Literature—Central Asia

Poetry Written by Rulers

From the Samanid rulers of the ninth century through the sixteenth-century rulers of the Uzbeks and Timurids, a new ruler usually issued a collection of his poems in a specially prepared volume in order to win the respect and allegiance of his subjects. This collection was duplicated by scribes and read aloud at teahouses. The ruler's prestige was increased when people enjoyed such poetry on aesthetic grounds, an especially desirable achievement if the new ruler was establishing a dynasty to replace a previous one. Hikmet, by Shibani Khan (d. 1510) of the Uzbeks, is an example of such poetry written in the early sixteenth century.

Mirrors for Princes

Manuals prepared to instruct future rulers and to improve the abilities of reigning kings, termed "Mirrors for Princes," include such works as the Kutadgu Bilig (published in English as Wisdom of Royal Glory), the Kabusnameh (A Mirror for Princes, eleventh–twelfth centuries), and Siyasatnameh (The Book of Government). The Kutadgu Bilig was written by Yusuf of Balasagun and dedicated to Tavgach Bugra Khan of the Karakhanid dynasty (999–1212), in 1170. The Kabusnameh was produced shortly afterward as a series of admonitions from the ruler to his son and heir, detailing how to extract the most from the earthly pleasures in his realm.

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