Sainthood narrative in the life story of a political figure: Memoirs of Shah Tahmasp I Safavi

Abstract

In pre-Islamic and Islamic Iran there existed the concept of the ruler as an intermediary between God and humankind. A just ruler was imbued with the grace of God which also extended to cover his subjects. An alternative hierarchy emerged in the course of the development of the mystical tradition in Islam: Suf “saints” took on the role of conduits of God's grace, while the rulers' role was reduced to devotedly listening to and following their teachings and counsels. In the 15th and 16th centuries, there were several attempts to combine the functions of the “saint” and the ruler. Such attempts needed an ideological justifcation. Some traces of the sainthood narrative being inserted into the life stories of rulers can be found in written sources from that period. Shah Tahmasp I's ‘Memoirs' are one of the most representative examples.