TIMURID IRAN, DATED 12 SHA'BAN AH 878/1 JANUARY 1474 AD

Dawlatshah Samarqandi (circa 1438-95/1507) was a poet and biographer who was active in Timurid Empire. His most renowned work is the creation of the present work, Tadhkirat al-shu'ara (Memorial of poets), a Persian biographical dictionary containing the profiles of 152 poets. The work is widely acknowledged for the significant contribution it makes to our understanding of the cultural and political history of Iran and Transoxania during the Timurid dynasty.

The end of our manuscript gives the date of the completion of the ‘composition and writing’ (ta’lif wa-tahrir) of the tadhkira as 12 Sha‘ban AH 878 (2 January 1474 AD). This manuscript was therefore copied within the lifetime of the author.