A historiographical study and annotated translation of volume 2 of the Afzal al-Tavarikh by Fazil Khuzani al-Isfahani

This thesis is based on the second volume of Afzal al-Tavarikh, the 17th century Safavid court chronicle. It consists of a historiographical study of this source and an annotated translation of the section concerning the early years of Shah Tahmasp's reign (1524-1529). The author Fazl b. Zayn al-'Abiom b. Rub Allah alKhuzanl al-I~fahanl was writing his history in 1617-1639 during the reigns of Shah 'Abbas I (r. 1587-1629) and Shah Safi (r. 1629-1642) and devoted the second volume entirely to the reign of Shah Tahmasp (r. 1524-1576). Chapter one of the thesis deals with the author, his life and career as a provincial Vazir during the reign of Shah 'Abbas, and his emigration to India. It identifies the formative influences which shaped the author's distinctive view of history. One of Fazli's strengths as a historian is his use of histories that are no longer extant. The sources have therefore been examined in order to assess the influence of these "lost histories" on his presentation of Shah Tahmasp's early reign. A/tal al-Taviifikh contains transcriptions of more official documents than are found in any other Safavid court chronicle. The first chapter therefore underlines the importance of this source as a depository of chancery documents. The historiographical evaluation of Aftal proposes that this history is essentially a product of the reign of Shah