The phenomenon of late Qara-khitay historiography: Nasir ad-Din Munshi Kermani and his historical work

Abstract

Among the monuments of Muslim historiography several works can be distinguished, the authors of which build in their works a clear continuity between the Qutlugh Khanids dynasty that ruled within Kerman, whose founder was khajib Barak, and the previously existing Qara-Khitay power. In one of the earlier works, the author of this article called these Muslim writings «late Qara-Khitay historiography» and within the framework of the presented research I would like to substantiate the validity of such a statement. To do this, it is necessary to once again understand how and why Muslim historians distinguish the connection between khajib Barak and his successors, whether they label them «Qara-Khitay» and how else the connection between the Qutlugh Khanids and the Gur-Khans is distinguished. In addition, the author of the article intends to demonstrate the evolution of the description of the biography of Barak in several monuments of the XIII – XV in order to demonstrate clearly how Muslim authors cite new elements linking him with the Qara-Khitay, as well as his heirs. Undoubtedly, such a historiographical phenomenon should have an explanation, as well as the origin, that is, the author who initiated such a tradition. The author of this article comes to the conclusion that Nasir al-Din Munshi Kermani could have been the ancestor of this tradition in the historical work, which, «Simt al-'Ula lil-Khadra al-'Uliya», probably for the first time traces most of the markers that make it possible to link the Qutlugh Khanids dynasty with the Qara-Khitay state.