art, Early Islam, Ottoman Turkish historical writing, Mongol, and 59 moreTurco-Iranian World, Medieval Islamic, Ottoman Anatolia (1200-1500) Comparative empire, post-Mongol, Frontier, Mongol world empire Seljuk, political culture Persian, Ancient Persia, Parthian Empire, Achaemenian Empire, Parthian Kingdoms, Kushans, Sasanian Empire, Ismailism, Farhad Daftary, Alid coinage of Gilan, Jibal and Khurasan, Iranian Studies, Rahat Al-sudur, Wilferd Madelung, Medieval Shi'ism, Twelver Shi'ism, Caspian Studies, Middle Persian, Early Judeo-Persian, History of Magic, Manichaeism, Zaidi Shiite History, Pre-Islamic Arabia, Wladimir Ivanow, Tajik, Tajikistan, Iranian Languages, Persian, Farsi, Central Asia, Ethnic Identity, Nation Building, Bible In Islam, Arabic Bible, Islam and the Bible, Biqai, Tafsir and Bible, Muslims and Bible, Tahrif, Qur'an and Bible, Orientalism, Postcolonial Studies, Samanids, Early Islamic History, Numismatics, Medieval Central Asia and Iran, Turkish and Middle East Studies, Hephtalites, Middle Persian literature and language, Maria Macuch, Hamid Dabashi, Medieval Islamic and Turco-Iranian world, Mongol world empire, Seljuk, Mongol, post-Mongol, and Ottoman Anatolia (1200-1500), Comparative empire, frontier, and political culture, Persian and Ottoman Turkish historical writing, Post-Sasanian Studies, and Historyedit
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The tale of the two Chinggises – Shīʿī eschatology and history. Mongols and Assassins before 1256 according to the Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt. The present paper addresses the hitherto unnoticed Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt and its notes on the Mongols.... more
The tale of the two Chinggises – Shīʿī eschatology and history. Mongols and Assassins before 1256 according to the Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt.
The present paper addresses the hitherto unnoticed Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt and its notes on the Mongols. The Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt a recently discovered mathnawī contains 157 odes dedicated to the great Qiyāma proclamation of 1164 made by Hasan ʿalā d-ikrihi al-salām in Alamūt, which was a major spiritual and eschatological event for the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī community. The Qiyāma of 1164 characteristically shaped the worldview of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī thinkers and poets which resulted in the creation of this collection of odes celebrating the Qiyāma. It is interesting to see however, that among the odes with a distinct religious content we can discover poems dealing with the Mongol attacks of the Middle East too. These poetic works shed an interesting light on the rather complex character of Mongol-Nizārī Ismāʿīlī relations before 1256. Instead of condemning the Mongols or lamenting on the havoc caused by the invading Mongol armies of Chinggis Khan and his successors, we find several instances where Nizārī Ismāʿīlī authors of the Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt celebrate Mongol victories and praise the virtues of Chinggis Khan who freed Nizārī Ismāʿīlīs from their Sunni enemies. This jubilant pro-Mongol tone of certain poems suggest a possible Nizārī Ismāʿīlī-Mongol agreement around 1220 which helped the Nizārī Ismāʿīlīs to extend their boundaries to areas in Northern Iran abandoned by the Sunnī Khwārizmians who had been crushed by the Mongols. These new conquests are also listed by the Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt. The Mongol-Nizārī Ismāʿīlī honeymoon however ended after 1231 when Jalāl al-Dīn Mingburnī, the last Khwārizmšāh was eliminated. With the disappearance of the common enemy, Mongol-Nizārī Ismāʿīlī relations became more troubled and Mongols gradually severed their stance against the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī which eventually led to the complete destruction of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī state in 1256. Some post-1231 poems odes of the Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt clearly reflect these changed attitude heavily inciting against the Mongols calling Jingīz-i thānī (the second Chinggis aka Ögedei Khan) as the enemy of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlīs. One of the odes gives a vivid description of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī assassination of Chaghatai Qorchi the chief Mongol military leader of the south Caucasus around 1249. This event is celebrated by the Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt but this murder of a high-ranking Mongol military figure could have been one of the main reasons for the massive Mongol attack against Alamūt in 1256.
The present paper addresses the hitherto unnoticed Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt and its notes on the Mongols. The Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt a recently discovered mathnawī contains 157 odes dedicated to the great Qiyāma proclamation of 1164 made by Hasan ʿalā d-ikrihi al-salām in Alamūt, which was a major spiritual and eschatological event for the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī community. The Qiyāma of 1164 characteristically shaped the worldview of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī thinkers and poets which resulted in the creation of this collection of odes celebrating the Qiyāma. It is interesting to see however, that among the odes with a distinct religious content we can discover poems dealing with the Mongol attacks of the Middle East too. These poetic works shed an interesting light on the rather complex character of Mongol-Nizārī Ismāʿīlī relations before 1256. Instead of condemning the Mongols or lamenting on the havoc caused by the invading Mongol armies of Chinggis Khan and his successors, we find several instances where Nizārī Ismāʿīlī authors of the Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt celebrate Mongol victories and praise the virtues of Chinggis Khan who freed Nizārī Ismāʿīlīs from their Sunni enemies. This jubilant pro-Mongol tone of certain poems suggest a possible Nizārī Ismāʿīlī-Mongol agreement around 1220 which helped the Nizārī Ismāʿīlīs to extend their boundaries to areas in Northern Iran abandoned by the Sunnī Khwārizmians who had been crushed by the Mongols. These new conquests are also listed by the Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt. The Mongol-Nizārī Ismāʿīlī honeymoon however ended after 1231 when Jalāl al-Dīn Mingburnī, the last Khwārizmšāh was eliminated. With the disappearance of the common enemy, Mongol-Nizārī Ismāʿīlī relations became more troubled and Mongols gradually severed their stance against the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī which eventually led to the complete destruction of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī state in 1256. Some post-1231 poems odes of the Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt clearly reflect these changed attitude heavily inciting against the Mongols calling Jingīz-i thānī (the second Chinggis aka Ögedei Khan) as the enemy of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlīs. One of the odes gives a vivid description of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī assassination of Chaghatai Qorchi the chief Mongol military leader of the south Caucasus around 1249. This event is celebrated by the Dīwān-i Qāʾimiyyāt but this murder of a high-ranking Mongol military figure could have been one of the main reasons for the massive Mongol attack against Alamūt in 1256.
Research Interests: Persian Literature, History of the Mongol Empire, Iranian History, Ismaili thought, Turco-Iranian World, and 12 morePersian Poetry, Alamut, Shiite Studies, Ismaili studies, Nizari Ismailite, History of Gilan, Medieval Islamic and Turco-Iranian world, Mongol world empire, History of Māzandarān, Ismaili history, Ismaili Historiography, Post Alamut Nizari Ismailism, and Northern Iran
A központosítás és az autonómia, a békés propaganda és a nyers erő jól megszervezett, koronként és királyonként is eltérően működő egyvelege volt az Óperzsa Birodalom, amely nemcsak hatalmával, de építészetével, művészetével is... more
A központosítás és az autonómia, a békés propaganda és a nyers erő jól megszervezett, koronként és királyonként is eltérően működő egyvelege volt az Óperzsa Birodalom, amely nemcsak hatalmával, de építészetével, művészetével is elkápráztatta a világot. Sárközy Miklós a teremtő perzsa képzelet útjait járja be
Az Óperzsa Birodalom mintegy 230 évig állt fent nagyjából, Kr. e 559 és 330 között. II. (Nagy) Kürosz dél-iráni perzsa fejedelem (Kr. e. 559–530) sikeres birodalomépítő tevékenysége révén született meg, megszűnése pedig egy másik világhódítónak, III. Alexandrosznak (ismertebb nevén Nagy Sándornak) köszönhető.
