Anvari | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1126 |
| Died | 1189 (aged 63) Balkh, Khurasan,Kara-Khanid Khanate |
| Occupation | Poet |
Anvari (1126–1189)[citation needed], full nameAwhad ad-Din 'Ali ibn Mohammad Khavarani orAwhad ad-Din 'Ali ibn Mahmud (Persian:اوحدالدین علی ابن محمد انوری) was a Persian poet.[1]
Anvarī was born inAbivard (now in Turkmenistan) and died inBalkh, Khorāsān (now in Afghanistan).[2] He studied science and literature at the collegiate institute in Toon (nowFerdows,Iran), becoming a famous astronomer as well as a poet.
Anvari's poems were collected in aDivan, and contains panegyrics, eulogies, satire, and others. Hiselegy "Tears of Khorasan", translated into English in 1789, is considered to be one of the most beautiful poems inPersian literature.The Cambridge History of Iran calls Anvari "one of the greatest figures in Persian literature". Despite their beauty, his poems often required much help with interpretation, as they were often complex and difficult to understand.
Anvari'spanegyric in honour of theSeljuk sultanSultan Sanjar (1117–1157), ruler of Khorasan, won him royal favour, and allowed him to go on to enjoy the patronage of two of Sanjar's successors. However, when his prophecy of disasters in October 1185 failed, he fell out of favour with the kingship, and was forced into a life of scholarly service, eventually taking his own life in 1189.
Anwari was born in the Khawaran district (Balkh) ofKhorasan early in the 12th century.[3] He enjoyed the special favour of theSultan Sanjar, whom he attended in all his warlike expeditions. On one occasion, when the sultan was besieging the fortress of Hazarasp, a fierce poetical conflict was maintained between Anwari and his rival Rashidi, who was within the beleaguered castle, by means of verses fastened to arrows.[4] His literary powers are considerable, as shown in his famous lament over the ruin caused by theGhuzz tribesmen inKhurasan,[3] and his exercises in irony and ridicule make pungent reading.[3] He was adept in astrology[3] and considered himself to be superior to his contemporaries inlogic,music,theology,mathematics and all other intellectual pursuits.[3]
It appears that his patrons after SultanSanjar failed to value his services as highly as he did himself; at any rate he considered their rewards inadequate.[3] Either that fact or jealousy of his rivals caused him to renounce the writing of eulogies and of ghazals, although it is difficult to decide at what point in his career this took place. His satires doubtless created him enemies. His declining fortunes led to persistent complaint against capricious Fate. In style and language he is sometimes obscure, so that Dawlatshah declares that he needs a commentary.[3] That obscurity, and a change in literary taste, may be one reason for his comparative neglect.[3]
Anwari died atBalkh towards the end of the 12th century. TheDiwan, or collection of his poems, consists of a series of long poems, and a number of simpler lyrics. His longest piece,The Tears of Khorassan, was translated into English verse by Captain Kirkpatrick.[4]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Anwari".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 158.
