@article{article_1719846, title={Culture and Art in the Timurid Period: An Analysis of Selected Monshāʾāt Texts}, journal={Ahbar}, pages={105–110}, year={2025}, DOI={10.62425/ahbar.1719846}, author={Modiri, Ardeshir}, keywords={Timurlular, Münşeʾât Belgeleri, Kültür ve Sanat Tarihi, Sosyal Tarih}, abstract={This article investigates the cultural and artistic dimensions of the Timurid period through a close analysis of monshāʾāt—collections of official correspondence, decrees, and letters. While these texts have often been studied for their political and administrative value, their potential as sources for cultural and social history has been largely neglected. The study adopts a descriptive and thematic content analysis of three major monshāʾāt compilations: Khwāfī’s Manshaʾ al-Inshā,Shahab Munshī’s Humāyūn Nāmeh, and Abdollah Morvārid Kirmānī’s Sharafnameh. From these documents, references to authors, scholars, heroes, painters, musicians, and craftsmen were identified, categorized, and contextualized. The findings reveal a vibrant cultural landscape in which rulers and ministers consistently promoted literature, honored scholars, institutionalized guilds, and supported music and the visual arts. These insights not only highlight the ideological significance of cultural patronage in legitimizing Timurid authority but also shed light on the institutional frameworks that sustained artistic life in Herat and Samarkand. By systematically extracting implicit and explicit cultural references, this research expands the scope of Timurid studies, demonstrating the value of documentary sources for reconstructing dimensions of everyday and intellectual life. The article ultimately argues that monshāʾāt provide a vital yet underutilized perspective that complements narrative chronicles and material evidence, thereby contributing to broader debates in Islamic cultural and social history.}, number={4}, publisher={Atatürk Üniversitesi}