Bīzhan is captured in Manīzha’s apartments, from the Book of Kings (Shāhnāma)

Naqdi

Bīzhan is captured in Manīzha’s apartments, from the Book of Kings (Shāhnāma). The Book of Kings (Shāhnāma) describes the reigns of fifty ancient rulers of Iran, with dramatic sidestories about heroic champions of the court. In this episode, the young hero Bīzhan and the foreign princess Manīzha have fallen in love, even though their two countries have long been bitter enemies. She smuggles him into the palace, and they stay happily in her private apartments until her father the king finds out. Furious, the king sends the princess’s brother to arrest Bīzhan, and he is dragged away. Folio, ink, colours and gold on paper, Persian text in nasta`liq script, with two framed rubrics (recto) and painting (verso), from dispersed manuscript of the Book of Kings (Shāhnāma) by Firdausi, artist’s name (Naqdī?) inscribed in right margin possibly Qazvin, Iran, c. 1570-1585.