Literary Development, Patronage, And Aesthetics in the Timurid Era: The Legacy of Alisher Navoi

Authors

  • Nasirdinova Yorkinoy Abdumuxtarovna Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Philological Sciences, Head of the Department of Language Instruction, Andijan Branch of Kokand University

Keywords:

Alisher Navoi, Timurid literature, patronage, bilingualism, Chaghatay Turkic

Abstract

This study explores the literary and cultural landscape of the Timurid era, focusing on the dynamic interplay between patronage, aesthetics, and literary production. Using the example of Alisher Navoi, a prominent statesman and poet, the article investigates how the Herat court fostered a dual literary heritage in Persian and Chaghatay Turkic, thereby constructing a vibrant bilingual literary field. The analysis highlights how Navoi's contributions—both as a poet and as a cultural patron—exemplify the intellectual sophistication and conscious innovation of the Timurid “renaissance.” Drawing on historical chronicles, literary treatises, and modern scholarly interpretations, the study contextualizes Timurid literature as a product of both refinement of Persianate traditions and pioneering assertion of Turkic poetic legitimacy. It also examines the role of symbolic aesthetics and Sufi-influenced ethical ideals in shaping the narratives and imagery of Navoi’s epics, particularly the Khamsa. The findings underline that Timurid literary culture was not a static inheritance but a consciously constructed legacy, whose resonance extended far beyond the political lifespan of the dynasty.

References

1. Babur, Z. (1996). Baburnama (W. Thackston, Trans.). New York: Oxford University Press. (Original work ca. 1520).

2. Kurbanov, A. (2019). The poem “Farhad and Shirin” by Alishir Navai: Sufistic interpretation. Theoretical & Applied Science, 04(72), 277–282.

3. Navoi, A. (1499/2011). Muhakamat al-Lughatayn [The Trial of the Two Languages]. (Excerpt translated in Stanford Magazine, Oct. 2011). Stanford, CA.

4. Dale, S. F. (1998). The Legacy of the Timurids. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 8(1), 43–58. doi:10.1017/S1356186300016424

5. Subtelny, M. E. (1997). The Timurid legacy: a reaffirmation and a reassessment. Cahiers d’Asie Centrale, 3/4, 9–19.

6. Toutant, M. (2016). Un empire de mots: Pouvoir, culture et soufisme à l’époque des derniers Timourides au miroir de la Khamsa de Mīr ʿAlī Shīr Nawā’ī. Paris: Peeters.

7. Żāhir ud-Dīn Muḥammad Babur. (1996). The Baburnama: Memoirs of Babur, Prince and Emperor (W. M. Thackston, Trans.). New York: Oxford University Press. (Original work published 16th c.)

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Published

2025-06-30

How to Cite

Abdumuxtarovna, N. Y. (2025). Literary Development, Patronage, And Aesthetics in the Timurid Era: The Legacy of Alisher Navoi. American Journal of Education and Evaluation Studies, 2(6), 464–470. Retrieved from https://semantjournals.org/index.php/AJEES/article/view/2137

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