Asad Big “Asad” Qazvīnī d. 1041/1631-2

Memoirist

Asad Big “Asad” Qazvīnī served Šayḫ Abū al-Fażl “ʿAllāmī” ibn Mubārak (a leading figure in Mughal Emperor Akbar’s court, see author 7) for seventeen years. Following Abū al-Fażl’s death, Asad Big went on to serve Akbar and his son Jahāngīr. Asad Big is mostly known for his contemporary history entitled Ḥālāt-i Asad Big, also known as Aḥwāl i Asad Big or Vaqāʾiʿ i Asad Big.

Ḥālāt-i Asad Big is the author’s memoirs of the last four years of Akbar’s reign, including the murder of Abū al-Fażl and the accession of Jahāngīr (see author 110), events that Asad Big was most likely close at hand to observe. The work covers the period 1011/1602 to 1014/1605. Asad Big’s date of death is not known with certainty, however, both 1030/1620-1 and 1041/1631-2 have been offered as likely possibilities.

Works

Ḥālāt-i Asad Big     The Times of Asad Big