The Illustration of Mirkhwand's Raudat al-safa, RAS Ms. P. 38

Among the precious manuscripts belonging to the Royal Asiatic Society is a copy of volume four of the Tarikh-i Raudat al-safa (History of the Garden of Purity), a work of 'universal history' in six volumes, compiled by Muhammad b. Khwandshah b. Mahmud (d. 903/1498), generally known as Mirkhwand. He composed his chronicle in Herat under the patronage of 'Ali Shir Nava'i (d. 906/1501), the Naqshbandi Sufi, Chaghatay poet and statesman at the court of the last Timurid ruler, Sul?an-Husain-i Bayqara (r. 875-912/1469-1506), see Fig. 1.