Az Óperzsa Birodalom méltán nevezhető az első világbirodalomnak, amely a mai Észak-Szudántól Kazahsztánig, a mai Bulgária déli részétől a mai India nyugati pereméig terjedt fénykorában, de még Kr. e. 4. századi kései óperzsa állam sem maradt el sokban területileg az I. Dareiosz (Kr. e. 522–486) alatti periódushoz képest.
Az Óperzsa Birodalom soknemzetiségű állam volt, amelynek hivatalos ideológiájában folyamatosan hangsúlyozott elem volt a sokféle nép és nyelv, erre az óperzsa uralkodók előszeretettel hivatkoztak királyfelirataikon. I. Dareiosz így fogalmaz a Szuezi-csatorna előzményénél állított feliratában: „Én vagyok Dareiosz, a nagy király, az uralkodó, a mindenféle embereket magában foglaló tartományok királya.” I. Xerxész (486–465) pedig magát a soknemzetiségű emberek birodalmának királyának nevezi az ún. Daiva-feliratában. A soknyelvű állapot elfogadása kifejeződik I. Dareiosz biszotuni (behisztuni) feliratában is. Ez a hosszú felirat az óperzsa birodalmi propaganda egyik kiemelkedő forrása, melyet számos nyelvre fordítottak le, és ezekből négy verzió maradt ránk részben vagy egészben.
Az Akhaimenida-dinasztia láthatólag kevés és korlátozott kísérletet tett a birodalom tartományi elitjeinek homogenizálására, nem a későbbi görög–római felfogást követte a barbárokra és civilizáltakra kettéosztott társadalommal, ahol a hellenizáció/romanizáció elvárás volt az elitbe kerüléshez. Ehelyett a soknemzetiségű birodalom népei által tartott birodalom csúcsán trónoló uralkodó birodalmi eszméjét követték, ahol az óperzsa uralkodó trónusát különböző etnikai hátterű alattvaló emelték a magasba. Az óperzsa társadalomfelfogásban mindenki, minden népcsoport az óperzsa uralkodó bandakája (szolgája) volt, ezt a felfogást pedig származástól függetlenül érvényesítették. A multietnikus birodalom népei által tartott trónuson álló király képét jónéhány alkalommal ábrázolták is Perszepoliszban és Naks-e Rosztamban óperzsa paloták és síremlékek domborművein. De ugyanezt a hierarchikus felfogást tükrözik Perszepoliszban az apadána keleti lépcsősorának domborművei, ahol 23 etnikai csoport köszöntötte egzotikus ajándékával az óperzsa nagykirályt újév alkalmából.
Az Óperzsa Birodalom mintegy 230 évig állt fent nagyjából, Kr. e 559 és 330 között. II. (Nagy) Kürosz dél-iráni perzsa fejedelem (Kr. e. 559–530) sikeres birodalomépítő tevékenysége révén született meg, megszűnése pedig egy másik világhódítónak, III. Alexandrosznak (ismertebb nevén Nagy Sándornak) köszönhető.
Az Óperzsa Birodalom méltán nevezhető az első világbirodalomnak, amely a mai Észak-Szudántól Kazahsztánig, a mai Bulgária déli részétől a mai India nyugati pereméig terjedt fénykorában, de még Kr. e. 4. századi kései óperzsa állam sem maradt el sokban területileg az I. Dareiosz (Kr. e. 522–486) alatti periódushoz képest.
Az Óperzsa Birodalom soknemzetiségű állam volt, amelynek hivatalos ideológiájában folyamatosan hangsúlyozott elem volt a sokféle nép és nyelv, erre az óperzsa uralkodók előszeretettel hivatkoztak királyfelirataikon. I. Dareiosz így fogalmaz a Szuezi-csatorna előzményénél állított feliratában: „Én vagyok Dareiosz, a nagy király, az uralkodó, a mindenféle embereket magában foglaló tartományok királya.” I. Xerxész (486–465) pedig magát a soknemzetiségű emberek birodalmának királyának nevezi az ún. Daiva-feliratában. A soknyelvű állapot elfogadása kifejeződik I. Dareiosz biszotuni (behisztuni) feliratában is. Ez a hosszú felirat az óperzsa birodalmi propaganda egyik kiemelkedő forrása, melyet számos nyelvre fordítottak le, és ezekből négy verzió maradt ránk részben vagy egészben.
Az Akhaimenida-dinasztia láthatólag kevés és korlátozott kísérletet tett a birodalom tartományi elitjeinek homogenizálására, nem a későbbi görög–római felfogást követte a barbárokra és civilizáltakra kettéosztott társadalommal, ahol a hellenizáció/romanizáció elvárás volt az elitbe kerüléshez. Ehelyett a soknemzetiségű birodalom népei által tartott birodalom csúcsán trónoló uralkodó birodalmi eszméjét követték, ahol az óperzsa uralkodó trónusát különböző etnikai hátterű alattvaló emelték a magasba. Az óperzsa társadalomfelfogásban mindenki, minden népcsoport az óperzsa uralkodó bandakája (szolgája) volt, ezt a felfogást pedig származástól függetlenül érvényesítették. A multietnikus birodalom népei által tartott trónuson álló király képét jónéhány alkalommal ábrázolták is Perszepoliszban és Naks-e Rosztamban óperzsa paloták és síremlékek domborművein. De ugyanezt a hierarchikus felfogást tükrözik Perszepoliszban az apadána keleti lépcsősorának domborművei, ahol 23 etnikai csoport köszöntötte egzotikus ajándékával az óperzsa nagykirályt újév alkalmából.
Research Interests:
Alison Vacca’s book is a seminal and very useful work for scholars of various fields interested in Caucasian studies, Iranian history as well as early Islamic intellectual history. It is also important to stress that this book can... more
Alison Vacca’s book is a seminal and very useful work for scholars of various fields
interested in Caucasian studies, Iranian history as well as early Islamic intellectual history.
It is also important to stress that this book can contribute significantly to early Hungarian
history as well. The well-known Hungarian ties to the Caucasus, the presence of early Hungarian groups in certain parts of the Caucasus requires a more thorough knowledge of Islamic sources relating to the Caucasus in early Hungarian historical studies in the light of Vacca’s new results. Last but not least, Vacca’s textual criticism, the comparison drawn
between Armenian and Arabic sources, the contextualisation of these written materials, the assessment of doctrinal aspects operating behind these sources are also of great help for those involved and interested in Hungarian aspects of the Caucasian history.
interested in Caucasian studies, Iranian history as well as early Islamic intellectual history.
It is also important to stress that this book can contribute significantly to early Hungarian
history as well. The well-known Hungarian ties to the Caucasus, the presence of early Hungarian groups in certain parts of the Caucasus requires a more thorough knowledge of Islamic sources relating to the Caucasus in early Hungarian historical studies in the light of Vacca’s new results. Last but not least, Vacca’s textual criticism, the comparison drawn
between Armenian and Arabic sources, the contextualisation of these written materials, the assessment of doctrinal aspects operating behind these sources are also of great help for those involved and interested in Hungarian aspects of the Caucasian history.
