Gibb Memorial Trust Persian Studies – serie

The Hudud al-'Alam, written in AD 982 for a Prince of Guzganan (located in the North West of modern Afghanistan), is a geography covering the whole known world and one of the earliest works of Persian prose. It was designed to accompany a map and, though the product of cabinet scholarship rather than original observation, it preserves much material from earlier compositions which are lost and shows originality in its organization. A facsimile edition of the unique MS, which came to light in Bukhara in the late 19th century, was published in Russia in 1930 by Barthold but it was left to Minorsky to make the data widely accessible by his English translation and his extensive commentary, which analyses the work's position in the early Islamic geographical tradition and identifies and discusses the places mentioned in the light of a wealth of other information. V. Minorsky was a former Professor of Persian in the University of London and his other translations include Tadhkirat al-Muluk, A Manual of Safavid Administration in this series.

Professor Richard's work is based on part of a manuscript in the British Library concerned with the revenues and administration of the later Mughal Empire, and datable to the reign of the Emperor Bahadur Shah I (AD 1708-1712). The section covered consists of 65 specimen forms for types of documents, the majority orders of appointment, the remainder concerned with a variety of financial and other transactions. The appointments envisaged range from that of Subadar, or Governor of a major province, to those of minor officials of ports, mints and sub-districts. The work belongs in the tradition of administrative manuals that may be traced back to the reign of Akbar and earlier. The specimen documents, originally intended to guide the aspiring Mughal scribe in his work, contain a mass of detail of interest to the modern student of the history of the Mughal India, and that of the eventual heir to the Mughal tradition, the British Raj. This is the first work of its type to appear in English translation. An introduction sets the work in context and the original text is given in facsimile. John F. Richards is Professor of History at Duke University

This description of the province of Fars, was written around the beginning of the 12th century A.D. The author cites his qualifications for it "I was well acquainted with the present condition of the people of Fars ... being well versed also in the events of their history and exactly acquainted with the story of their kings and rulers." This is a reprint of the edition of 1952.

Written in the middle of the 12th century for a member of the Ghurid family of Bamiyan (in modern Afghanistan) the Four Discourses are concerned with four professions necessary at the Prince's court, those of scribe, poet, astrologer and physician. After describing the natural qualities and training required for each of them, Nizami 'Arudi relates anecdotes, mostly exemplifying the vicissitudes of life in the profession and the conditions that lead to success. The work is a particularly interesting and charming example of early ornamental prose in Persian. Edward G. Browne was a Former Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge.