These three volumes represent some of the most important historical sources for medieval Islamic scholarship. Yet the Persian of the original texts is often extremely difficult, even for accomplished scholars. Distinguished linguist and orientalist Wheeler Thackston here provides lucid, annotated translations that make this key material accessible to a wide range of scholars. Mirzar Haydar's 'Tarikh- i - Rashidi' provides a history of the of the Khans of Moghulistan, the vast stretch of territory between the ancient cities of Central Asia and Mongolia. Khwandamir's The Reign of the Mongol and the Turk covers the major empires and dynasties of the Persianate world from the 13th to the 16th century, including the conquests of the Mongols, Tamerlane, and the rise of the Safavids. The final volume, written by the grand vizier of the Mongol rulers of Iran, includes a valuable survey of the Turkic and Mongolian peoples, a history of Genghis Khan's ancestors, and a detailed account of his conquests.
About the Author: Muhammad Haydar Dughlat (1499-1551), known familiarly as Mirza Haydar, was a military general and ruler of Kashmir. A first cousin of Babur, the conqueror of Northern India and progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, he was raised by Babur in Kabul for several years, who also supervised his education.

Mir Ghiyasuddin Muhammad Husayni, known as Khwandamir, was born around 1475 into a highly educated religious elite. He was a historian and member of the Safavid administration and was in Shah Isma'il's service until around 1528, when he set off for India to join the Emperor Babur in Agra. Khwandamir died around 1535.

Rashiduddin Fazlullah was grand vizier to the Mongol rulers of Iran. He was commissioned by the monarch Gazan Khan (1295-1304) to compile a history of all the peoples of the world. He set up a charitable foundation outside Tabriz, which included a hospital, pharmacy, a theological school, a school for orphans, a scriptorium, and a library. He was put to death in 1318.

Wheeler M. Thackston is an orientalist and a distinguished translator and editor of Persian and Arabic historical and literary works. Author of a number of noted Persian and Arabic grammars, he is Emeritus Professor, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilzations, Harvard University.