Research Interests:
The present essay addresses aspects of the preislamic material preserved in Naršaḫī’s History of Bukhara. The History of Bukhara is the oldest extant chronicle of Central Asia penned by Abū Ja'far Muḥammad Naršaḫī in Arabic in the 10th... more
The present essay addresses aspects of the preislamic material preserved in Naršaḫī’s History of Bukhara. The History of Bukhara is the oldest extant chronicle of Central Asia penned by Abū Ja'far Muḥammad Naršaḫī in Arabic in the 10th century CE, later the whole text was translated into Persian (and possibly abbreviated) in the 12th century CE. It appears that Naršaḫī’s work contains important details on preislamic Bukhara. The history of Bukhara writes extensively on the decades of the Islamic conquests of Bukhara and Central Asia, the Soghdian-Turkic resistance against the Arabs where detailed descriptions of Arabic military expeditions are sometimes intertwined with folkloric elements. Of particular importance are the accounts relating to preislamic social and military institutions of ancient Bukhara as recorded by Naršaḫī. Further important preislamic material was preserved in the accounts relating to the local religious communities of Bukhara of the 6–10th centuries CE, here we encounter traces of Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and early traces of Islam in Bukhara we also learn about an idol bazar still flourishing in 10th century Bukhara. As for the heterodox manners and customs of al-Muqanna'’s religious movement, the History of Bukhara is the most valuable source of information having detailed descriptions of this otherwise little known cult of the late 8th century CE.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Textual Scholarship, Manuscript Studies, Central Asian History (Area Studies), Ismaili thought, Shiite Studies, and 8 moreIsmaili studies, History of Badakhshan, Iranian Historiography, Shiite Manuscripts, Ismaili manuscripts , Ismaili history, Post Alamut Nizari Ismailism, and Ismailis of Badakhshan
In: Türk, Attila (szerk.) „Hadak útján”.A népvándorláskor fiatal kutatóinak XXIX.konferenciája. Budapest, 2019. november 15–16. Budapest, Magyarország : PPKE BTK Régészettudományi Intézet, Martin Opitz Kiadó, Bölcsészettudományi... more
In: Türk, Attila (szerk.) „Hadak útján”.A népvándorláskor fiatal kutatóinak XXIX.konferenciája. Budapest, 2019. november 15–16.
Budapest, Magyarország : PPKE BTK Régészettudományi Intézet, Martin Opitz Kiadó, Bölcsészettudományi Kutatóközpont Magyar Őstörténeti Kutatócsoport, 2022. 421-441.
FIFTY SHADES OF POST-SĀSĀNIAN
Miklós Sárközy
The present paper aims at throwing light at the origin, development and different meanings of the term called „post-Sāsānian”. Invented by German art historians and archaeologists hundred years ago, the term
„post-Sāsānian” soon evolved and began to appear in various papers since the 1960’s. By this time this term has been widely accepted and enjoys popularity in different scientific works of Iranian studies. It appears
that we can detect three main categories where this term can be used. First, the decades following 628, the year when Ḫusraw II the last real Sāsānian king was murdered. The second subperiod was until the end of
the Umayyads (750 CE) where Sasanian society still played a pivotal role in the local administrations of the early caliphate. The post-Sāsānian term can be also applied for the history of northern Iran, the provinces
of Ṭabaristān, Daylamān and Gīlān, where significant groups of the former Sāsānian aristocracy established post-Sāsānian states continuing Sāsānian culture and traditions well into the 9th century. The case of
Central Asia and the post-750 Iranian lands (except those of Northern Iran) are more complex and cannot be called post-Sāsānian due to later developments and other influences.
Budapest, Magyarország : PPKE BTK Régészettudományi Intézet, Martin Opitz Kiadó, Bölcsészettudományi Kutatóközpont Magyar Őstörténeti Kutatócsoport, 2022. 421-441.
FIFTY SHADES OF POST-SĀSĀNIAN
Miklós Sárközy
The present paper aims at throwing light at the origin, development and different meanings of the term called „post-Sāsānian”. Invented by German art historians and archaeologists hundred years ago, the term
„post-Sāsānian” soon evolved and began to appear in various papers since the 1960’s. By this time this term has been widely accepted and enjoys popularity in different scientific works of Iranian studies. It appears
that we can detect three main categories where this term can be used. First, the decades following 628, the year when Ḫusraw II the last real Sāsānian king was murdered. The second subperiod was until the end of
the Umayyads (750 CE) where Sasanian society still played a pivotal role in the local administrations of the early caliphate. The post-Sāsānian term can be also applied for the history of northern Iran, the provinces
of Ṭabaristān, Daylamān and Gīlān, where significant groups of the former Sāsānian aristocracy established post-Sāsānian states continuing Sāsānian culture and traditions well into the 9th century. The case of
Central Asia and the post-750 Iranian lands (except those of Northern Iran) are more complex and cannot be called post-Sāsānian due to later developments and other influences.
Research Interests: Central Asia (History), Abbasid History, Sasanian History, Early Islamic History, Sasanian art, and 10 moreIslamic History and Muslim Civilization, Early Islamic Central Asia, Sasanian Iran, Umayyad Caliphate, Early Islamic Iran, Tabaristan Coinage, Post-Sasanian Studies, Iranian Studies, Sasanian and Post-Sasanian Periods, Tabaristan, and Post-Sasanian Silver
Research Interests:
Kósa Gábor és Vér Ádám (szerk.) 2021. Reformationes: Reformkísérletek a vallástörténetben. Az Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bölcsészettudományi Karán 2018. május 22-én tartott vallástudományi konferencia előadásai. (AΓΙΟΝ KÖNYVEK 5.... more
Kósa Gábor és Vér Ádám (szerk.) 2021. Reformationes: Reformkísérletek a vallástörténetben. Az Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bölcsészettudományi Karán 2018. május 22-én tartott vallástudományi konferencia előadásai. (AΓΙΟΝ KÖNYVEK 5. Sorozatszerkesztő: Déri Balázs.) Budapest: Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bölcsészettudományi Kar Vallástudományi Központ. 129-146.
Research Interests:
Mint az közismert, a turanizmus, ez az ázsiai eredetünket hangsúlyozó ideológia, az utóbbi kétszáz évben nagy népszerűségre tett szert. A jelen tanulmány azzal a kérdéssel foglalkozik, mikor és hogyan jelent meg először Magyarországon a... more
Mint az közismert, a turanizmus, ez az ázsiai eredetünket hangsúlyozó ideológia, az utóbbi kétszáz évben nagy népszerűségre tett szert. A jelen tanulmány azzal a kérdéssel foglalkozik, mikor és hogyan jelent meg először Magyarországon a Turán kifejezés, és az orientalisztika születő tudománya hogyan gyakorolhatott figyelemreméltó hatást a magyar értelmiség identitására a 19. század elején.
