A Chronicle of the Reign of Shah ''abbas

This substantial and largely unknown Persian chronicle of the reign of Shah ?Abbas I (1587-1629) exists in a unique manuscript, recently discovered in the Library of Christ?s College, Cambridge. Its author, Fazl-Allah Khuzani Isfahani, member of an important bureaucratic family, provides an insider?s account of this crucial period in Persian history, with a wealth of detail about the central and provincial administration and much information not found in other sources. Shortly after the succession of Shah Safi I, Fazl-Allah left for India, where he continued to work on his chronicle. So far, three volumes of the Afzal al-tawarikh have come to light, covering the reigns of Shah Isma?il, Shah Tahmasp and Shah ?Abbas; none of them is complete and each exists only in a sole copy.
Volume 3 on Shah ?Abbas is a composite work, containing many of the author?s handwritten corrections and marginalia, making it a fascinating example of the composition of a work in progress. The complete text of 579 folios has been edited by Kioumars Ghereghlou (Columbia University); the publication is accompanied by detailed indexes and a substantial introduction by Kioumars Ghereghlou and Charles Melville (University of Cambridge) on the life and career of Fazl-Allah, the significance of his work and the manuscripts on which it is based. This is volume two.