Nizami Ganjavi

Lore & Background

Nizami was born into a Persian family in Ganja (then part of the Seljuq empire, now the Republic of Azerbaijan) and is believed to have spent his whole life in the South Caucasus. His personal name was Ilyas, and his chosen pen-name was Nizami. He was orphaned early and raised by his maternal uncle Khwaja Umar, who provided him an excellent education. His mother, Ra'isa, was of Kurdish origin; his father was named Yusuf, and his grandfather Zakki. Nizami was married three times; his first wife was an enslaved Kipchak sent to him by Fakhr al-Din Bahramshah, the ruler of Darband, as part of a larger gift. According to Iraj Bashiri, she became Nizami's 'most beloved' wife. She died after 'Khosrow and Shirin' was completed, leaving their son Mohammad, then seven years old. Nizami mentions his son again in 'Layli and Majnun,' adding that now this son is 14 years old and 'apple of my eyes.' In 'Haft Peykar' (Seven Beauties), he also mentions and advises his son about taking more responsibility as the father was growing more frail. His two other wives also died prematurely, each death coinciding with the completion of an epic, prompting the poet to say, 'God, why is it that for every mathnavi I must sacrifice a wife!'

Reader's Guide

Nizami Ganjavi is significant as a poet who synthesized diverse fields of Islamic thought, including mathematics, astronomy, astrology, alchemy, medicine, botany, Koranic exegesis, Islamic theory and law, Iranian myths and legends, history, ethics, philosophy and esoteric thought, music, and the visual arts. He is often referred to by the honorific Hakim ('the Sage') and is regarded as a philosopher and gnostic who mastered various fields of Islamic thoughts. His work bridges pre-Islamic and Islamic Iran, as well as Iran and the whole ancient world. Though patronized by different rulers including the Seljuqs, Eldiguzids, Shirvanshahs, the ruler of Ahar and Ahmadilis, he avoided the courts and is generally believed to have lived a secluded life. Since he was not a court poet, he does not appear in the annals of the dynasties; much of his biography comes from his own poetry and later tazkerehs (literary memoirs). His heritage is widely appreciated across several modern nations, and his style influenced the development of Persian poetry in the Caucasus region.

Did You Know?

• Nizami's mother, Ra'isa, was of Kurdish origin.
• His first wife was an enslaved Kipchak sent to him by Fakhr al-Din Bahramshah, the ruler of Darband.
• Nizami's only son, Mohammad, was seven years old when his mother died after the completion of 'Khosrow and Shirin.'
• Nizami's two other wives also died prematurely, each death coinciding with the completion of an epic.
• The Armenian historian Kirakos Gandzaketsi (c. 1200 – 1271) noted that Ganja 'was densely populated with Iranians and a small number of Christians.'