Military Document

This sanad (document) is in the form of a namah (letter) written in black Nasta'liq script and outlined in cloud bands on a gold background. The letter is from a ruler to a certain Mirza Yadigar, from whom he requests military assistance. In response, the ruler sends a reputable fighter named Mirza Qilich (qilich means "sword" in Turkish) to the ruler. Known as Rustam-i Zaman (the Rustam of his day, Rustam being a great Persian hero) because of his fighting prowess, Mirza Qilich provides military assistance to vanquish the ruler's adversaries. The last line of text states “tahrir namud” (the document was written) by Muhibb 'Ali on 12 Jumada I, 1220 AH (August 8, 1805). The Turkic name of the hero, Mirza Qilich, hints that the document may have been related to clashes on the Ottoman Turkish–Persian border during the first decade of the 19th century or perhaps to conflicts in Afghanistan or Central Asia in the same period.
Calligrapher: 'Ali, Muhibb
Place: Central and South Asia; Afghanistan; Central and South Asia; Iran, Islamic Republic of
Institution: Library of Congress
Physical description: 34.6 x 20.8 centimeters