The names of some Persian authors are as follows: The first is the king of eloquence, Abul-Qâsim Hosan Bin Muhammad Bin A’li Al-Firdausi At-Tûsi; then comes Abul Hasan Ali Bin Shams-ul Islâm al Baihaqy, and Abul Hasan Bin Muham­mad Bin Suleiman, author of the ‘Târikh-i Khosrû’; and Khôjah Abulfazl Baihaqi, compiler of the ‘Tarikh-i Muhammad Bin Sabaktagin,’ in three volumes; and Abbas Bin Mossab Ahmad Bin Siâr, and Abu Esahâq Muhammad Bin Ahmad Bin Yonas Al-Buzzâz, and Muhammad Bin O’qail Alfaqih Al-Balkhi, and Abul Kâsim Ali Bin Mahmûd Alka’bi, to whom the Tarikh (history) of Hirat, of Balkh, and of Nishapur is ascribed; and Abul Hasan Muhammad Bin Abd-ul-Ghâfer Al-Farsi, author of the ‘Syâq-ut-Tarikh’; and Sadr-ud-din Muhammad Bin Hasan Al-Nizami, author of the ‘Târikh Almâther’; and Abu Abdullah Minhaj Bin Modûd Aljorjani, author of the ‘Tabaqat Nassiri’; and Akbar-ud-din E’râqi, and Abul Qâsim Muhammad Bin Ali Alkâshi, author of the ‘Zubdat-ut-Tovârikh’; and Khôjah Abulfazl Abdullah Abu Nasser, and Ahmad Bin Ali Almunkâl, author of the ‘Mahzan-ul-ballâghat’ and of the ‘Fazail-ulmulûk’; and A’la-ud-din Atâ-ulmalik Ajawini, brother of the author of the ‘Shahid’; and Khôjah Shams-ud-din, author of a ‘Divân’ and of the ‘Târikh Jehan Kushai’; and Hamdullah Mastufi Qazvini, author of the ‘Târikh-i Guzideh’ and of the ‘Nazhat-ul-Qulûb’; and Qâzi Nasser-ud-din Beidhavi, author of the ‘Nizam-ut-tovârikh’; and Khôjah Rashid Tabib, author of the ‘Jâmi’; and Hafez Abru, upon all of whom be the mercy and benediction of Allah, as well as upon other historians who flourished at sundry times, and who have been used as sources, authorities and references [in this work].

Although this preface has been protracted to some length, all intelligent persons will admit that it was expedient; and hereby the beginning of the work, divided into seven parts (which is, by the grace and favour of the Almighty, and the aid of the humble-minded and pious Amir—who protects the oppressed, discomfits the oppressors, whose kindness is the balm for the wounds of poor men, and whose wrath is the special antidote against the poison of men who bite like vipers, and are evil wishers —pleasing to those of high and of low station) and selected from trustworthy authorities, is made.