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Annon: Hamzanama (The Story of Hamza)(15th)

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Taken from: HAMZA-NAMA i. GENERAL – Encyclopaedia Iranica by William L. Hanaway

African Elites in India By Kenneth X. Robbins, John McLeod

https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/rwKSxX7YjiTZJg

The adventures of Hamza : painting and storytelling in Mughal India BOARD OF THE FREER AND SACKLER GALLERIES.

 

The book developed through storytelling in Persia from the 11th century around Hamza the paternal uncle of the Prophet. It became most popular in India. The earliest evidence of a written Hamzanama in India are from the end of the 15th century. The scenes with the Zangis comes out of the Akhbar Hamzanama (10) from the 16th century.

The action takes place around the time of Kosrow and his minister Bozorgmehr (1), but the context is clearly Islamic. Hamza is born in Mecca at the same time as Umar Omayya Zomari (4)(variant: Zomri), and the two children grow up together and become lifelong companions. Hamza is precocious physically. At court, Hamza and the ruler’s daughter Mehr Negar fall in love, and this sets in motion a lengthy series of adventures that take Hamza and Umar Omayya as far afield as Sarandib (Sri Lanka), Turkestan, Rum (Byzantium), Tangier (2), and the lands of the demons (divs) and fairies (paris), namely Mt. Qaf (3).

The Hamzanama of the The Mughal ruler of India, the Emperor Akbar comprised a remarkable total of 1,400 images, each of huge size of which 200 survive. They are not sufficient to retell the story but we can deduct some passages out of it for the study of medieval East Africa.

 

The first is a look at the live and dead of a Black Zangi Champion: Tul Mast: Son of Salsal the Zangi, one of Amir Hamza's ayyars (9)

 

P104+291

SHAHRASHOB (11) ABDUCTS HAMZA, WHOSE COMPANIONS SEARCH FOR HIM IN TAKAW

 

……… a different boat - manned by Hamza's brother Ayjil (12) and son Alamshah (13), and Tul Mast (14)- is sailing toward Sabayil. Despite the best efforts of the sailor Yunus (16), the boat is blown thoroughly off course,

…….. Two days after Ayjil, Alamshah, and Tul Mast got lost at sea, the storm subsided. Is Sabayil near? They asked the sailor. 'My lords,' he said, 'we may have been carried off to a distance of two or three months. They sighed and said, 'We have no provisions in this boat.  What's to become of us?' 'We have some slaves along,' said Tul Mast (14). 'We could kill them.' Ayjil (12) refused to agree to this.

'Prince,' said Tul, 'we will all die. It would be better if even a few of us remain alive.' When the slaves heard this, they bemoaned their fate to God's court. God had mercy on them and took the boat across the face of the water like the wind. They reached the shore by night and rejoiced.

 

………. They had landed at Takaw, where Malik Arghus (15) rules and Hamza's archenemy, Zumurrud Shah (8), is rumored to be afoot. Once the companions are in the town, Yunus makes his way to a caravanserai and asks for a room. The innkeeper, one Baba Junayd (17), begins to turn him away for want of space, but changes his mind when Yunus (16) confides to him that his friends reek of money, and those who accommodate them will surely be perfumed by It. The travelers take a room over the gate, and Tul asks the proprietor to store some goods for a while.

 

P111 + 291

AYJIL (12), ALAMSHAH (13), AND TUL MAST (14) ARRIVE AT TAKAW AND SELL GOLD AND JEWELS TO

KHWAJA NU'MAN (18), WHO RECOGNIZES ALAMSHAH AS A FORMER FRIEND

 

Comrades,' said Ayjil, 'we ought to think about money. Tul Mast gave a jewel-studded belt, and the other comrades took off what sword and dagger belts they had, as well as anything that was jewel-studded. They pounded the gold and gave it to Yunus (16), saying, 'Do you know anybody who can change this into money'. ……..

……… they need a money-changer, and are introduced to Khwaja Nu' man, a merchant who by chance has helped Hamza before and is known to Alamshah. He reveals his identity to Alamshah in private. Soon afterward, he shares his good news with Baba Junayd (17), who has his own complicated reasons to be gladdened by the presence of the Iranian heroes. While waiting for news of Hamza, Ayjil, Alamshah, and Tul Mast (14) go in disguise to see a much-heralded champion, performing feats of great skill for Malik Arghus, the king of Takaw ……….

The innovative composition is the first sign of the handiwork of a master artist, but there are many other indications. Typically, they are concentrated on the key figures in the illustration. In this case, they include the gauzy rendering of the white scarf around Nu'man's (18) shoulder, the rounded contours of his jama, the exceptionally fine drawing of his feet, the rich brown color of Ayjil's turban, and the luminous modeling of Tul's (14) scarlet jama.

