Hawzah News Agency- Seyyed Qasem Nazemi, the Cultural Attaché of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Turkey, released the following note on the occasion of the Commemoration Day of Hakim Abolqasem Ferdowsi:
May 15 is recognized in Iran as the Day of Commemorating the Shahnameh and Hakim Abolqasem Ferdowsi—a monumental work that not only holds an unparalleled place in Iranian culture and identity but is also regarded in the history of Iran-Turkey cultural relations as one of the most significant shared heritages of the two nations.
The Shahnameh of Hakim Abolqasem Ferdowsi ranks among the great masterpieces of world literature and stands as one of the most distinguished works of the Persian language and literary tradition. Throughout history, it has consistently drawn the attention of poets, writers, literary figures, and researchers, serving as a wellspring of inspiration for diverse cultures and languages. An examination of literary and historical texts in Iran and beyond reveals that many poets and authors across various eras have fallen under the Shahnameh's influence, producing works inspired by Ferdowsi's epic style.
The Shahnameh is not merely one of the great works of Persian literature; it is also counted among the most important texts of Eastern civilization. For this reason, from the time of its composition to the modern era, it has consistently attracted the interest of various states and nations. Reading the original text of the Shahnameh and memorizing its verses was long regarded as a mark of erudition, while its translation and commentary have always held a special status among elites and cultural figures.
The Shahnameh's Influence in Anatolia
One of the lands where the Shahnameh's impact on culture and literature is most vividly observed is Anatolia—to the extent that the influence of this work in the region is scarcely comparable to any geography outside Iran. In this land, numerous Shahnameh manuscripts were produced in both Persian and Turkish, and the tradition of Shahnameh writing flourished in royal courts. Ottoman poets composed multiple works in emulation of the Shahnameh, and a wealth of poetic and prose translations of the epic into Turkish were undertaken.
From the beginning to the end of the 620-year Ottoman rule, the translation and reimagining of the Shahnameh remained a constant focus. The first Turkish translation of the Shahnameh was carried out during the reign of Sultan Murad II, between 1421 and 1451 AD. This translation covered only the second part of the Shahnameh, comprising its heroic tales, and due to its numerous illustrations, played a significant role in the history of Turkish art and literature.
However, the first complete translation of the Shahnameh into Turkish was accomplished in verse in 916 AH, during the rule of the Mamluk Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri. This two-volume work contained 56,504 couplets and, upon entering the Ottoman cultural sphere, gained particular artistic significance with the addition of approximately 60 illustrations.
The third major translation of the Shahnameh into Ottoman Turkish was versified by "Dervish Hasan," under the pen name "Mahdi," during the reign of Sultan Osman II, between 1618 and 1622 AD. This version holds immense value, both linguistically and due to its rare manuscripts and illustrations.
Subsequently, likely in the first half of the 18th century, a new prose translation of the Shahnameh was published in three volumes. This translation was prepared in a fluid and accessible language for the general public, which is why it gained popularity across various segments of society, with some of its narratives—with alterations in names and storytelling style—finding their way into popular folklore.
The Shahnameh in the Era of the Turkish Republic
Attention to the Shahnameh was not confined to the Ottoman period; the work continued to draw interest during the era of the Turkish Republic. One of the most significant examples in this regard is the book The Iliad of the East: Shahnameh, authored by "Muallim Mehmed Cevdet."
This book was published in 1928, a mere five years after the founding of the Turkish Republic, in Ottoman script and spanning 88 pages in Istanbul. Its purpose was to familiarize high school students with the classics of world literature.
In the book's introduction, Muallim Cevdet, while presenting the content of the Shahnameh and summarizing its principal stories, underscores the enduring power of Ferdowsi's poetry in Persian literature. Recalling the famous couplet, "I revived the Persians through this Parsi," he emphasizes the Shahnameh's historic standing in Iranian culture.
He further notes that a significant portion of the Shahnameh is devoted to the tales of Esfandiyar and the battles between Iran and Turan, and by pointing out that this epic was composed at the encouragement of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni—a monarch of Turkic origin—he presents the Shahnameh as a shared heritage of Iranians and Turks.
The book then proceeds to present stories such as "Esfandiyar," "Rostam and Sohrab," "Rostam and Esfandiyar," and "Bahram Gur," narrating them with verses from the Shahnameh for its readers, and concludes with a glossary of terms and expressions used throughout the text.
This work, on one hand, demonstrates the continued attention paid to the Shahnameh after the end of the Ottoman era, and on the other, reflects the cultural and educational policies of the Turkish Republic in its early founding years.
Your Comment