Tanulmányom első részében a Turán kifejezés gyökereire és kontextusára igyekszem rávilágítani az iráni kultúrában. Forrásaink szerint a Turán nevet Nyugat-Európába a 18. század első felében Abū’ l-Ḡāzī Bahādur khívai kán közép-ázsiai krónikájának, a Šajara-yi turknak a fordítása vezette be. E mű európai fordításai a 19. század elején értek el Magyarországra, és a perzsa hatások beáramlása hamarosan érdekes ötvözet forrásává lett, amelyben a hun-szkíta rokonság régi elképzelése olvadt össze az iráni Turán-fogalommal, ahogy azt a nyugati tudomány felfogta. Az első magyar turanisták (Jerney, Kállay, Pulszky, Maróthy) mind eltökélt perzsabarátok voltak, akiket Turán és Irán perzsa felfogása erősen befolyásolt, s új elméleteket alkottak a magyar őstörténetről, amelyek együtt alapultak magyar elképzeléseken és a kortárs orientalisztika újonnan felfedezett adatain.
https://mki.gov.hu/hu/ephemeris/a-turan-fogalom-megjelenese-es-korai-perzsabarat-turanistak-a-19-szazad-elso-feleben-magyarorszagon
Tanulmányom első részében a Turán kifejezés gyökereire és kontextusára igyekszem rávilágítani az iráni kultúrában. Forrásaink szerint a Turán nevet Nyugat-Európába a 18. század első felében Abū’ l-Ḡāzī Bahādur khívai kán közép-ázsiai krónikájának, a Šajara-yi turknak a fordítása vezette be. E mű európai fordításai a 19. század elején értek el Magyarországra, és a perzsa hatások beáramlása hamarosan érdekes ötvözet forrásává lett, amelyben a hun-szkíta rokonság régi elképzelése olvadt össze az iráni Turán-fogalommal, ahogy azt a nyugati tudomány felfogta. Az első magyar turanisták (Jerney, Kállay, Pulszky, Maróthy) mind eltökélt perzsabarátok voltak, akiket Turán és Irán perzsa felfogása erősen befolyásolt, s új elméleteket alkottak a magyar őstörténetről, amelyek együtt alapultak magyar elképzeléseken és a kortárs orientalisztika újonnan felfedezett adatain.
https://mki.gov.hu/hu/ephemeris/a-turan-fogalom-megjelenese-es-korai-perzsabarat-turanistak-a-19-szazad-elso-feleben-magyarorszagon
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Research Interests: Iranian Studies, Central Asian Studies, Silk Road Studies, Central Asian Buddhism, Iranian History, and 14 moreCentral Asia, Medieval Islamic History, Zoroastrianism (History), Early Islamic Historiography, Islamic Historiography, Central Asian Steppe, Early Turkic History, Sogdiana, History of Sogdiana in 6-8 centuries, Sogdian Culture, The Islamic City, History and culture of Turkic peoples, Traditional Islamic city, and Medieval history of Bukhara
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The present paper aims at summarizing and re-evaluating the sources of the Jász (Alan) language once spoken in medieval and early modern Hungary. The Jász people were a sub-branch of the Alans, themselves speaking an eastern Iranian... more
The present paper aims at summarizing and re-evaluating the sources of the
Jász (Alan) language once spoken in medieval and early modern Hungary. The
Jász people were a sub-branch of the Alans, themselves speaking an eastern
Iranian language, who settled in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary possibly in
the early fourteenth century. Jász ethnic groups were given royal permissions
to found communities in different regions of Hungary, and the most significant
group of them settled in the area what is still known as Jászság (area of Jász
people) between the Tisza and Danube rivers. While the later history of the Jász
people is well known in the secondary literature and is consequently beyond the
scope of the present paper, their linguistic traces show more uncertainties that
need to be reassessed.
As far as our sources are concerned, onomastic data, such as early fourteenth
century personal names as well as the so-called Jász–Hungarian–Latin wordlist
(discovered in 1957) written probably in the fifteenth century, all prove that Jász
was an Alan dialect and is closely related to the present-day Digor dialect of the
Ossetic language, though among the Jász onomastic data we can find several
mixed names of Turkic or Turko-Iranian and also of western Iranian origin.
On the other hand, Jász names preserved in 16th century Ottoman administrative sources offer a rare glimpse at the possibly latest stage of this language.
They should be treated, however, cautiously due to different problems of transcription and transmission. Yet, despite all the problems, these later onomastic data along with some newly discovered material of geographical names of
allegedly Jász background represent a hitherto largely unnoticed and neglected
group of documents of the Jász language, which might have become extinct
around 1600 CE as a spoken language in Hungary according to the contemporary sources.
Jász (Alan) language once spoken in medieval and early modern Hungary. The
Jász people were a sub-branch of the Alans, themselves speaking an eastern
Iranian language, who settled in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary possibly in
the early fourteenth century. Jász ethnic groups were given royal permissions
to found communities in different regions of Hungary, and the most significant
group of them settled in the area what is still known as Jászság (area of Jász
people) between the Tisza and Danube rivers. While the later history of the Jász
people is well known in the secondary literature and is consequently beyond the
scope of the present paper, their linguistic traces show more uncertainties that
need to be reassessed.
As far as our sources are concerned, onomastic data, such as early fourteenth
century personal names as well as the so-called Jász–Hungarian–Latin wordlist
(discovered in 1957) written probably in the fifteenth century, all prove that Jász
was an Alan dialect and is closely related to the present-day Digor dialect of the
Ossetic language, though among the Jász onomastic data we can find several
mixed names of Turkic or Turko-Iranian and also of western Iranian origin.
On the other hand, Jász names preserved in 16th century Ottoman administrative sources offer a rare glimpse at the possibly latest stage of this language.
They should be treated, however, cautiously due to different problems of transcription and transmission. Yet, despite all the problems, these later onomastic data along with some newly discovered material of geographical names of
allegedly Jász background represent a hitherto largely unnoticed and neglected
group of documents of the Jász language, which might have become extinct
around 1600 CE as a spoken language in Hungary according to the contemporary sources.
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The present article aims at summarizing the history and cultural legacy of Ismāʿīlīsm, an important medieval and contemporary branch of Shīʿī Islam in Iran or, more precisely, in the Persian lands. Ismāʿīlīsm, developing gradually after... more
The present article aims at summarizing the history and cultural legacy of Ismāʿīlīsm, an important medieval and contemporary branch of Shīʿī Islam in Iran or, more precisely, in the Persian lands. Ismāʿīlīsm, developing gradually after 760 CE (after the death of Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq, the sixth Imam of Ismāʿīlīs and Twelver Shīʿīs), maintained close cultural and religious ties with Iranian lands, appearing as early as the 9th century CE in present-day Iran and Central Asia. Since then, Ismāʿīlīsm has been present in Iranian culture, creating an interesting amalgam where Persianate cultural elements enriched the religious, philosophical, and cultural heritage of Ismāʿīlīsm. One must also note that Ismāʿīlīsm had different subgroups present in the Iranian lands such as pre-Fatimid Ismāʿīlīsm, Fatimid Ismāʿīlīsm, Qarmaṭī Ismāʿīlīsm and, last but not least, the most significant of them, Nizārī Ismāʿīlīsm (with its various offshoots in present-day Iran and Central Asia); followers of the latter are still living in some provinces of Iran. The heyday of Ismāʿīlīsm during the so-called Alamūt period of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlīs was undoubtedly the 11th–13th centuries CE, but Badakhshānī Ismāʿīlīs in Central Asia as well as later post-Alamūt Nizārī Ismāʿīlīsm in Iran are also of great importance.
