Nagisa or Nakisa was a noted
harpist and composer of
Sasanian music in the
royal court of
Khosrow II ().
She was singing in this court.
Nizami mentioned her in his book
Khosrow and Shirin
''Khosrow and Shirin'' () is a romantic Epic poetry, epic poem by the Persians, Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi (1141–1209). It is the second work of his set of five poems known collectively as Khamsa of Nizami, ''Khamsa''. It tells a highly el ...
.
Amir Khosrow Dehlavi mentioned her in another story of Shirin and Khosrow.
Historical context
The
music of Iran/Persia stretches to at least the
prehistoric
Prehistory, also called pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the first known use of stone tools by hominins million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use o ...
depictions of
arched harps from 3300 to 3100 BCE, though not until the 224–651 CE
Sasanian Empire
The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...
is substantial information available.
This influx of Sasanian records suggests a prominent musical culture in the Empire, especially in the areas dominated by
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religions, Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zoroaster, Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, ...
.
Many Sassanian
Shahanshah
Shāh (; ) is a royal title meaning "king" in the Persian language.Yarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII, no. 1 (1989) Though chiefly associated with the List of monarchs of Iran, monarchs of Iran, it was also used to refer to the ...
s were ardent supporters of music, including the founder of the empire
Ardashir I
Ardashir I (), also known as Ardashir the Unifier (180–242 AD), was the founder of the Sasanian Empire, the last empire of ancient Iran. He was also Ardashir V of the Kings of Persis, until he founded the new empire. After defeating the last Par ...
and
Bahram V
Bahram V (also spelled Wahram V or Warahran V; ), also known as Bahram Gur (New Persian: , "Bahram the onager unter), was the Sasanian Empire, Sasanian King of Kings (''shahanshah'') from 420 to 438.
The son of the incumbent Sasanian shah Ya ...
.
Khosrow II () was the most outstanding
patron, his reign being regarded as a
golden age of Persian music.
In addition to Nagisa, musicians in Khosrow's service included Āzādvar-e Changi,
Bāmshād,
Rāmtin,
Sarkash and
Bārbad, who was the most famous.
These musicians were usually active as
minstrel
A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. The term originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist enter ...
s, which were performers who worked as both court poets and musicians; in the Sassanian Empire there was little distinction between poetry and music.
Court service and music
Nagisa is believed to have been of Greek origin.
She collaborated with
Barbad on her famous
septet piece, the ''Royal Khosrowvani'' (سرود خسروانى). The main themes of her songs were in praise of King
Khosrau II.
Barbad and Nagisa greatly influenced and contributed to the Persian musical system,
Khosrowvani.
Accounts say that once Nakisa's audience was so moved by her performance that they passed out, or tore their garments (''jame-daran'').
Notes
References
Sources
;Books and Chapters
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;Journal and Encyclopedia articles
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Further reading
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{{authority control
7th-century women
Iranian composers
Iranian women composers
Harpists
Musicians from the Sasanian Empire
7th-century Iranian people
Women harpists
7th-century musicians
Medieval women composers
Women from the Sasanian Empire