Iskander Munshi (Iskender Beg Torkman)
Iskander Munshi [Iskandar Beg Munshi], also known as Iskender Beg Torkmani (1560/61–1634), an Iranian historian of Azerbaijani Torkman origin.
He served under Shah Muhammad Khudabanda. In 1592/93, he was enrolled into the ranks of the "Grand Secretaries" of the Supreme Divan. He actively participated in the military campaigns and travels of Shah Abbas I.
He authored the historical composition The History of the World-Adorning Abbas (Tarikh-e Alamara-ye Abbasi, Books 1–2, Tehran, 1956–57). This work constitutes an essential primary source for the history of Georgia during the 16th century and the first third of the 17th century, preserving details on: the invasions of Shah Tahmasp I; the struggle of Kartli against the Qizilbash during the reign of Simon I; the attempt to establish Qizilbash administrative rule (the "Qizilbashoba") in the 1560s under the governance of Daud Khan; the Iranian-Ottoman treaties of 1555 and 1613 regarding the Georgian question; the capture of the Yerevan fortress by Shah Abbas I and the participation of the Kings of Kartli and Kakheti in this military operation; the treachery of Constantine, Ruler of Kakheti; and the appointment of Luarsab and Teimuraz as the Kings of Kartli and Kakheti by Shah Abbas I. Concerning Luarsab, Iskander Munshi observed that among the Georgian kings, he was distinguished by his bravery and courage, and never submitted to the yoke of obedience and tributary status. The work further documents the devastating incursions of Shah Abbas I into Georgia; the forced settlement of nomadic tribes in Kakheti; the 1615 rebellion in Kakheti and Shirvan; the appointment of Bagrat Khan and Simon Khan in Kartli; the epic of Giorgi Saakadze; the Martkopi rebellion; and the battles of Marabda and Bazaleti.
Iskander Munshi provides a description of Tbilisi dating to 1606. His text preserves notes regarding Georgians active within the political and military spheres of Iran, including: Bigverdi-Beg Sultan, Khojasteh Beg, Alaverdi Khan, Imam-Quli Khan, Daud Khan, Giorgi Saakadze, Khosrow Mirza, Sefi-Quli Khan Gurji, Jemshid Sultan Gurji, and others. He records the participation of Georgians in the dynastic struggles among pretenders to the Iranian throne following the death of Shah Tahmasp I (such as Zaal-Gurji and Alkhan-Gurji). Iskander Munshi additionally documents the activities of Georgians in the cultural sphere of Iran (including Siavash Beg Gurji) and diplomacy (the Georgian woman Gulchara). This composition was utilized as a source by the 17th-century Georgian historian Parsadan Gorgijanidze.
In 1629, commissioned by Shah Safi I, Iskander Munshi commenced writing a continuation of his work, entitled The Continuation of the History of the World-Adorning Abbas (Zeyl-e Tarikh-e Alamara-ye Abbasi). This text likewise contains important accounts concerning Georgia and Georgians active in Iran, including the final period of Giorgi Saakadze's life and his death in the Ottoman Empire, the relationship between Simon Khan and Zurab, Eristavi of the Aragvi, the enmity between Teimuraz I and Zurab, the rebellion against the Safavids, the appointment of Khosrow Mirza as the Vali of Kartli, and the execution of the family of Imam-Quli Khan.
Literary works: ისქანდერ მუნშის ცნობები საქართველოს შესახებ. სპარსული ტექსტი ქართული თარგმანითა და შესავლითურთ გამოსცა ვლ. ფუთურიძემ, თბ., 1969; აბასის ქვეყნის დამამშვენებელი ისტორიის გაგრძელება. ცნობები საქართველოს შესახებ. სპარსულ ტექსტს გამოკვლევა, ქართ. თარგმანები, შენიშვნები და საძიებლები დაურთო ნ. გელაშვილმა, თბ., 1981
Literature: გაბაშვილი ვ., ქართული ფეოდალური წყობილება XVI–XVII საუკუნეებში (აღმოსავლურთან შედარებითი შესწავლის ცდა), თბ., 1958; ჯავახიშვილი ივ., ისტორიის მიზანი, წყაროები და მეთოდები წინათ და ეხლა, წგ. 1 – ძველი ქართული საისტორიო მწერლობა, თბ., 1945.
D. Katsitadze
