SHARAF AD-DIN 'ALI YAZDI

born , Yazd, Iran died 1454, Yazd Persian historian, one of the greatest of 15th-century Iran. Little about his early life is known. As a young man he was a teacher in his native Yazd and a close companion of the Timurid ruler Shah Rokh (140547) and his son Mirza Ibrahim Sultan. In 1442/43 he became the close adviser of the governor of Iraq, Mirza Sultan Muhammad, who lived in the city of Qom. His patron, however, attempted a revolt against the reigning Shah Rokh, and Sharaf ad-Din was fortunate enough to be cleared of any complicity. He was granted permission to return to his native city, where he lived until his death. The work for which he is best known is the Zafernameh (1424/25; The Book of Victory). It is a history of the world conqueror Timur (Tamerlane; 13701405) and was probably based on the history of the same name by Nizam ad-Din Shami, a work written at Timur's request.