RSPA 7 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)
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India Office Library
Jones Collection
Royal Society Arabic and Persian
Contents
Ẓafarnāmah with an Introduction and excerpts from the Tuzūkāt-i Tīmūrī
Language(s): Persian
1.Title: Muqaddimah-'i ẒafarnāmahTitle: مقدمه ظفرنامهOn f1v, Jones has noted that this book was "the gift of the Hon. Justice Hyde 25th June 1792".
Incipit: افتتاح تاریخ جهانداری وابتداء تامهExplicit: مقدمه بیان آن بود بوضوح پیوست هنگام آن آمد که اصل تاریخ حضرت صاحبفرانی شروع کرده شود ومن الله التوفیقThere is a blue and gold headpiece on f1v inside of which Jones has written his name.
2.Author: Sharaf al-Dīn ʿAlī YazdīTitle: ẒafarnāmahIncipit: حمدا کثرا مبارکا لمن یوتی الملك من یشاءExplicit: تمت الكتاب بعون الملك الوهابLike on f1v, f106v has an illuminated blue and gold headpiece with a floral pattern. The opening folio (f106v-f107r) is also illuminated with a gilded floral pattern and the text is surrounded by gilded illumination.
On f106r, there is a sales note specifying an owner as ʿInāyat Allāh ibn Muḥibb ʿAlī in the year 1077AH (1666-1667AD) in the town of Tateh (Thatta) in Sindh. On f671v, Jones has written "W. Jones. The gift of Mr. Justice Hyde 1792 Calcutta".
3.Author: Abū Tālib TurbatīTitle: Tuzūkāt-i TīmūrīIncipit: حضرت صاحبقران در واقعات خود نوشته اند. چون بعنایت آلهی بر تخت سلطنت وجهانداری متمکن شدمExplicit: تنگری تعالی را شکر کفتم وبمحمد وآل اطهارش النجا بیشتر و بیشتر آوردمThis section is only an excerpt from the longer text of the Tuzūkāt-i Tīmūrī, which itself builds off of the Ẓafarnāmah. These folios are a different paper and style from the rest of the manuscript.
Physical Description
Form: codexSupport: Majority of the manuscript is a very thin brown woven paper. The final folios on which the Tuzūkāt-i Tīmūrī is written are a smooth, thick brown woven paper, which has curled substantially along the edge.Extent: ff.Dimensions (leaf): 255 × 200 mm.Dimensions (written): 185 × 100 mm.Foliation:European numerals in pencil.
Condition
Good condition. Worm damage has been repaired. Supports and guards. The folios on which the Tuzūkāt-i Tīmūrī are written have suffered some discolouration and have curled up and around each other on the edge.
Layout
The Muqadimmah and the Ẓafarnāmah are written in a layout of 19 lines in one column on each side. The Tuzūkāt-i Tīmūrī is written transversely across the page (from the top right hand corner to the bottom left hand corner).
Hand(s)
The Muqadimmah and the Ẓafarnāmah are written in a very fine naskh. The Tuzūkāt-i Tīmūrī is written in shikastah.
Decoration
Additions:On f0v, Jones has written "The Ẓafar Nāma: a most elegant history of Taimur" referring to Tīmūr (d.1405AD) who is the subject of the work.
Binding
Standard India Office half leather binding with marbled endpapers.
Accompanying Material
History
Origin: 1600 - 1666 CE ; IndiaProvenance and Acquisition
RSPA 1-118 were presented to the Royal Society in January 1792 by Sir William and Lady Jones. According to Wilkins, this manuscript was presented by Lady Jones.
The Royal Society's collection of 280 Persian and Arabic, and 86 Sanskrit manuscripts were transferred to the India Office Library in 1876.
1876
India Office Library
Record Sources
Manuscript description based on E. Denison Ross and E. G. Browne, Catalogue of two collections of Persian and Arabic manuscripts preserved in the India Office Library (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1902), p. 5-6 no. VIIAvailability
Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card for admissions procedures contact British Library, Registering for a Reader Pass. Contact apac-enquiries@bl.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript. For information on catalogues and ordering manuscripts see Finding and ordering Persian manuscripts in the British Library.
Funding of Cataloguing
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