Persian Manuscripts : Akbarnāmah va Ā’īn-i Akbarī

Abū al-Faz̤l ibn Mubārak, 1551-1602ابو الفضل بن مبارك علامی

Persian Manuscripts

<p style='text-align: justify;'> The third and final volume of the <i>Akbarnāmah va Ā’īn-i Akbarī</i> (Book of Akbar and Akbar's Administration" by Abū al-Faz̤l ibn Mubārak (1551–1602), separately added by a former owner to the first two comparatively much smaller volumes copied by another scribe, <a target='_blank' class='externalLink uom-purple' href='https://www.fihrist.org.uk/catalog/manuscript_7304'>Persian MS 798</a> and <a target='_blank' class='externalLink uom-purple' href='https://www.fihrist.org.uk/catalog/manuscript_7305'>Persian MS 799</a>, to complete and uniformly rebind them as a set. A Mughal courtier and ultimately Chief Secretary and close confidant of Akbar (b. Akbar, b. 1542, r. 1556–1605), the author relates vivid accounts of events that occurred during his patron's reign. This concluding portion, known as the <i>Ā’īn-i Akbarī</i> (Akbar's Administration) features an extensive survey regarding various elites, rivals, and cultural figures, regions, faiths, social groups, manufacturers, and products within India at that time. This finely copied manuscript may date to the 17th century, but it apparently never saw completion and suffered subsequent damage. A later owner acquired and had the original portion of the volume restored, with missing portions of the text completed.</p>