One minor technical feature worth noting here is the faint label with Tul's name which is inscribed above his hand; this is a rare example in this project of a supervisory note left for the artist, probably to ensure that Tul, who is identified as a Zangi in the caption, would begiven appropriately dark skin.

 

ZUMURRUD SHAH (8) WITNESSES THE PROWESS OF MAHLAJ, WHO THRUSTS HIS SPEAR THROUGH A TREE

P112 +292

Word spreads of a festival at which various champions will perform feats of great skill for Malik Arghus (15), the king of Takaw, in his lovely spring garden. AyjiI, Alamshah, and Tul Mast (14), who take pride in their own strength and skill, are naturally interested in this spectacle.

…… The next day, when the sun illuminated the world and the sound of drums and clarions came from the gate of Malik Arghus's court, all the people of the city headed out for the gate to the spring garden. Ayjil (12), Alamshah (13) and Tul Mast disguised themselves as merchants and left the caravanserai with Khwaja Nu'man (18), heading for the garden. …….

 

Zumurrud Shah (8) told Shahrashob (11) the story of Alamshah, Tul Mast (14), and Ayjil and that they are in the city and then he said, 'If they escape from here, we will have to rethink everything lest they rescue Amir Hamza from our clutches.

Observing the events from an inconspicuous position between the tree and the left edge of the painting are the three Iranian heroes. Tul (14) has resumed normal proportions, no small trick of a disguise, and the plumed figure, either AyjiI or Alamshah (13), has shed the beard he wore in the previous illustration. Zumurrud Shah's (8) scarlet jama is practically identical to Tul's (14) in the previous illustration.

 

THE CAPTIVE HAMZA AND HIS ALLIES MEET UP IN TAKAW

Malik Arghus's (15) operatives, greet Shahrashob's (11) henchmen at the water's edge, and are subsequently informed that Shahrashob holds the Amir captive. They relay the news to a delighted Arghus, who orders the drums sounded. Ayjil (12), Alamshah (13), and Tul Mast (14) learn the cause of this morbid celebration, and vow to rescue Hamza at all cost.

Hamza is led on a chain to the court. Zumurrud Shah (8) commands Hamza to prostrate himself, but Hamza defiantly proclaims that he will do so before God alone. Zumurrud Shah orders him killed, but is dissuaded by Arghus (15) on the grounds that a public killing might provoke those Iranian champions who had just exhibited their awesome might. Zumurrud Shah agrees and orders Shahrashob to escort Hamza personally to prison, a place so daunting and dreadful that no escape is possible. By chance, the cortege passes by the caravanserai of Baba Junayd, where the Iranian champions continue to reside. Hearing the commotion, Tul looks out the window and sees the Amir, captive yet proud, but he and his companions can do nothing for the moment.

 

35 SHAHRASHOB (11) LEADS HAMZA TO PRISON AND TUL MAST (14) RECOGNIZES THE AMIR FROM

HIS ROOM IN THE CARAVANSERAI OF BABA JUNAYD (17)

Shahrashob takes hold of Hamza's chains and, surrounded by a huge armed guard, leads the Amir through the city and past Baba Junayd's (17) caravanserai, where his would-be rescuers see him.

Tul Mast (14) opened the window and saw Shahrashob (11) holding the Amir's chain with three or four thousand men around the Amir holding naked swords to prevent the champions from making a rescue attempt.

The Amir was walking like an enraged lion and a furious elephant. The champions sighed in despair, unable to help.

In the painting however; Tul Mast (14), though anyone who even remotely matches his previous description is absent.

P154+156+299

THE BATTLE OF SHISAN PASS - ALAMSHAH (13) SLAYS TAYHUR AND CLOSES THE SHISAN DAM

Hamza learns that Shisan in ancient times it was an inhospitable desert, but that it adjoined a mountainous valley watered by a large river. King Solomon, recognizing the possibilities of this terrain, ordered the host of demons at his command to build a dam in the valley so that water could be delivered to the desert below. One demon, Shisan Dev by name, took on this colossal task, and with the help of thousands of demons, completed it in five years.

The dam holds back the waters of a mountain valley and is plugged at the bottom by a huge brass ball on a chain. To lift the heavy plug and release the water into the desert below, it takes hundreds of men to wind the chain on a wheel at the top of the dam. Kayhur Dev, a descendant of the

demon builder, now controls the dam.

(after some fighting)

(The div) cranks the wheel to dislodge the brass ball from its place at the base of the dam. A great torrent sweeps downhill and completely inundates Hamza's camp, drowning many there.

