The Role of Amir Alishir Navai in the Burgeoning of Calligraphy in Timurid Era (906-876 lunar year)

Timurid court was the center of flourishing of such arts as painting, architecture, illumination, book designing and music. Calligraphy and penmanship had special importance among the arts prevalent in this era. For this reason, numerous books and inscriptions have remained from this era as a result of skillful calligraphers’ activity in different styles. Amir Alishir Navai, an aesthete vizier of Sultan Husayn Bayqara’s time, was one of the special patrons of calligraphers and scribes and during his term of office, not only various books were written and illuminated, but also many buildings and constructions were decorated with inscriptions and Herat School turned into the golden age of calligraphy. The main question is that how Amir Alishir Navai’s personality and insight had been effective in the burgeoning and emergence of the field of calligraphy. The answer to this question is to be found in his interest in the registering and recording of conferences and events, in making various inscriptions on charities and mosques to show their power and propagate their religion, in writing new books and also in his interest in creating works of art for gaining grandeur and power. Thus, in the present research in addition to the analysis of the position and place of calligraphers in Amir’s court and the introduction of some of his most important contemporary calligraphers, the role of Amir’s court in the burgeoning of this art is described. The method of present research is descriptive-analytical based on library resources.