Research Interests: Ismailism, Ismaili thought, Shiʿi Studies, Medieval Persia, Shiite Studies, and 7 morePersian history, Ismaili studies, Mongol and Timurid Period In the History of Iran, Persian History of the Turko Mongol Period, Medieval Islamic and Turco-Iranian world, Mongol world empire, Ismaili history, and Ismaili Historiography
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A Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem eszme-, vallás-és kultúrtörténeti folyóirata HISTORY, POETRY AND LANGUAGE IN ANCIENT AND MODERN IRAN IRÁN A ZOROASZTRIÁNIZMUSTÓL A JELENKORIG: TÖRTÉNELEM, KÖLTÉSZET, NYELVÉSZET The editors would like to... more
A Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem eszme-, vallás-és kultúrtörténeti folyóirata HISTORY, POETRY AND LANGUAGE IN ANCIENT AND MODERN IRAN IRÁN A ZOROASZTRIÁNIZMUSTÓL A JELENKORIG: TÖRTÉNELEM, KÖLTÉSZET, NYELVÉSZET The editors would like to thank Dr Miklós Sárközy for his invaluable contribution to preparing the present issue. A szerkesztők ezúton mondanak köszönönetet Sárközy Miklósnak a kötet összeállításában nyújtott segítségéért
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Research Interests: Persian Literature, Iranian Art History, Iranian History, Iranian Manuscripts, Arabic/Persian Manuscripts, codicology, Islamic philosophy, early Islamic history and thoughts, and 5 moreIranian Art and Material Culture, Iranian studies, Persian Philology, Iranian Philology, Persian Manuscript Painting, and سندشناسی
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Wladimir Ivanow (1886 – 1970) played a crucial role in the development of Islamic science as a founding father of Ismaili studies. He spent most of his life in exile in India and Iran (Persia). His vast oeuvre in the field of Ismaili... more
Wladimir Ivanow (1886 – 1970) played a crucial role in the development
of Islamic science as a founding father of Ismaili studies. He spent most of
his life in exile in India and Iran (Persia). His vast oeuvre in the field of
Ismaili studies are of high importance for those interested in Ismaili
studies and Shia history. However, despite the fact that this area is often
neglected in his biographies, Ivanow also conducted significant research in
the area of Iranian minorities, mainly Ismailis, Romas and Sufis and he
can certainly be considered to be an early pioneer of minority studies in
the field of Iranian studies. The presented paper introduces Ivanow's work
concerning the minority groups of Iran at the dawn of his scientific career.
of Islamic science as a founding father of Ismaili studies. He spent most of
his life in exile in India and Iran (Persia). His vast oeuvre in the field of
Ismaili studies are of high importance for those interested in Ismaili
studies and Shia history. However, despite the fact that this area is often
neglected in his biographies, Ivanow also conducted significant research in
the area of Iranian minorities, mainly Ismailis, Romas and Sufis and he
can certainly be considered to be an early pioneer of minority studies in
the field of Iranian studies. The presented paper introduces Ivanow's work
concerning the minority groups of Iran at the dawn of his scientific career.
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This is a bilingual Persian-Hungarian book dedicated to the poetry of Hafiz containing 50 ghazals in Persian and in Hungarian written by Hafiz with a bilingual introduction on the influence of Hafiz on the Hungarian literature.
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The present paper discusses the early political contacts of the Nizārī Ismaili state and the Bāwandid principality at the end of the 11th century. Since both states were heavily pressured by the mighty Saljūq empire on the northern... more
The present paper discusses the early political contacts of the Nizārī Ismaili state and the Bāwandid principality at the end of the 11th century. Since both states were heavily pressured by the mighty Saljūq empire on the northern fringes of the Iranian lands, this fact naturally led to their alliance against the different Saljūq military incursions, which however failed to subdue these states. Contrary to public belief, the Nizārī Ismailis proved to be faithful allies of the Bāwandids, and the latter showed remarkable flexibility and supported the Nizārī Ismailis.
Research Interests: Iranian Studies, Iranian History, Ismailism, Nizaris, Saljuqs, and 8 morePersian History of the Turko Mongol Period, Nizari Ismailite, Saljukid History, Iranian history and historiography, Medieval Islamic and Turco-Iranian world, Mongol world empire, Seljuk, Mongol, post-Mongol, and Ottoman Anatolia (1200-1500), Comparative empire, frontier, and political culture, and Persian and Ottoman Turkish historical writing
Undoubtedly, the most important event for the Nizārīs during the brief rule of Hasan II (1162-1166) was the declaration of the Qiyāma (Resurrection) in 1164. In light of contemporary historical events, the paper reassesses the possible... more
Undoubtedly, the most important event for the Nizārīs during the brief rule of Hasan II (1162-1166) was the declaration of the Qiyāma (Resurrection) in 1164. In light of contemporary historical events, the paper reassesses the possible reasons for the declaration of Qiyāma and interprets it both as the beginning of a new spiritual era for the Nizārī community and as a brave attempt to overcome political problems in a period which witnessed major changes in the Middle East. The author discusses three chief motifs for this momentous event. Firstly, by announcing the Qiyāma and the Imamate of Nizār b. al-Mustansir, Hasan II may have aspired for the leadership of the entire Ismaili community, including the Ismaili followers of the declining Fatimid Caliphate and the Eastern Saljuq Kingdom of Sanjar. Secondly, Hasan II may have done it to strengthen his stance toward his non-Nizārī rivals in the Caspian provinces, such as the Bawandids, whose power had reached its zenith in this very period. Finally, by declaring the Qiyāma, Hasan II may have intended to gain stronger control over his opponents and enemies within the Ismācīlī community itself.
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The present paper discusses the foundation of the Syrian–Egyptian kingdom of Šahrwarāz. A well-known military leader of the Sasanian Empire who played a key-role in the Sasanian–Eastern Roman wars in the early decades of the 7th century... more
The present paper discusses the foundation of the Syrian–Egyptian kingdom of Šahrwarāz. A well-known military leader of the Sasanian Empire who played a key-role in the Sasanian–Eastern Roman wars in the early decades of the 7th century AD, Šahrwarāz successfully conquered Syria and Egypt by 619 and became the military governor of these provinces. Being of obscure origin of the Northern Caucasus, Šahrwarāz started as a staunch supporter of Khusraw II but gradually
distanced from his patron after some military failures and due to his own policy which soon resulted in a semi-independent Syrian-Egyptian kingdom ruled by Šahrwarāz by 626. His secret dealings with Eastern Roman forces in Syria soon led to his rising popularity in the eyes of emperor Heraclius who promised him the throne of Sasanian Iran. Eventually Šahrwarāz succeeded in usurping the Sasanian realm for a short period, therefore the vast resources at his disposal might have contributed to the spectacular downfall of the Sasanians.
distanced from his patron after some military failures and due to his own policy which soon resulted in a semi-independent Syrian-Egyptian kingdom ruled by Šahrwarāz by 626. His secret dealings with Eastern Roman forces in Syria soon led to his rising popularity in the eyes of emperor Heraclius who promised him the throne of Sasanian Iran. Eventually Šahrwarāz succeeded in usurping the Sasanian realm for a short period, therefore the vast resources at his disposal might have contributed to the spectacular downfall of the Sasanians.
