Reflection of the Domination of Ghaznavid and Seljuk Rulers in the Poetry of that Period (considering Machiavelli's views)

The secularist theory of power in post-Islamic Iran was more pronounced when the Sunni religion was prevalent putting efficacy and pragmatism at the heart of its political thought. Thus, during the rule of the Turks of Ghazni and Seljuk, who were adherent of Sunni religion, domination found a wider reflection. On the other hand, what Machiavelli, the great political thinker of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries of Italy, considered important was to take practical decisions to prevent the destruction of Italy and Florence.  Therefore, Machiavelli also paid attention to efficacy and pragmatism as two pillars of political affairs. In this paper, political thought in Iran after Islam and its effects on the Persian culture and literature from the fourth to the seventh centuries are considered and then compared with Machiavelli's views on the subject. Consequently, the court poetry of that era could more than anything else, be a reflection of the dominant theory. Some of the aspects of this theory in court poetry include utmost power and intimidation, war policy, and the use of religion as a tool.