Niẓām al-Mulk’s Siyar al-Mulūk: The Reasons for Its Inaccuracies and Fabrications

Siyar al-Mulūk or Sīyāsat-Nāma is a masterpiece of Persian literature and an unparalleled work in the history of Iranian political thought. However, it contains inaccurate and contradictory remarks that not only have challenged his writer’s character and knowledge but also cast doubt on its ascription to Niẓām al-Mulk Ṭūsī. These two issues have resulted in numerous speculations and scholarship. The present study first criticizes and summarizes the results of these studies, and then through presenting the work’s inaccuracies and contradictions, offers new evidence regarding the fabrications in some parts of Siyar al-Mulūk. Finally, based on the above findings, this study reveals that most of Siyar al-Mulūk’s fabrications are basically contradictory and inaccurate parts, and the forger has certainly been one of the descendants of Niẓām al-Mulk or their associates.