Shah Ismail Khatai is the founder of Safavids, first shah, classical poet of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani Turkish was declared state language first time in the history during the reign of Shah Ismail. He wrote his poems with pseudonym of “Khatai”.
Shah Ismail was born on June 23, 1487 in Ardabil in the family of religious – political figure, head of sect. He is from Safavids dynasty. His grandfather Sheikh Juneyd and father Sheikh Heydar were rulers. His mother Alamshahbayim was daughter of Uzun Hasan, ruler of Aghqoyunlu.
His father Sheikh Heydar was killed in 1488 in the war with Shirvanshah, Ismail and his family were imprisoned. Having spent 4,5 years in prison, Aghqoyunlu Rustam Bayanduri released them from Istakhr fortress and sent them to Ardabil. Shortly after, getting scared of the fame of Sheikh Heydar’s son and sent troop of 5000 horsemen after them. Gizilbash adherents were defeated in the Shamasi battle. Although Aghqoyunlu re-occupied Ardabil, they couldn’t find Ismail and Ibrahim. Because Gizilbash adherents took them away from Ardabil to Gilan – Lahijan. Ismail stayed in Lahijan with his brother for 6 years and learned Arabic and Persian and reading “Guran” from Shamsaddin Lahiji.
After a number of conquests, Ismail came to Tabriz in 1501 and declared himself Shah. In 1503 he defeated Sultan Murad near Hamadan and put an end to the history Aghqoyunlu reign. After it, he gained much greater victories in his military marches. Till 1510 he had conquered Iraq, including whole Iran and Baghdad. The vast territory between Amu Darya and Euphrate was subjugated to the Safavids. In general, the Safavids was considered one of the most powerful states in the Near East.
Regardless of his short life and spending much of his time in state affairs, Shah Ismail Khatai left rich and diversified literary legacy after his death. He wrote in three languages- Turkish, Arabic and Persian, both in Arud and syllabic verse and in the genres of epic and lyric. The sincere poetry of Khatai appearing as an answer to claims of his time merged with his public activity in most cases. This poetry either joined the sword in battle fields, or turned to the sermons of wise elders and sheykhs of sect, or commenter of heart full of love to the world and human. Khatai’s poems encompass love to heroism, beauty, inner purity, but hatred to evil, ugliness, faithlessness, apostasy, infidelity and ignominy.
Beginning his literary activity from adolescence, Khatai wrote his first poems under the impact of Yunus Imra, Gazi Burhanaddin, Imadaddin Nasimi. His poems in syllabic verse are of qoshma, garayli, varsaghi, bayati genres, and his poems in Arud verse are of ghazal, gasidah, gitah, murabbe and tarjiband genres. The literary legacy of the poet consists of “Divan”, didactic poems, “Nasihatnameh” (Book of Advice) and “Dahnameh” (Book of Ten Letters). The major part of his works are in Azerbaijani Turkish just a few of them being in Persian and Arabic. Khatai is lyrical poet. The key plot of his poems, especially goshma and garayli, is admiration of Shia (or Shiite) – Gizilbash sect. Khatai dedicated some his poems to propagation of Sufi views. His poems about Sufism express great humanism. He thought love to be unearth feeling and the way of spiritual eminence. Idealizing the love as “bearing power of universe “, the poet also wrote the poems glorifying the nature. The simplicity, naturalness and originality of his poetic style is worth attention. He gave a great importance to the development of native language poetry, he was the benefactors of poets writing in native language and set up assembly of poets in his palace. Azerbaijani was not only literary language during his reign, but also became an official language and was used in diplomatic correspondence. Khatai’s poems reached a number of countries of the Near East during his time. His manuscripts have been preserved up to date in famous manuscript funds and museums of the world. Shah Ismail Khatai died on May 23, 1524. He was buried in the Sheykh Safi tomb in Ardabil. He passed away when he was 36 in full swing of his life, creative activity and wishes, but he gained immortality for his achievements in such a short period. Khatai is accepted as the founder of one of the most brilliant pages of political and cultural history of Azerbaijan people. An opera (M. Magomayev “Shah Ismail”) and a symphony (S. Farajov “Shah Khatai”) were composed about him, one of the districts and metro stations in Baku were named after him, also an oil tanker named after Shah Ismail Khatai. His monuments were built up in Baku, Ardabil and most cities of Azerbaijan.
MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN