Ata-Malik Juvayni

Atâ-Malek Jovayni (1226–1283) (Persian: عطاملک جوینی) was a Persian historian who wrote an account of the Mongol Empire entitled Ta' rīkh-i jahān-gushā (History of the World Conqueror).

He was born in Juvain, a city in Khorasan in northeastern Iran. Both his grandfather and his father, Baha al-Din, had held the post of sahib-divan or Minister of Finance for Muhammad Jalal al-Din and Ögedei Khan respectively. Baha al-Din also acted as deputy ca. 1246 for his immediate superior, the emir Arghun, in which role he oversaw a large area including Georgia and Armenia.

Joveini too became an important official of the empire. He visited the Mongol capital of Karakorum twice, beginning his history of the Mongols conquests on one such visit (c. 1252-53). He was with Ilkhan Hulagu in 1256 at the taking of Alamut and was responsible for saving part of its celebrated library. He had also accompanied Hulagu during the sack of Baghdad in 1258, and the next year was appointed governor of Baghdad, Lower Mesopotamia, and Khuzistan. Around 1282, Joveini attended a Mongol quriltai, or assembly, held in the Ala-Taq pastures northeast of Lake Van. He died the following year in Mughan or Arran in Azarbaijan.

Joveini's brother was the powerful Shams al-Din, who had served as Minister of Finance under Hulagu and Abaqa Khan. A skillful leader in his own right, Shams al-Din also had influential in-laws: his wife Khoshak was the daughter of Awak Zak'arean-Mkhargrdzeli, Lord High Constable of Georgia, and Gvantsa, a noblewoman who went on to become queen of Georgia. Joveini's own position at court and his family connections made him privy to information unavailable to other historians. For unknown reasons Joveini's history terminates in 1260, more than twenty years before his death.

The standard edition of Joveini is published under the title Ta' rīkh-i jahān-gushā, ed. Mirza Muhammad Qazwini, 3 vol, Gibb Memorial Series 16 (Leiden and London, 1912-37). An English translation by John Andrew Boyle The History of the World-Conqueror was republished in 1997.

References

1. ^ Colin A. Ronan (1995). The Shorter Science and Civilisation in China. Volume 5 of The Shorter Science and Civilisation in China: An Abridgement of Joseph Needham's Original Text (illustrated ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 250. ISBN 052146773X. http://books.google.com/books?id=dwZzTvNwA84C&pg=PA250&dq=Moreover,+many+Chinese+were+in+the+first+wave+of+the+Mongolian+conquest+of+Iran+and+Iraq+-+a+Chinese+general,+Guo+Kan,+was+first+governor+of+Baghdad+after+its+capture+in+ad+1258.+As+the+Mongols+had+a+habit+of+destroying+irrigation+and&hl=en&ei=or_mTs-CIKP20gHriJ3jCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Moreover%2C%20many%20Chinese%20were%20in%20the%20first%20wave%20of%20the%20Mongolian%20conquest%20of%20Iran%20and%20Iraq%20-%20a%20Chinese%20general%2C%20Guo%20Kan%2C%20was%20first%20governor%20of%20Baghdad%20after%20its%20capture%20in%20ad%201258.%20As%20the%20Mongols%20had%20a%20habit%20of%20destroying%20irrigation%20and&f=false. Retrieved 2011 November 28. "Moreover, many Chinese were in the first wave of the Mongolian conquest of Iran and Iraq - a Chinese general, Guo Kan, was first governor of Baghdad after its capture in ad 1258. As the Mongols had a habit of destroying irrigation and" 
2. ^ Original from the University of Michigan Thomas Francis Carter (1955). The invention of printing in China and its spread westward (2 ed.). Ronald Press Co.. p. 174. http://books.google.com/books?id=NZRFAAAAMAAJ&q=The+name+of+this+Chinese+general+was+Kuo+K'an+(Mongol,+Kuka+Ilka).+He+commanded+the+right+flank+of+the+Mongol+army+in+its+advance+on+Baghdad+and+remained+in+charge+of+the+city+after+its+surrender.+His+life+in+Chinese+has+been+preserved&dq=The+name+of+this+Chinese+general+was+Kuo+K'an+(Mongol,+Kuka+Ilka).+He+commanded+the+right+flank+of+the+Mongol+army+in+its+advance+on+Baghdad+and+remained+in+charge+of+the+city+after+its+surrender.+His+life+in+Chinese+has+been+preserved&hl=en&ei=qMDmTvvVDYfY0QGq74zdCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA. Retrieved 2011 November 28. "The name of this Chinese general was Kuo K'an (Mongol, Kuka Ilka). He commanded the right flank of the Mongol army in its advance on Baghdad and remained in charge of the city after its surrender. His life in Chinese has been preserved" 
3. ^ Thomas Francis Carter (1955). The invention of printing in China and its spread westward (2 ed.). Ronald Press Co.. p. 171. http://books.google.com/books?ei=oeThTY-nNujW0QGWxYmmBw&ct=result&id=NZRFAAAAMAAJ&dq=Chinese+influences+soon+made+themselves+strongly+felt+in+Hulagu%27s+dominions.+A+Chinese+general+was+made+the+first+governor+of+Baghdad%2C5+and+Chinese+engineers+were+employed+to+improve+the+irrigation+of+the+Tigris-Euphrates+basin&q=Chinese+influences+soon+made+themselves+strongly+felt+in+Hulagu%27s+dominions.+A+Chinese+general+was+made+the+first+governor+of+Baghdad%2C5+and+Chinese+engineers+were+employed+to+improve+the+irrigation+of+the+Tigris-Euphrates+basin. Retrieved 2010-06-28. "Chinese influences soon made themselves strongly felt in Hulagu's dominions. A Chinese general was made the first governor of Baghdad,5 and Chinese engineers were employed to improve the irrigation of the Tigris-Euphrates basin" 
4. ^ Jacques Gernet (1996). A history of Chinese civilization. Cambridge University Press. p. 377. ISBN 0521497817. http://books.google.com/books?id=jqb7L-pKCV8C&pg=PA377&dq=mongols+chinese+general+baghdad&hl=en&ei=BubhTYTkM-Lj0gGgtqG1Bw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=mongols%20chinese%20general%20baghdad&f=false. Retrieved 2010-10-28. 
5. ^ Lillian Craig Harris (1993). China considers the Middle East (illustrated ed.). Tauris. p. 26. ISBN 1850435987. http://books.google.com/books?ei=PO7hTdTsBeHv0gH339CgBw&ct=result&id=fmptAAAAMAAJ&dq=Throughout+this+period+and+for+some+time+after%2C+Chinese+influence+in+the+Middle+East+remained+strong.+The+first+governor+of+Baghdad+under+the+new+regime+was+Guo+Kan%2C+a+Chinese+general+who+had+commanded+the+Mongols%27+right+flank&q=guo+kan. Retrieved 2010-06-28. "The first governor of Baghdad under the new regime was Guo Kan, a Chinese general who had commanded the Mongols' right flank in the siege of Baghdad. Irrigation works in the Tigris-Euphrates basin were improved by Chinese engineers" (Original from the University of Michigan)

• Mongols, Huns, and Vikings, by Hugh Kennedy, 2002.

External links

• History of the World Conqueror by Ala Ad Din Ata Malik Juvaini, translated by John Andrew Boyle, Harvard University Press 1958, on the Internet Archive