Vaṣṣāf, ʿAbd-Allāh “Šaraf” Šīrāzī, Šihāb al-Dīn/Vaṣṣāf-i Ḥażrat d. 735/1334

Historian

Šihāb al-Dīn ʿAbd-Allāh “Šaraf” Šīrāzī is best known as Vaṣṣāf, short for Vaṣṣāf-i Ḥażrat (the Court Panegyrist). He was employed in the collection of revenue for the Mongol government and enjoyed the patronage of the great vizier Rašīd al-Dīn (see author 184) and his son. Vaṣṣāf is mostly known for his work of history entitled Tajziyaħ al-amṣār va tazjiyat al-aʿṣār, commonly called Tārīḫ-i Vaṣṣāf.

Works

Tārīḫ-i Vaṣṣāf     The History by Vaṣṣāf

Completed in or after 728/1328.

Tārīḫ-i Vaṣṣāf is a lavishly written history of the Mongol presence in Persia from 656/1258 to 723/1323. The work was completed in or after 728/1328 and was intended as a continuation to Juvaynī’s Tārīḫ-i Jahāngušā-yi Juvaynī (see author 118). Since Vaṣṣāf had access to various archives he was able to provide a lot of factual detail, however, he admits to being mainly concerned with literary effect rather than historical events. Nonetheless, when it comes to social and economic matters, “Vassaf must be regarded as an excellent authority,” while inpolitical opinions he follows those of Rashid al-Din, “eulogizing the Mongols but never hesitating to reveal their inhumane and unjust acts”. He died in 735/1334.