A Princely Pandect on Astronomy

This book presents an English-language translation of Risl-yi Munya, or the Munya Epistle. Risl-yi Munya is one of the earliest known works of Nar al-Dn s (12011274), an intellectual luminary of the 13th century CE. The work is notable for the choice of Tus's native Persian as the language of the text. In addition, Tus organized his volume into a four-part structure, which went on to become a popular template for the Islamic astronomers who succeeded him.

This book helped ensure the patronage of Tus's courtly patrons during his decades-long stay with the Ismals, as well as the continuation of his remarkable career under the first Ilkhanid rulers of Persia. This translation helps make this notable treatise accessible to English language readers. It is among a handful of English translations of major astronomical works dealing with hay'a/cosmography in the Islamic world.

Subsequently Tus was to pen hisown commentary on the work (the all-i Mushkilt-i Munya, or A solution to the difficulties of the Munya) and he used this occasion to discuss his celebrated mathematical formulation the Tus Couple (a concept that he merely hinted at in the Risl-yi Munya).

Presents an English-language translation of a major astronomical work of the Islamic era Contains what is perhaps the first English translation of a Persian work in hay'a Highlights a work that was to serve as a much-duplicated template for similar works in hay'a published subsequently in Arabic and Persian

Auteur
Kaveh Niazi received a Ph.D in applied physics from the University of California, Berkeley (1995) as well as a Ph.D in the history of science from Columbia University, New York, in 2011. He is the author of "Qut b al-Din Shirazi and the Configuration of the Heavens" (Springer, 2014). His research interests include the history of astronomy, geology, and engineering in the Islamic era.

Texte du rabat

This book presents an English-language translation of Ris l -yi Mu n ya, or the Mu n ya Epistle. Ris l -yi Mu n ya is one of the earliest known works of Nä r al-D n s (1201 1274), an intellectual luminary of the 13th century CE. The work is notable for the choice of T u s s native Persian as the language of the text. In addition, T u s organized his volume into a four-part structure, which went on to become a popular template for the Islamic astronomers who succeeded him. This book helped ensure the patronage of T u s 's courtly patrons during his decades-long stay with the Ismä l s, as well as the continuation of his remarkable career under the first Ilkhanid rulers of Persia. This translation helps make this notable treatise accessible to English language readers. It is among a handful of English translations of major astronomical works dealing with hay a/cosmography in the Islamic world. Subsequently T u s was to pen his own commentary on the work (the all-i Mushkil t-i Mu n ya, or A solution to the difficulties of the Mu n ya) and he used this occasion to discuss his celebrated mathematical formulation the T u s Couple (a concept that he merely hinted at in the Ris l -yi Mu n ya).

Contenu

Preface.- Part I. Introduction.- Chapter 1 Ts's haya. - Chapter 2 Ts as a Young Scholar.- Chapter 3 On the Structure and Contents of Risla-yi Munya .- Part II. Edition and Translation of Risla-yi Munya .- Chapter 4 Book One: On the Introduction to this Science.- Chapter 5 Two: On the Configuration of the Celestial Bodies.- Chapter 6 Book Three: On the Configuration of the Earth and the Difference in the State of its Regions Due to the Difference in the State of the Celestial Bodies.- Chapter 7 Book Four: On the Distances and Bodies.- Part III. Ts's Commentary on Risla-yi Munya .- Chapter 8 The Chapters. Appendices.- Glossary.- Bibliography.- Index.

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