Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Ph.D. Candidate in the History of Islamic Iran, Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2 Professor of the History Department, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
The present study, entitled “A Comparative Study of the Narrative of Shah Abbas’s Confrontation with the Nuqtavis in Safavid Sources,” seeks to compare the accounts of Khuzani and three other historians of this period, in order to reveal the unique information contained in their reports as well as the aspects of similarity and difference among their narratives. The aim is to determine how the comparative analysis of these sources leads to the emergence of diverse interpretations concerning the Nuqtavi affair and to the formation of contradictory understandings in the reader’s mind. The Nuqtavi order was founded in 800 AH by Mahmud Pasikhani, and its activity continued during the Safavid era; as signs of their cooperation with the Nizari Muhammad-Shahi sect can be observed during the reign of Isma‘il and The reign of Tahmasp was accompanied by his violent treatment of the Nuqtavis. regarding the reign of Shah Abbas, it must be said that each historian of this period reflected the story of the Shah’s confrontation with the Nuqtavis in his own manner. Among them, Khuzani’s narrative has not been considered in any of the previous scholarly studies. The findings of this research indicate that Khuzani offers a unique narrative in such cases as the key role of ‘Inayat-Kal Isfahani in dealing with the Nuqtavis, mentioning the scholars present at the trial of Darvish Khosrow, and depicting the massacre of the Nuqtavis of Qazvin. Furthermore, with regard to the introduction of their narratives and issues such as Shah Abbas’s alleged inclination toward the Nuqtavi order, the way in which he became aware of their deviations, the chronology of related events, the method of proving Darvish Khosrow’s guilt in court and the selection of Yusufi Tarkeshdoz for kingship, there exist similarities and differences between Khuzani’s account and those of other historians. Ultimately, the author of this study argues that the fading of ideological prejudices over time and Khuzani’s lack of fear of the Safavid political apparatus—due to his residence in India—gave him the opportunity to present the event with a more realistic and independent perspective compared to the other three sources.
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