Power, Politics and Religion in Timurid Iran

by Beatrice Forbes Manz

Overview

Beatrice Forbes Manz uses the history of Iran under the Timurid ruler Shahrukh (1409–1447) to analyse the relationship between government and society in the medieval Middle East. She provides a rich portrait of Iranian society over an exceptionally broad spectrum - the dynasty and its servitors, city elite and provincial rulers, and the religious classes, both ulama' and Sufi. The work addresses two issues central to pre-modern Middle Eastern history: how a government without the monopoly of force controlled a heterogeneous society, and how a society with diffuse power structures remained stable over long periods. Written for an audience of students as well as scholars, this book provides a broad analysis of political dynamics in late medieval Iran and challenges much received wisdom about civil and military power, the relationship of government to society, and the interaction of religious figures with the ruling class.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521153461
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	06/10/2010
Series:	Cambridge Studies in Islamic Civilization
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.02(w) x 9.06(h) x 0.91(d)

About the Author

Beatrice Forbes Manz is Associate Professor of History at Tufts University, Massachusetts. Her previous publications include The Rise and Fall of Tamerlane (1989) and, as editor, Studies on Chinese and Islamic Central Asia (1995).

Table of Contents

List of maps; Preface; Chronology; Family tree of major Timurid princes; Introduction; 1. The formation of the Timurid State under Shahrukh; 2. Issues of sources and historiography; 3. Shahrukh's Dīwān and its personnel; 4. Political and military resources of Iran; 5. Timurid rule in southern and central Iran; 6. Political dynamics in the realm of the supernatural; 7. The dynasty and the politics of the religious classes; 8. The rebellion of Sultan Muhammad b. Baysunghur and the struggle over succession; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"This book is a deeply learned study of the government and society of Eastern Iran and Central Asia under Shahrukh (1409-1447), the son and successor of Tamerlane....This admirably researched book explores the historically events in exhaustive detail and provides rich anecdotal material about the policies and careers of the Timurid elites..." - Ira M. Lapidus, University of California Berkeley, Journal of Interdisciplinary History

"Beatrice Manz has become one of the premier scholars of Timurid Central Asia, and this book solidifies that well-earned reputation." - Canadian Journal of History

"Manz has minded all available sources, which are 'fragmentary, repetitious and tendentious' ...with consummate skill. The result is a book that is essential reading for all students of medieval and early modern Islamic societies." - International Journal of Middle East Studies

From the Publisher