Three Empires and Persian Historiography: The Thought of Muṣliḥ al-dīn Lārī (Culture and Civilization in the Middle East)

Three Empires and Persian Historiography: The Thought of Muṣliḥ al-dīn Lārī uncovers the underexplored historical vision of a sixteenth-century scholar whose work spanned the Safavid, Timurid, and Ottoman worlds.Centering on Lārī’s universal chronicle [Mir’atu’l-Advār wa Mirḳātu’l-Aḫbār], The Mirror of Epochs and the Staircase of Historical Reports, this book explores how a figure in philosophy, theology, and the sciences used history to navigate shifting imperial landscapes. Written in Persian and completed upon Sultan Selīm II's accession to the throne, Lārī’s work offers a nuanced and often critical perspective on the Safavid dynasty, reverent accounts of the Timurid legacy, and a carefully constructed narrative of Ottoman rule. Through detailed textual analysis, the book demonstrates how Lārī positioned himself as both a cultural mediator and a political commentator, using historiography to reflect broader debates about legitimacy, identity, and intellectual authority in the early modern Islamic world.A vital resource for scholars of Islamic historiography, Persianate studies, and Ottoman intellectual history, this book illuminates the enduring power of historical writing as a tool for negotiation, memory, and empire-making. Read more