Investigating the mental and linguistic influence of the Shahnameh on the praise literature of the Ghaznavid and Seljuk periods with the help of the theory of the history of mentalities

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

PhD in Persian Language and Literature, Imam Khomeini (RA) International University, Qazvin, Iran

10.30465/cpl.2025.48425.3291

Abstract

The Ghaznavid and Seljuk period is the boom period of praise literature. it is expected that despite the religious prejudices and strict adherence to the policies of Baghdad and the prevailing atmosphere of the political elites and the ethnic origin of the rulers, Iranian-Shahnameh ideas and concepts do not have a place in the praise of the rulers. Nevertheless, the themes and poetic language of praise poems are very much influenced by the Iranian mentality and Shahnameh language and this is at the same time as the Shahnameh was written and popularized. In this research, in a descriptive-analytical way, the influence of the Shahnameh on the mentality and language of praise literature has been analyzed with the help of the theory of the history of mentalities. From the results of the research, it is clear that popular ideas had a great influence on the spirit of the age, the world of thought and the conceptual system of the period, and in this way, it was included in the praises of the kings and because the Turkish rulers of these dynasties have sought to gain popular legitimacy, they have found this outcome desirable and supported it.

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