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Personality and Orientalism – Arminius Vámbéry and his Identities Drawing upon recent scholarship the present article examines the different identities of Arminius Vámbéry (1832-1913) as seen in his life and writings. Originating from an... more
Personality and Orientalism – Arminius Vámbéry and his Identities
Drawing upon recent scholarship the present article examines the different identities of Arminius Vámbéry (1832-1913) as seen in his life and writings. Originating from an obscure Hungarian-Jewish family, as an explorer and Orientalist Vámbéry led an adventurous and celebrated life. From Vámbéry’s life a four-part identity structure emerges: 1) Jewish roots. His Jewish backround hold undeniable importance especially for understanding his family life. 2) Hungarian cultural background. This strongly impacted on the young Vámbéry and went on to influence his later theories on language as well as foreign policy positions, especially with respect to his lifelong russophobia. 3) Muslim identity. Educated in Ottoman Constantinople Vámbéry’s cultural attachment to the Ottoman form of Islam made him a powerful pro-Ottoman figure in the West as well as a unique personage who was in contact with different religious movements across the Islamic countries. 4) British identity. An advocate of Enlightenment ideas, as a self-proclaimed follower of British values he became popular in England, becoming a sought-after consultant on difficult foreign issues concerning the British Empire, as well as a confidant to high-level politicians and members of the British royal family.
Drawing upon recent scholarship the present article examines the different identities of Arminius Vámbéry (1832-1913) as seen in his life and writings. Originating from an obscure Hungarian-Jewish family, as an explorer and Orientalist Vámbéry led an adventurous and celebrated life. From Vámbéry’s life a four-part identity structure emerges: 1) Jewish roots. His Jewish backround hold undeniable importance especially for understanding his family life. 2) Hungarian cultural background. This strongly impacted on the young Vámbéry and went on to influence his later theories on language as well as foreign policy positions, especially with respect to his lifelong russophobia. 3) Muslim identity. Educated in Ottoman Constantinople Vámbéry’s cultural attachment to the Ottoman form of Islam made him a powerful pro-Ottoman figure in the West as well as a unique personage who was in contact with different religious movements across the Islamic countries. 4) British identity. An advocate of Enlightenment ideas, as a self-proclaimed follower of British values he became popular in England, becoming a sought-after consultant on difficult foreign issues concerning the British Empire, as well as a confidant to high-level politicians and members of the British royal family.
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Between Upper Hungary and Transsylvania: Ármin Vámbéry and the restoration of the Rhédey crypt of Erdőszentgyörgy in the light of new documents The legacy of Arminius Vámbéry, his very complex personality has been the subject of many... more
Between Upper Hungary and Transsylvania: Ármin Vámbéry and the restoration of the Rhédey crypt of Erdőszentgyörgy in the light of new documents
The legacy of Arminius Vámbéry, his very complex personality has been the subject of many heated scientific debates during the past decades. A significant portion of his oeuvre especially his correspondence have not yet been assessed and have remained hitherto unpublished. It appears that a significant part of his personal correspondence was lost, however, letters addressed to Ármin Vámbéry were fortunately saved by the Vámbéry family in the United States, though this fact has remained unnoticed until now. Among these newly discovered documents there are not less then six letters penned by Queen Victoria Mary Teck, the wife of king George V of Great Britain (1910-1936), all of them focusing on the restoration works of the crypt of the Hungarian ancestors of Queen Mary in Transsylvania. Ármin Vámbéry the adresse of these letters played an active role in the renovation activities of the Rhédey crypt which sheds new light on the philanthropic character of the famous scholar and traveler.
The legacy of Arminius Vámbéry, his very complex personality has been the subject of many heated scientific debates during the past decades. A significant portion of his oeuvre especially his correspondence have not yet been assessed and have remained hitherto unpublished. It appears that a significant part of his personal correspondence was lost, however, letters addressed to Ármin Vámbéry were fortunately saved by the Vámbéry family in the United States, though this fact has remained unnoticed until now. Among these newly discovered documents there are not less then six letters penned by Queen Victoria Mary Teck, the wife of king George V of Great Britain (1910-1936), all of them focusing on the restoration works of the crypt of the Hungarian ancestors of Queen Mary in Transsylvania. Ármin Vámbéry the adresse of these letters played an active role in the renovation activities of the Rhédey crypt which sheds new light on the philanthropic character of the famous scholar and traveler.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Drawing upon recent Hungarian scholarship this article examines the different identities of Arminius Vámbéry (1832-1913) as seen in his life and writings. Originating from an obscure Hungarian-Jewish family, as an explorer and Orientalist... more
Drawing upon recent Hungarian scholarship this article examines the different identities of Arminius Vámbéry (1832-1913) as seen in his life and writings. Originating from an obscure Hungarian-Jewish family, as an explorer and Orientalist Vámbéry led an adventurous and celebrated life. Completely self-taught in oriental languages, he was a close ally of British and Ottoman political circles as well as an expert on the Muslim world. From Vámbéry’s life a four-part identity structure emerges: 1) Jewish roots. Officially neglected, these hold undeniable importance especially for understanding his family life. 2) Hungarian cultural background. This strongly impacted on the young Vámbéry and went on to influence his later theories on language as well as foreign policy positions, especially with respect to a lifelong hatred of Tsarist Russia. 3) Muslim identity. Educated in an Ottoman madrasa Vámbéry’s cultural attachment to the Ottoman form of Islam made him an early pro-Ottoman partisan in the West as well as a unique personage who was in contact with movements across the Islamic world. 4) British identity. An advocate of Enlightenment ideas, as a self-proclaimed follower of British values he was popular in England, becoming a sought-after consultant on difficult foreign issues concerning the British Empire, as well as a confidant to high-level politicians and friend to members of the British royal family.
Keywords: Vámbéry, Hungary, Central Asia, identity, Jewry, Islamic world, British Empire
Keywords: Vámbéry, Hungary, Central Asia, identity, Jewry, Islamic world, British Empire
The seventy fifth qasīda of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt: the anatomy of an assassination carried out by Nizārīs The article aims at throwing light on a hitherto unnoticed and mainly neglected source, the qasīda No. 75. of the Dīwān-i... more
The seventy fifth qasīda of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt:
the anatomy of an assassination carried out by Nizārīs
The article aims at throwing light on a hitherto unnoticed and mainly neglected
source, the qasīda No. 75. of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt.
Due to the scarcity of our written sources about the period of Nūr al-Dīn
Muḥammad our knowledge is very limited about the late twelfth-century Nizārī history. However, mention must be made of a poem, the qasīda No. 75 of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt penned probably by Ḥasan Maḥmūd Kātib. In this Qasīda of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt interesting details are revealed
written in praise of three Khurāsāni fidā’īs who successfully murdered an Īldiguzid ruler. The poem has a really unique character and is proved to be a clue both for the Nizārī self-interpretation of fidā’īs and for the better understanding
of a significant political event – the death of Qızıl Arslān in 1191.
Qızıl Arslān had been the ruler of the north-western parts of the Īldiguzid State before 1186, and as a governor of Ardabil his influence could reach as deep as Gīlān where he caused damages to the Nizārīs. In their height, the Īldiguzids perhaps had intentions to invade Gīlān as well as to control the area north of
Qazwin heavily populated by Nizārī Ismā'ilī fortresses. It appears that this growing influence of the Īldiguzids in Northern Iran was carefully detected by the Nizārīs.
