Unsuri, Abu Al-Qasim Hasan Ibn Ahmad
Unsuri, Abu Al-Qasim Hasan Ibn Ahmad
Born 970 or 980; died 1039. Persian poet.
Originally from Balkh, Unsuri moved to Ghazni, where he won the favor of Sultan Mahmud al-Ghazni and received the title of king of poets (malik ol-shoara). Unsuri wrote three epic poems, two of which have not been preserved. The extant fragments of the epic poem Vamigh and Azra are based on an ancient Greek plot. Some 50 qasidas, ten ghazals, 70 rubaiyat, and one qita have been preserved from Unsuri’s lyric output. Unsuri continued the poetic traditions of Rudaki, but his poetry is highly complex in form and his range of subjects is limited.
REFERENCES
Bertel’s, E. E. “Stil’ epicheskikh poem Unsuri.” Dokl. AN SSSR: V, 1929, no. 3. Pages 47–53.Osmanov, M.-N. O. Chastotnyi slovar’ Unsuri. Moscow, 1970.