AMIR KHOSROW

born 1253, Patiali [now in Uttar Pradesh, India] died 1325, Delhi poet and historian, considered one of India's greatest Persian-language poets. Amir Khosrow was the son of a Turkish officer in the service of Iltutmish, sultan of Delhi, and for his entire life he enjoyed the patronage of the Muslim rulers of Delhi, especially Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din Balban and his son Muhammad Khan of Multan. During his youth he became a dedicated follower of the saint of Delhi, Muhammad Nizam-ud-Din Awliya, of the Chishti dervish order; eventually he was buried next to the saint's tomb. Sometimes known as the parrot of India, Amir Khosrow wrote numerous works, among them five divans, which were compiled at different periods in his life, and his Khamsah (Pentalogy), a group of five long idylls in emulation of the Khamseh of the celebrated Persian poet Nezami (c. 11411209). Amir Khosrow's pentalogy deals with general themes famous in Islamic literature. In addition to his poetry, he is known for a number of prose works, including the Khaza'in al-futuh (The Treasure-Chambers of the Victories), also known by the title Tarikh-e 'Ala'i (The History of Ala). Two historical poems for which he is well known are Nuh Sipihr (The Nine Heavens) and the Tughluq-namah (The Book of Tughluq).