The Shahnameh, its History and the Role of the Safavid Shahs in Spreading it

Abstract

    Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh is considered one of the most important books written in Persian literature. Its author sought to make it immortal for other peoples to see. It represents the thought and culture of the Persians, as it spoke about their culture, social classes, holidays, and the religions that were prevalent among them. The Safavid shahs had an important role in spreading the Shahnameh through persistence. By reading it during battles and in the cafes that spread in that period, and by inviting painters to draw the Shahnameh and distribute it to other kingdoms