Classical Persian through Historical Texts: Reading Juwaynī's Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy
September 24 - November 12
2025 (weekly)
Instructor: Ruben S. Nikoghosyan
Languages: English, Persian
Duration: 8 weeks (16 hours of instruction)
Frequency: 1 class per week (Wednesdays)
Duration of a Session: 2 hours
Deadline for Applications: September 17
Classes Start: September 24 (6pm Yerevan Time)
Location: Online (Zoom)
Required level of Persian: Intermediate
Text Edition: ʿAlā-od-Dīn ʿAṭā-Malek Joveyni, Tārīx-e Jahāngošāy, ed. Moḥammad b. ʿAbd-al-Vahhāb Qazvīnī. E. J. W. Gibb Memorial Series 16/1-3, 3 vols., London, 1912-37.
Participation Fee: 260 USD
Registration: To apply, please click the “Apply” button above. Complete all required fields and submit. Accepted applicants will receive further instructions on participation.
Note: All materials will be provided by the instructor

The image of the historian ʿAṭāmalik Juwaynī in the earliest surviving copy of Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy, Suppl. Pers. 205, Bibiliothèque Nationale de France
‘Alā-ud-dīn ʿAṭāmalik Juwaynī’s three-volume Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy (The History of the World Conqueror) is one of the most important historical works written in classical Persian in the 13th century. It covers a period crucial not only for the history of Iran, but also for that of Asia and Europe as a whole, making it an essential text for historians. Juwaynī, an official in Mongol service with access to a wide range of sources, produced one of the key accounts of the Mongol Empire in the first century of its existence.
The work’s three volumes address a variety of topics: from the origins of the Mongols and other nomadic empires to their expansion and conquests across Central Asia and the Near East, with attention to their far-reaching consequences. The second and third volumes are also of particular significance, treating the history of the Khwārazmshāhs and the Ismāʿīlī movement, alongside a number of related subjects. Together, these elements make the Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy indispensable for the study of the medieval Middle East and Central Asia.
Course Overview
This 8-week course is designed as an introduction to the classical Persian text of Juvaynī’s Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy. Classes will meet once a week on Wednesdays (6pm Yerevan time), where we will read and analyze selected passages, first from the printed text and later also from the earliest manuscript of the work (Suppl. Pers. 205, BnF). The sessions are structured to ensure the active participation of all attendees and will consist of close readings, discussions of Classical Persian grammar, vocabulary, and stylistics, as well as consideration of the historical significance of Juvaynī’s narrative in a broader context.
The course is intended as a general introduction to the use of Classical Persian in historical writing. Its main objective is to provide participants with the linguistic and philological tools necessary to approach other classical Persian historical works independently.

Mohammad Qazvīnī's edition of the Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy. Volume I, p. 179

A manuscript page from Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy (1290). Folio 50v, Suppl. Pers. 205, Bibiliothèque Nationale de France.
After this course, you will be able to:
- Read and translate average historical Classical Persian texts independently;
- Understand how the Classical Persian grammar works;
- Navigate the complex style of rhymed prose;
- Recognize and analyze hundreds of words and phrases;
- Gain insights as to how to work with manuscripts.
Course Structure
The classes will take place once a week over an 8-week period. Each session will last 2 hours (with a 15 minute breaK), totaling 16 hours of intensive instruction. Each session will revolve around readings and discussions of selected chapters and passages from Juwaynī’s Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy. Below is a breakdown of the main activities during each class:
- Overviewing the homework passages and answering questions (15 minutes)
- Reading the text (45 minutes)
- Break (15 minutes)
- Reading the text (40 minutes)
- Discussion (5-10 minutes)
During the course students will be encouraged to ask questions and discuss topics related to the content, history or any related topics to the text. All questions (the more challenging the better) are highly encouraged, as they foster academic dialogue and help create a fertile environment for exploring the hidden dimensions of the text. Each participant is encouraged to actively contribute, making the discussions dynamic and enriching for everyone.
Methodology
One of the key tactics in my teaching is to analyze every single detail – every particle, every word, and every grammatical expression in a text. Nothing should remain unexplained, and if something is challenging to explain, we treat it as a problematic passage. In my approach, I don’t simply say, “This is how it is,” but rather explain why it is so, whether due to specific grammatical, lexical, or phraseological rules.
Additionally, another key strategy I use is to place the text within a broader historical and linguistic context. This involves exploring the evolution of the Persian language and comparing Classical Persian grammar to its Middle and Modern counterparts, thus clarifying all the intricacies for my students.


