Rashid al-Din Hamadani
Rashid al-Din Hamadani | |
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Rashid al-Din (center left) presenting his book to Ghazan (Jami al-Tawarikh, BNF Supplément Persan 1113, 1430-34). | |
| Born | 1247 |
| Died | 1318 (aged 70–71) Tabriz, Ilkhanate |
| Occupations |
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| Academic work | |
| Era | Ilkhanate period |
| Main interests | History, medicine |
| Notable works | Jāmiʿ al-Tawārīkh |
Rashīd al-Dīn Ṭabīb (Persian: رشیدالدین طبیب; 1247–1318; also known as Rashīd al-Dīn Faḍlullāh Hamadānī, Persian: رشیدالدین فضلالله همدانی) was a statesman, historian, and physician in Ilkhanate Iran.
Having converted to Islam from Judaism by the age of 30 in 1277, Rashid al-Din became the powerful vizier of Ilkhan Ghazan. He was commissioned by Ghazan to write the Jāmiʿ al-Tawārīkh, now considered the most important single source for the history of the Ilkhanate period and the Mongol Empire. He retained his position as a vizier until 1316.
After being charged with poisoning the Ilkhanid king Öljaitü, he was executed in 1318.
Historian Morris Rossabi calls Rashid al-Din "arguably the most distinguished figure in Persia during Mongolian rule". He was a prolific author and established the Rab'-e Rashidi academic foundation in Tabriz.