Ghiyath ud-din Baysunghur ( غیاث‌الدین بایسنقر) commonly known as Baysonqor or Baysongor, Baysonghor or (incorrectly) as Baysunqar, also called Sultan Bāysonḡor Bahādor Khan (1397–1433) was a prince of the

Timurid dynasty The Timurid dynasty, self-designated as Gurkani (), was the ruling dynasty of the Timurid Empire (1370–1507). It was a Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslim dynasty or Barlās clan of Turco-Mongol originB.F. Manz, ''"Tīmūr Lang"'', in Encyclopaedia of I ...

. He was known as a patron of arts and architecture, the leading patron of the Persian miniature in Iran, commissioning the Baysunghur Shahnameh and other works, as well as being a prominent calligrapher. Baysunghur was a son of Shah Rukh, the ruler of

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

and

Transoxiana Transoxiana or Transoxania (, now called the Amu Darya) is the Latin name for the region and civilization located in lower Central Asia roughly corresponding to eastern Uzbekistan, western Tajikistan, parts of southern Kazakhstan, parts of Tu ...

, and Shah Rukh's most prominent wife, Gawhar Shad. In the view of modern historians, Baysunghur was actually a better statesman than his more famous elder brother, Ulugh Beg, who inherited Shah Rukh's throne, but who "must have envied his younger brother, Baisunghur, whom his father never saddled with major responsibilities, which left him free to build his elegant madrasas in Herat, gather his ancient books, assemble his artists, and drink". He was well-versed in Persian, Arabic, as well his native Chagatai. He was a patron of Persian historians, including Hafiz-i Abru (died 1430), who dedicated his book ''Zubdat al-tawārīkh-i bāysunghurī'' to him. Herat_Gawhar_Shad_mausoleum

Baysunghur was living in Herat as governor by 1417. After temporarilly taking Tabriz from the Qara Qoyunlu in 1421, together with his father Shah Rukh, he brought back to Herat a group of Tabrizi artists and calligraphers, formerly working for Ahmad Jalayir, who he installed in Herat to add to his existing artists from Shiraz. They became the most important school of artists in Iran, merging the two styles. File:Prince Baysungur Dallying with His Ladies, 1426, Academy of Baysungur (Baysungur detail).jpg, Baysungur dallying with his Ladies, 1426 painting File:Baysunghur watches a hunt. Herat 1427.jpg, Baysunghur watching a hunt. Herat, 1427 File:Baysunghur attending a hunt. Shahnama (Baysunghur) (Gulistan Museum Ms 716) Frontispiece, 1430 painting.jpg, Baysunghur attending a hunt. 1430 painting

Personal life

;Consorts Baysunghur had five wives: *Jan Malik Agha, daughter of Amir Chulpan Qauchin; *Gawhar Nasab Agha, a lady from Khwarezm; *Khandan Agha; *Afaq Agha; *Shah Begi Agha; ;Sons Baysunghur had three sons: * Ala al-Dawla Mirza - with Jan Malik Agha; * Abul-Qasim Babur Mirza - with Gawhar Nasab Agha; * Sultan Muhammad Mirza - with Khandan Agha; ;Daughters Baysunghur had eight daughters: *Ruqaiya Begi Begum - with Shah Begi Agha; *Fatima Sultan Begum - with Gawhar Nasab Agha; *Zuhra Begi Begum - with Gawhar Nasab Agha; *Aisha Begi Begum - with Afaq Agha, married to Sultan Masud Mirza, son of Sayorghatmish Mirza, son of Shah Rukh; *Sa'adat Begi Begum - with Khandan Agha; *Bakht Daulat Begum; *Payanda Sultan Begum; *Sahib Sultan Begum, married to Muhammad Khalil Mirza son of Muhammad Jahangir Mirza, son of Muhammad Sultan Mirza, son of Jahangir Mirza;

References

Sources

* * {{Authority control Timurid dynasty People from Herat 1397 births 1433 deaths Calligraphers of the medieval Islamic world