The Study of Salimkhan Nameh’s Manuscript and Its Historical Significance

After the Battle of Manzikert and the establishment of the Seljuk empire, the popularity of Persian language and culture began to increase in Anatolia. The Shahnameh played a key part in the ideological, lingustic and literary influence of the Persian language and culture in Anatolia, even after the establishment of the Ottoman Empire. In their courts, the great Ottoman rulers had a number of experts for reading the Shahnameh, called “Shahnamehchi”. Heavily inspired by the Shahnameh, these readers also composed epic poems. Luqman was such a one. After emigrating from Iran to Anatolia, he became a Shahnamechi of Sultan Salim II, and Sultan Murad III. Luqman also wrote a number of books about the Ottoman Empire both in Turkish and Persian. Salimkhan Nameh is regarded as one of his key works. Written under the reign of Sultan Salim II, Salimkhan Nameh utilizes the literary style of the Shahnameh. Fortunately, a number of manuscripts of this work have survived. Using the British manuscript of Salimkhan Nameh the present study discuses its features and historical significance.