Qızıl Arslān was killed soon after he officially embraced the title of sulṭān
and imprisoned Ṭughrıl III, the last Saljūq ruler of Western Iran. Furthermore, it is stated in our sources that Qızıl Arslān allied with the Khwārizmians. The qasīda No. 75 of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt thus can be perceived as a unique
source for the study of the otherwise lesser known Nizārī attitude towards the Khwārizmians before 1205. The consequence of the murdering of Qızıl Arslān was the swift disintegration of the Īldiguzids.
the anatomy of an assassination carried out by Nizārīs
The article aims at throwing light on a hitherto unnoticed and mainly neglected
source, the qasīda No. 75. of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt.
Due to the scarcity of our written sources about the period of Nūr al-Dīn
Muḥammad our knowledge is very limited about the late twelfth-century Nizārī history. However, mention must be made of a poem, the qasīda No. 75 of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt penned probably by Ḥasan Maḥmūd Kātib. In this Qasīda of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt interesting details are revealed
written in praise of three Khurāsāni fidā’īs who successfully murdered an Īldiguzid ruler. The poem has a really unique character and is proved to be a clue both for the Nizārī self-interpretation of fidā’īs and for the better understanding
of a significant political event – the death of Qızıl Arslān in 1191.
Qızıl Arslān had been the ruler of the north-western parts of the Īldiguzid State before 1186, and as a governor of Ardabil his influence could reach as deep as Gīlān where he caused damages to the Nizārīs. In their height, the Īldiguzids perhaps had intentions to invade Gīlān as well as to control the area north of
Qazwin heavily populated by Nizārī Ismā'ilī fortresses. It appears that this growing influence of the Īldiguzids in Northern Iran was carefully detected by the Nizārīs.
Qızıl Arslān was killed soon after he officially embraced the title of sulṭān
and imprisoned Ṭughrıl III, the last Saljūq ruler of Western Iran. Furthermore, it is stated in our sources that Qızıl Arslān allied with the Khwārizmians. The qasīda No. 75 of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt thus can be perceived as a unique
source for the study of the otherwise lesser known Nizārī attitude towards the Khwārizmians before 1205. The consequence of the murdering of Qızıl Arslān was the swift disintegration of the Īldiguzids.
Research Interests:
László Gaál as Iranist Please note that the following abstract was written and sumbitted by the author of the article. Due to unknown reasons, however, the editor of the volume replaced my English abstract with her version in the printed... more
László Gaál as Iranist
Please note that the following abstract was written and sumbitted by the author of the article. Due to unknown reasons, however, the editor of the volume replaced my English abstract with her version in the printed volume, of which style and grammar have several problems and does not necessarily reflect my original intentions. Thank you for understanding, Miklos Sarkozy
László Gaál (1891-1964) was an outstanding scholar, classical philologist, iranist, teaching first in Hungarian grammar schools then at the Eötvös Lóránd State University of Budapest and the University of Debrecen. Besides his researches and publications in the field of classical philology he was a well-known expert of Iranian studies in Hungary. Though his interest in Iranian studies started later and developed gradually, but the works of László Gaál represent the most important contributions to various subjects related to Iranian studies in the first half of 20th century Hungary. Gaál after graduating from the university Kolozsvár (present-day Cluj Napoca, Romania) studied Iranian philology with Andreas the famous expert of Iranian philology in Göttingen between 1923 and 1925.
Gaál's publications can be classified mainly as philological and linguistical essays. His primary interest lied especially in linguistics, it appears that old Iranian and Eastern Iranian languages were in the main focus of his interest. His articles about the phonemic system of Avestan as well as Ossetic are important contributions and assess mainly phonological aspects of these languages. Apart from linguistics, Gaál was an accomplished translator of the Shahnama of Firdawsi. Gaál published the first Hungarian translations of Avestan hymns as well.
Please note that the following abstract was written and sumbitted by the author of the article. Due to unknown reasons, however, the editor of the volume replaced my English abstract with her version in the printed volume, of which style and grammar have several problems and does not necessarily reflect my original intentions. Thank you for understanding, Miklos Sarkozy
László Gaál (1891-1964) was an outstanding scholar, classical philologist, iranist, teaching first in Hungarian grammar schools then at the Eötvös Lóránd State University of Budapest and the University of Debrecen. Besides his researches and publications in the field of classical philology he was a well-known expert of Iranian studies in Hungary. Though his interest in Iranian studies started later and developed gradually, but the works of László Gaál represent the most important contributions to various subjects related to Iranian studies in the first half of 20th century Hungary. Gaál after graduating from the university Kolozsvár (present-day Cluj Napoca, Romania) studied Iranian philology with Andreas the famous expert of Iranian philology in Göttingen between 1923 and 1925.
Gaál's publications can be classified mainly as philological and linguistical essays. His primary interest lied especially in linguistics, it appears that old Iranian and Eastern Iranian languages were in the main focus of his interest. His articles about the phonemic system of Avestan as well as Ossetic are important contributions and assess mainly phonological aspects of these languages. Apart from linguistics, Gaál was an accomplished translator of the Shahnama of Firdawsi. Gaál published the first Hungarian translations of Avestan hymns as well.
Undoubtedly the most important event of Ismācīlī dācī Hasan II’s brief reign (1162-1166) was the declaration of the Qiyāma (Resurrection) in 1164. In light of contemporary historical events, the paper reassesses the possible reasons for... more
Undoubtedly the most important event of Ismācīlī dācī Hasan II’s brief reign (1162-1166) was the declaration of the Qiyāma (Resurrection) in 1164. In light of contemporary historical events, the paper reassesses the possible reasons for the declaration of Qiyāma and interprets it both as the beginning of a new spiritual era for the Nizārī community and as a brave attempt to overcome political problems in a period which witnessed major changes in the Middle East. The author discusses three chief motifs for this momentous event. Firstly, by announcing the Qiyāma and the Imamate of Nizār b. al-Mustansir, Hasan II may have aspired for the leadership of the entire Ismācīlī community, including the Ismācīlī followers of the declining Fatimid Caliphate and the Eastern Saljuq Kingdom of Sanjar. Secondly, Hasan II may have done it to strengthen his stance toward his non-Nizārī rivals in the Caspian provinces, such as the Bāwandids, whose power had reached its zenith in this very period. Finally, by declaring the Qiyāma, Hasan II may have intended to gain stronger control over his opponents and enemies within the Ismācīlī community itself.
The article aims at throwing light on a hitherto unnoticed and mainly neglected source, the qasīda No. 75. of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt. Due to the scarcity of our written sources about the period of Nūr al-Dīn Muḥammad our knowledge is very... more
The article aims at throwing light on a hitherto unnoticed and mainly neglected source, the qasīda No. 75. of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt.
Due to the scarcity of our written sources about the period of Nūr al-Dīn Muḥammad our knowledge is very limited about the late twelfth-century Nizārī history. However, mention must be made of a poem, the qasīda No. 75 of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt penned probably by Ḥasan Maḥmūd Kātib.
