The Conquest of Khwārazm and a Distich by ‛Unṣurī
Document Type : pajoohesh
Author
10.22081/jap.2025.77762
Abstract
This article begins with a general overview of the conquest of Khwārazm by Maḥmūd of Ghazna, drawing on early historical sources. The author highlights a particular distich by ‛Unṣurī that attributes a religious motive to this campaign—namely, the eradication of the Qarmaṭians in the region. The study then evaluates, through both early and modern sources in history and geography, the plausibility of Qarmaṭian presence in Khwārazm. Building on this, the author considers the specific rhetorical function of panegyrical qaṣīda and addresses the question: why would ʿUnṣurī compose such a verse? The article shows how a court poet under Maḥmūd could contribute to shaping an official narrative. Finally, the place of the distich within the rhetorical structure of the qaṣīda is examined through a speculative remark.
Keywords
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