Kayhur div steals into Hamza's camp and beheads two champions as they sleep. When the murders are discovered in the morning, Hamza's ayyars (9) try to track the killer but without success. That night, Kayhur decapitates Prince Umar Gorzad. Umar (4) continues the search with redoubled energy, and his scouting takes him to the Shisan dam, where he discovers a large band of infidel soldiers. Umar returns to camp and gets reinforcements, among them Alamshah (13) and TuI Mast. Finally, a battle breaks out, and Alamshah (13), seeing him atop the dam, splits him open and cuts the chain holding up the huge ball.

This is all the information on the Giant Zangi champion Tul Mast I found in the book. Note that he is the only hero in Hamza’s army to undergo such a horrible dead.

 

The second is to show the information on Lakman the Wise the prophet from East Africa.

 Vol 11 painting 50

Hamza, Landhaur (21), and Zumurrud Shah (8) stand bound before Lakman's (6) throne. (The heads are typical for Africans in Mughal paintings.)

THROUGH UMAR'S TRICK, AMIR HAMZA, LANDHAUR, UMAR MA'DIKARB,

AND ZUMURRUD SHAH ARE PLACED BOUND BEFORE LAKMAN'S THRONE

 

At many times, Umar and Zumurrud Shah are pitted against one another, each doing his wily best to outwit his foe and foil his designs. The preceding two pages have been lost, and so we know nothing of the details of his deceit. We do not know how they arrived among the Zangis with Lakman, king of the Zangis. In the Hamza legend, Zangis are portrayed as exotic tribal people.

 

The text that follows the painting supplies the aftermath of this ruse. Hamza rewards Umar for his action, accepts the homage of task man and grants the Zangi control of some distant territories, and takes the opportunity to chastise Zumurrud Shah.

 

The adorners of speech in the assemblies of eloquence have made their ambergris-scented pens flow thus in expressing this sweet ancient story:

When Khwaja Umar (4) bowed down at the Amir's (5) feet and opened his mouth in apology. The Amir showed him great favour and then proclaimed a banquet in his Solomonic tent and had the drums sounded in rejoicing. Khwaja Umar (4) brought Lokman (6) and Tahamtan's Zangis to pay homage to the Amir, and he was given a place in the Solomonic tent. The Amir (5) showed him great favour, Khwaja Umar (4) received from the Amir the island of Nardan and its dependencies along with several other provinces for Lakman. They were given robes of honor and given permission to depart.

Zumurrud Shah the lost and the black-faced infidels were summoned to be given advice, but no matter how much he stressed his points, it was of no use.

What profits advice to the black-hearted? An iron nail will not go into stone.

If they had bound me by force of manliness and chivalry, said Zumurrud Shah, the advice would have had an effect on my heart. But you, bound me through trickery. All this talk is of no use.

Actually, the Amir said, what Zumurrud Shah says is not untrue. Take the bonds from Zumurrud Shah's and the other infidels hands and feet. As ordered, the men rushed to release them, and the infidels were released and went to their homes.

The narrator says that the shahs and princes praised and extolled Khwaja Umar (4). The Amir (5) gave a sumptuous banquet for him.

 

The painting presents the culmination of Umar's ruse. Seated on a luxurious throne set beneath a large plane tree is a black-skinned, white- bearded figure, apparently Lakman, the Zangi king. Pressing close to him are his subjects, many clutching maces and other weapons, all garbed flamboyantly in the hides of tigers and leopards. Before the enthroned figure are many captives whose hands are bound with rope. Even under such circumstances Hamza is accorded the place of honour, and sits on a fine carpet before some open books and writing implements. Three other captives are recognizable by their distinctive physiques: Landhaur,the huge, black-skinned figure on the left; Umar Ma'dikarb, in orange; and Zumurrud Shah, the familiar bearded nemesis.

 

More Zangi appear in the story mostly as cannibals and ferocious fighters in the service of others.

…… releasing a fearsome Zangi from prison, where he is sent for eating people…….

……. The Zangi begins to decimate Ibrahim's men,…….

……. but ran afoul of some Zangis, who devoured her companion…….

…….. The ayyar's (7) report provokes the king to send two Zangis to kill Hamid…..

…….. Hamza's son Badi'uzzaman and Kharatish fight a duel in which the giant Zangi is wounded……

…….. From the Saffron Desert comes a ZangI with two thousand men,' he said. 'He Is called Lung Zangi …….

…… the demon Shisan married a Zangi woman who was fifty cubits tall, Gahwara Zangi by name …..

……. Kharas Zangi and forty blood-thirsty Zangis kept constant watch at the gate……

…… Ahraq Zangi came onto the field and martyred forty from the army of Islam, ……

……. When we arrived here, a group of Zangis appeared. I climbed up this tree and they didn't see me, but they ate Kajrah Ayyar (7)…..