In this qasīda of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt interesting details are revealed written in praise of three Khurāsāni fidā’īs who successfully murdered an Īldiguzid ruler. The poem has a really unique character and is proved to be a clue both for the Nizārī self-interpretation of fidā’īs and for the better understanding of a significant political event – the death of Qızıl Arslān in 1191.
Qızıl Arslān had been the ruler of the north-western parts of the Īldiguzid State before 1186, and as a governor of Ardabil his influence could reach as deep as Gīlān where he caused damages to the Nizārīs. In their height, the Īldiguzids perhaps had intentions to invade Gīlān as well as to control the area north of Qazwin heavily populated by Nizārī Ismācilī fortresses. It appears that this growing influence of the Īldiguzids in Northern Iran was carefully detected by the Nizārīs.
Qızıl Arslān was killed soon after he officially embraced the title of sulṭān and imprisoned Ṭughril III, the last Saljūq ruler of Western Iran. Furthermore, it is stated in our sources that Qızıl Arslān allied with the Khwārizmians. The qasīda No. 75 of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt thus can be perceived as a unique source for the study of the otherwise lesser known Nizārī attitude towards the Khwārizmians before 1205.
The consequence of the murdering of Qızıl Arslān was the swift disintegration of the Īldigüzids.
Due to the scarcity of our written sources about the period of Nūr al-Dīn Muḥammad our knowledge is very limited about the late twelfth-century Nizārī history. However, mention must be made of a poem, the qasīda No. 75 of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt penned probably by Ḥasan Maḥmūd Kātib.
In this qasīda of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt interesting details are revealed written in praise of three Khurāsāni fidā’īs who successfully murdered an Īldiguzid ruler. The poem has a really unique character and is proved to be a clue both for the Nizārī self-interpretation of fidā’īs and for the better understanding of a significant political event – the death of Qızıl Arslān in 1191.
Qızıl Arslān had been the ruler of the north-western parts of the Īldiguzid State before 1186, and as a governor of Ardabil his influence could reach as deep as Gīlān where he caused damages to the Nizārīs. In their height, the Īldiguzids perhaps had intentions to invade Gīlān as well as to control the area north of Qazwin heavily populated by Nizārī Ismācilī fortresses. It appears that this growing influence of the Īldiguzids in Northern Iran was carefully detected by the Nizārīs.
Qızıl Arslān was killed soon after he officially embraced the title of sulṭān and imprisoned Ṭughril III, the last Saljūq ruler of Western Iran. Furthermore, it is stated in our sources that Qızıl Arslān allied with the Khwārizmians. The qasīda No. 75 of the Dīwān-i Qā’imiyyāt thus can be perceived as a unique source for the study of the otherwise lesser known Nizārī attitude towards the Khwārizmians before 1205.
The consequence of the murdering of Qızıl Arslān was the swift disintegration of the Īldigüzids.
A khurramiyya vallási mozgalma a koraiszlámkori Irán és Közép-Ázsia történetéhez kapcsolódik. E nagyobbrészt vallási és kisebbrészt politikai mozgalom megszületése és feltűnése szorosan kötődik a Szászánida Perzsia államiságának... more
A khurramiyya vallási mozgalma a koraiszlámkori Irán és Közép-Ázsia történetéhez kapcsolódik. E nagyobbrészt vallási és kisebbrészt politikai mozgalom megszületése és feltűnése szorosan kötődik a Szászánida Perzsia államiságának megszűnéséhez, mely a zoroasztriánus állami orthodoxia kizárolagosságának és tekintélyének megrendülését jelentette. A khurramiya mostani ismereteink szerint a 8- 13. század között állt fent és mivel sosem volt kanonizált vallási mozgalom, emiatt régiónként és korszakonként változó jegyeket viselt magán.
A khurramiya sok tekintetben egy nem orthodox zoroasztriánus népi mozgalomként indult, mely talán kapcsolatban állt a mazdakizmus hasonló karakterű későantik vallási irányzatával. A zoroasztriánus orthodoxiával való szembenállása egyben szinkretisztikus dogma-rendszerét is magyarázhatja. Mint zoroasztriánus eredetű népi kultusz, a khurramiyya igen korán kapcsolatba került a nem orthodox iszlám különböző síita és szúfi csoportjaival is.
A khurramiyya nem-hivatalos, 'népies' karaktere és messianisztikus jellege a 8. század után ismegmaradt, de rendszerében idővel a síita elemek túlsúlyra tettek szert a zoroasztriánus tanításokkal szemben.
A khurramiyya társadalmilag többnyire a vidéki Irán (Észak-Nyugat Irán, Kaszpi-vidék, részben Közép-Ázsia) elterjedt mozgalma volt a 8-10. században és számos esetben helyi politikai-vallási vezetők, 'próféták' ideológiai hátterét is képezhette (Babak-i Khurrami, Sunbad, Mazyar). Forrásaink azonban gyakorta khurramiyya-szimpátiával vádolnak meg mindenfajta, a központi szunnita iszlámmal szembenálló helyi lázadót is.
Összefoglalva, a khurramiya, a preiszlám Iránból muszlim többségűvé váló Irán átmeneti vallási mozgalmainak egyik legeredetibb és legfontosabb ága volt.
A khurramiya sok tekintetben egy nem orthodox zoroasztriánus népi mozgalomként indult, mely talán kapcsolatban állt a mazdakizmus hasonló karakterű későantik vallási irányzatával. A zoroasztriánus orthodoxiával való szembenállása egyben szinkretisztikus dogma-rendszerét is magyarázhatja. Mint zoroasztriánus eredetű népi kultusz, a khurramiyya igen korán kapcsolatba került a nem orthodox iszlám különböző síita és szúfi csoportjaival is.
A khurramiyya nem-hivatalos, 'népies' karaktere és messianisztikus jellege a 8. század után ismegmaradt, de rendszerében idővel a síita elemek túlsúlyra tettek szert a zoroasztriánus tanításokkal szemben.
A khurramiyya társadalmilag többnyire a vidéki Irán (Észak-Nyugat Irán, Kaszpi-vidék, részben Közép-Ázsia) elterjedt mozgalma volt a 8-10. században és számos esetben helyi politikai-vallási vezetők, 'próféták' ideológiai hátterét is képezhette (Babak-i Khurrami, Sunbad, Mazyar). Forrásaink azonban gyakorta khurramiyya-szimpátiával vádolnak meg mindenfajta, a központi szunnita iszlámmal szembenálló helyi lázadót is.
Összefoglalva, a khurramiya, a preiszlám Iránból muszlim többségűvé váló Irán átmeneti vallási mozgalmainak egyik legeredetibb és legfontosabb ága volt.
Letters from London - the Relationship of Arminius Vámbéry and British Conservative Politicians (Churchill, Curzon, Balfour) on the basis of the New Family Archive.
The Anthologia Ismailitica Nizarica contains the Hungarian translations of the most important Arabic and Persian sources related to the history and the doctrine of the Nizari Ismailis, written by authors within and outside of the... more
The Anthologia Ismailitica Nizarica contains the Hungarian translations of the most important Arabic and Persian sources related to the history and the doctrine of the Nizari Ismailis, written by authors within and outside of the community.
Research Interests:
Összeállította, arabból és perzsából fordította Hajnal István és Sárközy Miklós (A Hungarian chrestomathy of Nizari Ismaili sources edited and translated from Arabic and Persian by István Hajnal and Miklós Sárközy)