al-Fakhri fi al-Adab al-Sultaniyya wa al-Duwal al-Islamiyya
- Author died
- 709 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Qalam al-‘Arabī
al-Fakhri fi al-Adab al-Sultaniyya wa al-Duwal al-Islamiyya (The Fakhri on Princely Virtues and Islamic Dynasties) is a treatise on Islamic statecraft and dynastic history written by the historian Ibn al-Tiqtaqi (660–709 AH / 1262–1309 CE) .
Composition and Purpose
Ibn al-Tiqtaqi completed the work in Mosul in 701 AH (1301–1302 CE) . He presented and dedicated it to the governor of Mosul, Fakhr al-Din Isa ibn Ibrahim, naming the book al-Fakhri in his honor . An expanded Persian version was produced in 724 AH by Hindushah al-Nakhjawani under the title Munyat al-Fudala' fi Tawarikh al-Khulafa' wa al-Wuzara' .
Structure and Content
The book is organized into two major parts :
- Statecraft and Princely Conduct: The first part is devoted to the general etiquette of rulers (al-adab al-sultaniyya), governance, and the conduct of kings and their courtiers .
- Dynastic History: The second part chronicles three successive Islamic eras: the Rashidun Caliphate, the Umayyad dynasty, and the Abbasid dynasty, while also briefly treating dynasties that arose during the Abbasid period, such as the Fatimids .
Method and Style
The author structures his dynastic accounts by introducing each caliph or ruler along with his significant deeds, followed by an account of his viziers . He enlivens the historical narrative with curious anecdotes, literary digressions, and poetry to avoid monotony for the reader, blending historical exposition with literary entertainment (adab wa musamara) .
Reception and Critique
al-Fakhri has been valued as an accessible summary of Islamic history alongside extensive chronicles such as those of Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari and Ibn al-Athir . Scholars have noted that Ibn al-Tiqtaqi committed himself in his introduction to writing without bias; the orientalist Clément Huart remarked that despite the author's Shi'i background, the work was written objectively . However, commentators have also observed his pro-Alid inclinations, his severe criticism of several Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs, and an excessive praise of the Mongols and their rule that compromised an impartial assessment of other Islamic states .
Editions and Translations
The book received early orientalist attention and was printed in Europe and the Arab world:
- Edited by Wilhelm Ahlwardt with German notes and published in Gotha in 1860 .
- Edited by Hartwig Derenbourg in Paris in 1895, accompanied by indices and a biographical notice .
- Translated into French by Émile Amar and published in Paris in 1910 .
- Printed in Cairo across several editions, including an edition in 1317 AH, one prepared by Mahmud Tawfiq at al-Matba'a al-Rahmaniyya in 1921 (1340 AH), and a revised edition by Muhammad Awad Ibrahim and Ali al-Jarim in 1938 .
- Edited by Abd al-Qadir Muhammad Mayo and published in Aleppo .
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