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NIZAMIDDIN MIR ALISHER NAVOI
(1441-1501)
An outstanding Uzbek poet, thinker and statesman. He wrote verses under the pseudonym of Navoi. Navoi is the largest figure of Uzbek and other Turkic literatures known in the west as Chagatai literature. Navoi was born and spent most part of his life in the town of Hirat located in Horasan. His parents had very close relations with Timurids- the off springs of Tamerlaine. From his earliest he had friendship with future governor of Horasan -Husain Baykara and from 10-12 years old he begun to write verses.
During the life Navoi has visited many countries of the East, and got acquainted with many outstanding oriental people. Develop his poetic mastership. In 1464-65 his admirers made his first collected verses (divan). This fact tells that by this time Navoi was already known as a poet. Until 1469, Navoi was forced to live far away from his hometown of Hirat due to internal family conflicts of Timurids.
In 1469 his old friend and descendant of Tamerlaine - Husain Baykara conquered the town of Hirat, and became the governor of Horasan. Since that time begun a new stage in life of Navoi. He actively participate in political life of his country. At the same year the governor of Horasan appoints Navoi on position of State stamp keeper - Muhrdar and in 1472 on position of Vizir - the prime minister. Being on this position Navoi helps cultural and scientific intelligence of the country, he also become very rich person at this time, and built several madrassah- schools, 40 rabats - the hotels, 10 suffi shelters, 9 saunas and 9 bridges, besides that he makes a lot of things for his nation. But such positive activities do not like the encirclement of the governor, and they take attempts to quarrel the old friends. Husain Baykara excuse Navoi from his position and in 1487 sent him to the town of Astrabad to full the position of the governor. There Navoi spent 2 years before Baykara allowed him to come back and offered some position in government. But Navoi refuses. Despite of that Baykara gives him the position of counselor with the right of participation in state management.
Since that begun a new epoch in the life of Navoi, he spent more time writing. Most of his works were done since that period till the end of his life. In 1490-1501 Navoi wrote his main Lyric, public, philosophic and scientific works. In 1483-85 he wrote "Hamsa", the work consisted of 5 separate poems: "Hairat al-abrar" - "confusion of righteous", "Farhad va Shirin" -"Farhad and Shirin", "Laili va Majnun", "Sabai saiyar" - " Seven planets", "Saddi Iskandari" - "the wall of Iskandar". "Hamsa" - is the first work in that genre ever written in Turkic language. Navoi tried to prove that it is possible to create such work in Chagatai (old uzbek) language, which can stand on the same level with works written in Persian and Tadjik languages. And in fact he did it. Navoi tried himself in all popular genres of literature of the time and shows that he has his own voice and style.
In the oriental history were written more then 120 poems on the theme of "Laili and Majnun", Navoi also wrote a poem but with his own style. In that poem he describes relationships between Laili and Manjun. He tried to express and transform human and suffi love.
During the life, Navoi wrote huge quantity of lyric works in 16 genres from 21 available. His last work was "Mahbub al-kulub" written in 1500.
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