Arboriculture among the Ilkhanids According to “Âsâr waAḥyâ” “Âsâr ûAhyâ”ya Göre İlhanlılarda Ağaç Yetiştiriciliği
Journal of Universal History Studies, cilt.9, sa.1, ss.101-131, 2026 (Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 9 Sayı: 1
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.38000/juhis.1860302
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Universal History Studies
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.101-131
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Agricultural History, Agricultural Practices, Experience-Based Knowledge, Ilkhanid Period, Âsâr wa Ahyâ
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
During the Mongol campaigns, the extensive destruction of agricultural lands in Iran, ͑Irâq-i ͑Ajam, and Azerbaijan, together with the damage inflicted on pastures and irrigation systems, led to the displacement of rural populations. In the aftermath of these developments, the Ilkhanids, who settled in the Iranian lands, faced a severe crisis in agricultural production, while the socio-economic structure of the region was considerably weakened. The agricultural reforms initiated after Ghazan Khan’s accession to the Ilkhanid throne constituted a major turning point in the broader process of state reconstruction. This study examines the epistemic foundations upon which Ilkhanid attempts to revive agricultural production were based from the reign of Ghazan Khan onward. By analysing the practices of arboriculture, seed preservation, grafting, fertilisation, and soil cultivation discussed in detail in Rashîd al-Dîn Faḍl Allâh al-Hamadânî’s “Âsâr wa Aḥyâ”, the study explores how agricultural knowledge was produced and how it acquired administrative and social functions within the process of reconstruction. Among the principal studies evaluating Hamadânî’s agronomic approach within the context of Ilkhanid agricultural reforms are Lambton’s “The Âs̱ âr wa-Aḥyâ͗ of Rashîd al-Dîn Faḍl Allâh Hamadânî and His Contribution as an Agronomist” and Himmet Taşkömür’s “Understanding Soil in Ilkhanid and Post-Ilkhanid Filâḥa Books (1300–1600).” In addition, Harun Dıraman’s study, “The Significance of Rashîd al-Dîn Faḍl Allâh Hamadânî (1248–1318), Vizier of the Ilkhanid State, in Terms of the History of Agricultural Sciences,” introduces Hamadânî’s approach to agriculture in general terms, though it does not examine it in detail. Apart from these works, studies on Ilkhanid agricultural policies have largely addressed the subject through the frameworks of iqṭâ͑ practices and fiscal reforms. While drawing on the existing literature, this study seeks to address a gap in the field by subjecting “Âsâr wa Aḥyâ” to a direct text-centred analysis and by situating it within the reconstruction of the Ilkhanid agricultural economy. Conducted within the framework of document analysis, a qualitative research design, this study draws primarily on “Âsâr wa Aḥyâ”, together with Ibn al-͑Awwâm’s “Kitâbal-Filâḥa”, Ibn Waḥshiyya’s “al-Filâḥa al-Nabaṭiyya”, and Haravî’s “Irshâdal-Zirâ͑a”. These texts were subjected to content analysis; statements concerning agricultural practices were divided into units of meaning and coded accordingly. The resulting codes were grouped according to thematic similarities and content-based relations, through which sub-themes were identified and a thematic structure was formed. The findings were then interpreted within their historical context and in relation to the relevant literature. The findings indicate that the knowledge presented systematically in“Âsârwa Aḥyâ”was grounded less in simple transmission than in observation and practical experience. While the discussions of grafting reveal an intuitive awareness of biological compatibility and processes of transmission, the examples of fertilisation point to the sustainable organisation of the agricultural cycle through the reuse of waste materials. In this respect, the study contributes to the evaluation of historical agricultural knowledge within the frameworks of continuity in knowledge production and resource management.