Persian MS 833 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Persian Manuscripts

Summary of Contents: A history of the Mughal rulers of Delhi from Humayun (b. 1508, r. 1530–1540, 1555–1556) to ‘Ālamgīr I (b. 1618, r. 1658–1707) and Muḥammad Shāh (b. 1702, r. 1719–1748).

Author: Anonymous

Title: Humāyūnʹnāmah

Title: همایون نامه

Language(s): Persian

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Textblock of straight-grained, medium-weight, straw-coloured paper probably handmade in the Indian subcontinent with 7 laid lines per cm and no discernible chain lines, subsequently remargined with a comparatively thin, rough, and flocked stock with ~9 laid lines per cm and no discernible chain lines, also probably handmade in the Indian subcontinent.

Extent: 409 folios, 2 flyleaves (ff. iii + 409 + v).

Dimensions (leaf): 257 × 159 mm.

Dimensions (written): 183 × 92 mm.

Foliation: Arabic numerals commence with 1Aa to 3a then thereafter every 10 folios, hence off by one.

Collation

Undetermined, due to current condition. Catchwords throughout most of the lower-left corners of the b sides.

Condition

In fair condition, with moderate water and insect damage and historical repairs throughout.

Layout

Written in 1 column with 15 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.

Hand(s)

Written in clear black nasta‘līq with subheaders in red.

Decoration

Headpiece: Folio 1b bears a birghtly-coloured scalloped domed headpiece with floriate scrollwork on an ultramarine ground and an uninscribed central cartouche.

Ruling: Margins ruled with single black lines outlined with two comparatively thin red lines throughout.

Additions:
Bookplates: The left pastedown: ‘Bibliotheca Lindesiana’ with pencilled shelfmark ‘2/E’, and an earlier Lindesiana label ‘Persian MS Nº 39’, with number crossed out and ‘833’ written aside.

Binding

Rebound as an adehsive binding in late 19th century, probably for former owner Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford. Machine-made wove endpapers added at front and back, edges and spine trimmed, adhesive bound with green cloth stuck-on endbands applied to head and tail and a cloth lining. Covered in half maroon pebble-grained morocco goatskin leather, and 'Spanish' wave patterned marbled paper sides.

Spine titled ‘HUMÀYÙN
NÀMAH.
–
PERSIAN MS.’

267 × 176 × 81 mm.

Hand binding with caution. Volume completely disbound. Boxed.

History

Origin: 1170 AH (1756 CE)

Provenance and Acquisition

Acquired by Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) from an unidentified source.

Purchased by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1901 from James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847–1913).

Bequeathed by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1908 to the John Rylands Library.

Record Sources

Bibliographical description based on an index created by Reza Navabpour circa 1993, derived from a manuscript catalogue by Michael Kerney, circa 1890s, concisely published as Bibliotheca Lindesiana, Hand-list of Oriental Manuscripts: Arabic, Persian, Turkish, 1898.

Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2022 with reference to the volume in hand.

Availability

To book an in-person or online appointment to consult the manuscript, visit Using the Special Collections Reading Rooms. For any other enquiries please email uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk.

Funding of Cataloguing

Iran Heritage Foundation

The John Rylands Research Institute

Subjects

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