How did the palace library operate in the fifteenth century?

The answer to this question is provided by the unique document Arzadāsht and the animated film currently being presented in the exhibition of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan.

The Arzadāsht document is a unique source that historically illuminates the activities of the Baysunghur Mirza palace library. It shows that the Baysunghur Mirza Library was not only significant as a center of books, but also functioned as a workshop where accomplished specialists from various artistic fields gathered, uniting knowledge and craftsmanship. Here, masters were not limited to producing illuminated manuscripts; they also created various works of fine and applied crafts. In this respect, Arzadāsht is valuable not only as a historical source, but also as a precious legacy of Eastern culture and art.

The document contains an official report prepared for Baysunghur Mirza by the head of the library, Kamoliddin Ja‘far Baysunghuriy, approximately between 1427 and 1431. The report precisely records 25 scribes who were active in the library. These details provide direct insight into the work carried out in the palace library and the multifaceted skills of its craftsmen.

Baysunghur Mirza, known as a patron of book arts, was a prince who laid the foundation for a palace scholarly institution and library that ushered in a new era in the development of Eastern manuscript culture. He lived from 1397 to 1433 and ruled for only 36 years. From a young age, he studied calligraphy and painting and also wrote poetry in Turkic and Persian.

In 1420, with the support of his father, he established his own library in Herat. At that time, many calligraphers, painters, bookbinders, and illuminators were active at the court of Shahrukh Mirza in Herat. According to sources, 40 calligraphers worked in the Baysunghur Mirza Library. In this center, works such as Sa‘di’s Gulistan, Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, Juvayni’s Tarikh-i Jahangusha, and Khwaju Kermani’s Humay va Humayun were copied.

Although the complete version of the Arzadāsht document has not yet been found, its surviving parts provide important information about the activities and artistic heritage of the Baysunghur Mirza palace library.

In 1912, the Swedish diplomat Fredrik Martin was the first to describe this institution as the “Baysunghur Academy.” This designation reflects the scholarly significance of the library’s activities and its place as a historical legacy.

The chief calligrapher of the library, Ja‘far Ali Tabrizi, regularly informed Baysunghur Mirza about the activities of the masters and their creative achievements.

The Baysunghur Mirza palace library and the Arzadāsht document are significant not only for the arts of calligraphy and painting, but also for the products created across various fields of artistic craftsmanship. This institution opened a new chapter in the history of Eastern manuscript culture and deserves the attention of modern researchers as a scholarly and cultural heritage.

Today, an animated film titled The Baysunghur Mirza Library is being produced at the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, further highlighting its importance and conveying the secrets of manuscript culture and palace life to a new generation.

Durdona Rasulova

P.S.: The article may be republished with a link to the Center’s official website.