But if Rashídu'd-Dín failed to secure the immortality of all his works, he set a fruitful example to other historians,
Ḥamdu'lláh Mustawfí of Qazwín so that it is largely due to him that this period is so conspicuous for merit in this field of knowledge. We have seen how he helped Waṣṣáf and brought him to the Íl-khán's notice. We shall now consider the work of his most illustrious follower, Ḥamdu'lláh Mustawfí of Qazwín. Of his life little is known save what he tells us incidentally in his works. He professed to be of Arab origin, tracing his pedigree to Ḥurr b. Yazíd ar- The Ta'ríkh-i-Guzída was composed in 730/1330, and is
Ta'ríkhi-Guzída
dedicated to Rashídu'd-Dín's son Ghiyáthu'd-
After the enumeration of his sources, most of which, as will appear from the foot-notes, are directly accessible to Different eras used in computing time us, the author describes the different eras used by different peoples, some of whom date from Adam, others from the Deluge, others from Abraham or Moses, others from the destruction of Pharaoh, others from the building of the Ka'ba or the Abyssinian invasion of Yaman, while the Greeks date from Alexander, the Copts from Nebuchadnezzar, and the pre-Islamic Quraysh from the year of the Elephant. He then discusses the confusion in chronology arising from these differences as to the terminus a quo, which is increased by the fact that the philosophers deny that the world had a beginning, while the theologians assert that it had a beginning and will have an end, but decline to define or specify either. The learned men of India, China and Europe assert that Adam lived about a million years ago, and that there were several Adams, each of whom, with his descendants, spoke a special language, but that the posterity of all save one (viz. the Adam of the Hebrews) died out. Most of the Muslim doctors of Persia, on the other hand, reckon the period between Adam and Muḥammad as six thousand years, though some say more and some less. Astronomers reckon from the Deluge, since which, at the time of writing (viz. in the year 698 of the Era of Yazdigird, i.e. about A.D. 1330) 4432 years are considered to have elapsed.
The Ta'ríkh-i-Guzída comprises an Introduction (Fátiḥa),
Contents of the Ta'ríkhi-Guzída six chapters (Báb), each of which is divided into numerous sections (Faṣl), and a conclusion (Khátima), as follows:Introduction. On the Creation of the Universe and of Man. Chapter I, in two sections. (1) Major Prophets, and (2) Minor Prophets, and Sages, who, not being Prophets, yet worked for the cause of true religion.
Chapter II. The Pre-Islamic Kings of Persia, in four sections, viz.:
(1) Píshdádiyán, eleven Kings, who ruled 2450 years.
(2) Kayániyán, ten Kings, who ruled 734 years.
(3) Mulúku'ṭ - Ṭawá'if (Parthians), twenty - two
Kings, who ruled 318 years. *
(4) Sásániyán, thirty-one Kings, who reigned 527
years.*
Chapter III. The Prophet Muḥammad and his Companions and Descendants, in an introduction and six sections, viz.:
Introduction, on the pedigree, genealogy and kin of
the Prophet.
(1) Life of the Prophet, his wars, his wives, secre-
taries, relations and descendants.
(2) The Orthodox Caliphs, who are reckoned as
five, al-Ḥasan being included. Duration, from
10 Rabí' 1, A.H. 11 to 13 Rabí' 1, A.H. 41 (June 6,
632-July 17, 661), when al-Ḥasan resigned the
supreme power to Mu'áwiya the Umayyad.(3) The remainder of the twelve Imáms, excluding
'Alí and his son al-Ḥasan, who was poisoned in
49/669-70. Duration, 215 years and 7 months,
from 4 Ṣafar, A.H. 49 to Ramaḍán, A.H. 264
(March 14, 669-May, 878).
(4) Notices of some of the chief “Companions” (Aṣ-
ḥáb) and “Followers” (Tábi'ún) of the Prophet.
(5) The Umayyad “Kings” (not regarded by the
author as Caliphs), fourteen in number. Dura-
tion, 91 years, from 13 Rabí' 1, A.H. 41 to 13 Rabí' 1,
A.H. 132 (July 17, 661-Oct. 30, 749).
(6) The 'Abbasid Caliphs, thirty-seven in number.
Duration, 523 years, 2 months and 23 days, from
13 Rabí' 1, A.H. 132 to 6 Ṣafar, A.H. 656 (Oct. 30,
749-Feb. 12, 1258).
Chapter IV. Post-Islamic Kings of Persia, in twelve sections, viz.:
(1) Ṣaffárids, three Kings, who reigned 35 years,
from 253/867 to 287/900, after which date their
posterity continued for some time to rule over
Sístán.
(2) Sámánids, nine Kings, who reigned 102 years
and 6 months, from Rabí' 11, A.H. 287 to Dhu'l-
Qa'da, A.H. 389 (April, 900 to Oct.-Nov. 999).
(3) Ghaznawís, fourteen Kings, who reigned 155 years
(30 years over most of Persia, and the remaining
years in Ghazna), from 390/1000 to 545/1150-1.
(4) Ghúrís, five Kings, who reigned for 64 years, from
545/1150-1 to 609/1212-13.
(5) Daylamís (or House of Buwayh), seventeen
Kings, who reigned for 127 years, from 321/933
to 448/1056-7.
(6) Seljúqs, in three groups, viz.: