Born in Hamadan in 1247, Rashid-al-Din Hamadani navigated the volatile politics of the Ilkhanate to serve as a physician, historian, and vizier. His career spanned the reigns of Abaqa Khan, Ghazan, and Öljaitü, culminating in his execution in 1318 after being accused of poisoning the latter, a fate that ended a life of significant intellectual output.
Political Career and Conversion
Rashid-al-Din originated from a Persian Jewish family, with a father who served as an apothecary and a grandfather who held a position under Hulagu Khan. By 1277, at age 30, he converted to Islam. He transitioned from medical practice to the highest echelons of government, becoming the Grand Vizier of the Ilkhanid court. He remained in this powerful administrative role until 1316, surviving the court intrigues that defined the era until the reign of Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan.
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Commissioned by Ilkhan Ghazan, Rashid-al-Din authored the Jāmiʿ al-Tawārīkh, or Compendium of Chronicles. Completed between 1307 and 1316, the work evolved from a history of the Mongol dynasty into an ambitious universal history spanning from Adam to his own era. He utilized diverse sources, including the Altan Debter for Genghis Khan’s history and input from the Mongol nobleman Bolad, alongside details on Europe obtained from figures like Isol the Pisan.
Academic and Technical Innovations
Rashid-al-Din established the Rab'-e Rashidi foundation in Tabriz, which housed an advanced scriptorium. His workshop employed a large team of calligraphers and illustrators to produce manuscripts, utilizing a printing technique imported from China to ensure textual accuracy. His research was remarkably interdisciplinary, producing the most extensive pre-modern Muslim account of Buddhism, where he compared concepts like Mara and nirvana to Islamic and Sufi parallels.
Fast facts
- Born: 1247, Hamadan
- Died: 1318, Tabriz
- Primary Position: Grand Vizier
- Language: Persian and Arabic
- Major Work: Jami' al-tawarikh
- Academic Institution: Rab'-e Rashidi
- Religious conversion: Judaism to Islam (1277)
- Executory charge: Poisoning Ilkhan Öljaitü
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of the Rab'-e Rashidi?
It was an academic foundation and scriptorium in Tabriz that utilized Chinese printing technology to mass-produce and preserve accurate copies of historical and scientific texts.
Did Rashid-al-Din have access to European information?
Yes, his historical records include an account of the Franks from 1305/1306, likely informed by Europeans working under the Ilkhanids, such as Dominican friars.
Achievements
- Notable work: Jami' al-tawarikh
