Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

Or 12208 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

Oriental Manuscripts

Khamsah ( خمسه ) of Niẓāmī Ganjavī, 1140 or 41-1202 or 3, نظامى گنجوى

Contents

5 works by 2 authors on the subjects of Persian poetry and Masnavis

1. f 1v-31r
Language(s): Persian

f. 13v Anūshīrvān and the owls (Manohar).

f. 15v Sulṭān Sanjar and the old woman (La'l).

f. 19r Farīdūn and the gazelle (Mukund).

f. 23v The two contending physicians (Miskīneh).

References

For a more detailed description see Meredith-Owens 1968, page 75.
For a more detailed description see Titley 1977, page 142-3.
2. f 32v-109v
Language(s): Persian

f. 40v Khusraw enthroned when as a young man he became drunk and allowed his horse to wander off and damage crops and vines (Dharmdās).

f. 45v Shāpūr kneeling before Shīrīn (Mādhū).

f. 52v Shāpūr returning to Khusraw to tell him of his visit to Shīrīn (Dharmdās).

f. 54r Bārbad the minstrel paying homage to Khusraw as he bestows gifts on him (Narsingh).

f. 63v Khusraw and Shīrīn meeting on the hunting grounds (Nānhā).

f. 65r Khusraw and Shīrīn entertained by Mahīn Bānū in Armenia (painted by Farrukh Chela and drawing by Dhanrāj).

f. 72r Khusraw's war-elephant seizing Bahrām Chūbin in its trunk during their battle (Manohar).

f. 82r Khusraw hunting ('Abd al-Ṣamad).

f. 99v Shīrūy and Buzurjumīd before Khusraw (Mādhū Chela).

f. 102r Shīrīn commiting suicide on Khusraw's tomb (Dharmdās).

References

For a more detailed description see Meredith-Owens 1968, page 75.
For a more detailed description see Titley 1977, page 142-3.
3. f 110v-168r
Language(s): Persian

f. 117r Niẓāmī  entrusting his young son called Muḥammad to take care of Minūchihr, prince of Shirvan, at whose request he wrote the poem of Laylá va Majnūn (Khem Karanartist).

f. 123r Lailā and Majnūn fainting (Farrukh Chela).

f. 132r Majnūn mourning his father's death (Manohar).

f. 150v Majnūn visited in the desert by his mother and Salīm (Sānwlah).

f. 153v Salīm telling Majnūn of his mother's death (Nand Gwāliori).

f. 159r Battle of the tribes watched by Majnūn who is holding a rock (Nānhā).

f. 165v The death of Majnūn on Lailā's grave (Sūr Gujarātī).

References

For a more detailed description see Meredith-Owens 1968, page 75.
For a more detailed description see Titley 1977, page 142-3.
4. f 169v-230v
Language(s): Persian

f. 169r (border). Tinted drawing of a man holding a book.

f. 184v Bahrām Gūr putting the crown on his head having killed the two lions to gain it (Mukund).

f. 195r The man carried away by the sīmurgh (Dharmdās). (Story told by the Indian Princess).

f. 206r The princess who painted a self-portrait (Jagannāth). (Story told by the Russian Princess).

f. 220r The owner of the garden discovering maidens bathing in the pool (Sānwlah). (Story told by the Greek Princess).

References

For a more detailed description see Meredith-Owens 1968, page 75.
For a more detailed description see Titley 1977, page 142-3.
5. f 231v-325v

This work is divided in two parts

Language(s): Persian

f. 244v Iskandar with Nūshābeh (Bhūreh).

f. 254r Iskandar received by the Ḳaid of Hind (Dharmdās).

f. 262v Mānī painting a dead dog on top of the reservoir to prevent women from breaking their jars on the marble top which looked like water (Sūr Gujarātī).

f. 266v Iskandar trying to persuade the women of Ḳipchāḳ to veil their faces by setting up a carving of a veiled bride (Mukund).

f. 273r The Russian champion holding the trunk of Iskandar's elephant which he tore off in their battle (Farrukh Chela).

f. 281r Khiẓr washing the grey horse, given to him by Iskandar, in the Water of Life (Kanak Singh Chela).

f. 294r Miryam, the Christian maiden versed in the art of alchemy consulted by other alchemists (Sānwlah).

f. 298r Plato charming the wild animals by his music (Mādhū).

f. 305r Iskandar and the seven sages (Nānhā).

f. 312v Iskandar journeying through the desert (Bhem Gujarātī).

ff. 317v-318r A priestess beseeching Iskandar to spare an idol from destruction (317v by La'l and 318r by Mukund).

f. 325v The scribe of the manuscript, 'Abd al-Raḥīm and the artist, Daulat, together (inscription on book). Another inscription with a dedication to Jahāngīr is on the carpet.

References

For a more detailed description see Meredith-Owens 1968, page 75.
For a more detailed description see Titley 1977, page 142-3.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: 325 ff
Dimensions (leaf): 31.8 × 19.6 cm.

Decoration

39 miniatures

5 illuminations

Front cover Game brought to Akbar after hunting.

End cover Akbar and one of the princes hunting.

Binding

Lacquered binding

History

Origin: Herat; 1004 AH

Record Sources

Manuscript description based on G. M. Meredith-Owens: Handlist of Persian manuscripts 1895-1966. London, 1968, with additional enhancements.

Availability

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.

Digital Images

BL Digitised Manuscripts (full digital facsimile)

Funding of Cataloguing

BL


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