The Life and Historiography Methods of Khandmir

Timurid period witnessed cultural development and attention to historians and chroniclers despite the political weaknesses. Sultan Hussein Bayqara’s period was an appropriate time for the development of historiography. One of the historians of this period is Ghias al-Din Khandmir Heravi, who witnessed the dominance and collapse of Timurids and the beginning of Shibanian and Safavid dynasties. He influenced the establishment of descriptive and religious historiography of Safavid era. The political support of rulers and the advocates of Khandmir in the Timurid and Safavid eras led to the change and evolution of his historiography. He mostly pays attention to the political issues, and mainly discusses those ones that are not in other resources. Cultural issues are discussed in the periphery of the political issues, such that he keeps silent regarding describing events and ignores the opponents of rulers and his advocates. This study used a descriptive-analytical method and new resources and contributions. Criticizing the works of Khandmir, this study tried to understand his status in the historiography of the ninth and tenth centuries. It also tried to see how his political activities and the political and cultural conditions of his time affected the development of his historiography.