The Piruz-nāma: A lost source of the Mojmal al-tavārikh

In chapter 9 of the Mojmal al-tavārih vaʾl-qeṣaṣ – an anonymous work of general history begun in 520 H/1126 – an unknown work titled Piruz-nāma “The Book of Piruz” or “The Book of the Victorious” is cited as a source. In the present article, the six quotations from this lost work – all contained in chapter 9 of the Mojmal devoted to the history of the kings of Persia – are analysed, with the aim of discovering some information about the date of this lost source, and its character. Based on the analysis of the quotations, the hypothesis put forward in the article is that the “Victorious” of the title, also possible dedicatee of the work, is the Kākuyid rulers, Moḥammad b. Doshmanziyār (d. 433 H/1041), The Piruz-nāma probably covered the entire history of the Sasanian dynasty. The passages quoted show that the Piruz-nāma had a popular character, attesting some legendary developments of the history of the kings of Persia. The passage on Farhād, the ‘Mountain Excavator’ for love of Shirin in the Persian poetic tradition, is particularly meaningful, as it represents one of the earlies attestations concerning this legendary character.