……. went and informed the king, who had two man-eating Zangis he sent…..

……. The brother of Daylam Simat Zangi waged war, and Iklil was defeated. The Zangis attacked the gates ofthe city. Nuruddahr came out and killed Daylam Simat Zangi's brother…..

 

Sometimes the Zangis are used to personify the night:

…… and the dagger of the sun put a rip in in the heart of the Hindu of the night, and the tears of the planets rolled down over the cheek of the Zangi of the night…….

Malik Na'im's (24) vizier, Muhandis, proposes to wreak havoc among Ibrahim's forces by releasing a fearsome Zangi from prison, where he is sent periodically for eating people. Na'im agrees, and sends out the Zangi to carry the fight to the God-worshippers, The Zangi begins to decimate Ibrahim's men, but he soon runs into the formidable Ibrahim himself, who quickly tears him to pieces…..

(The scene shows grotesque carnage, with Ibrahim literally ripping the Zangi's arm completely away from his body. The Zangi is centrally framed with a congruent screen of rocks. On both sides of the composition clusters of soldiers representing the opposing armies.

This painting has lost its accompanying text, and its caption is now obscured by a modern border. An old photograph in the possession of the Brooklyn Museum of Art, however, documents both the caption and the painting number. The caption identifies the scene as: Zardhang Khatni, an ayyar (7) also mentioned in cat.31 and 84, giving a ring to Maltas the prison keeper, presumably as a kind of a distraction or bribe to help secure the release of the two prisoners depicted in the upper left. The painting number (86) enables us to refine this identification. The text following a painting numbered 84 (cat. 71) concludes with a passage indicating that all Hamza's champions are being locked up in Zarduhusht's black pit, from which no escape is possible. Thus, allowing for the story to develop a bit in the intervening (and now missing) folio, we can reasonably conclude that this painting belongs to volume 11 and illustrates the rescue of Hamza's champions.

(1) Bozorgmehr: was an Iranian sage and dignitary, who served as minister of the Sasanian king Kavad I (r. 498–531), and Khosrow I (r. 531–579). He also served as the military commander of Khwarasan under Khosrow I and his successor Hormizd IV (r. 579–590).

(2) Tangier: a Moroccan port on the Strait of Gibraltar

(3) Mt. Qaf: Mount Qaf: in Arabic tradition is a mysterious mountain renowned as the "farthest point of the earth" owing to its location at the far side of the ocean.

(4) Umar: Son of Umayya Zamiri, loyal comrade of Amir Hamza and the greatest ayyar of the age, often referred to as Khwaja Umar and Baba Umar.

(5) = Amir Hamza. Amir: a government minister.

(6) Lokman: Luqman the Wise: Loqman (mythical black philosopher from Nubia or Ethiopia). On Luqman the wise see my webpage of: Annon: Hamzanama (The Story of Hamza)(15th); Abd al Halim 1312; al-Tarsusi 12th; Al-Jahiz (776-869) Al-Fakhar al-Sudan. Luqman is presented as the model of the wise person in the Quran: XXXI 11/12-18/19.

(7) ayyar :a noun meaning literally “vagabond,” applied to members of medieval brotherhoods and comparable popular organizations.

(8) the giant Sorcerer Zumurrud Shah, the archenemy of Amir Hamza.

(9) ayyar :a noun meaning literally “vagabond,” applied to members of medieval brotherhoods and comparable popular organizations.

(10) The Hamzanama made for the 16^th century Mughal ruler of India, the Emperor Akbar.

(11) Shahrashob literally meaning ‘Disturber of the City' is an enemy ayyar.

(12) Ayjil; One of Amir Hamza's brothers.

(13) Alamshah Rumi ('the Greek') One of Amir Hamza's sons.

(14) Tul Mast: Son of Salsal the Zangi, one of Amir Hamza's ayyars.

(15) Arghus: Malik Arghus ruler of Takaw.

(16) Yunus; sailor, captain of a ship;

(17) Baba Junayd: innkeeper at Takaw.

(18) Khwaja Nu'man a friendly merchant in the city of Takaw

(19) Farrukhsuwar also Farrukhsawar a knight and an important man in Hamza’s council.

(20) Tahmasp: the might of the Indian giant Tahmasp Anquil.

(21) Landhaur: a Prince of Sri Lanka who joint Amir Hamza early on. He is the big African looking giant who is also a prisoner.

(22) Tahamtan's Zangis would later still join in a battle.

(23) Umar Ma'dikarb: A former opponent of Amir Hamza, now a stalwart, sometimes comical, warrior companion.

(24) Malik Na'im: a infidel king of India who when captured at the end becomes Muslim.