Islamic manuscripts of late medieval Rum, 1270-1370 : production, patronage and the arts of the book

Between the Mongol invasions in the mid-13th century and the rise of the Ottomans in the late 14th century, the Lands of Rum were marked by instability and conflict.

Despite this, a rich body of illuminated manuscripts from the period survives, explored here in this extensively illustrated volume.

Meticulously analysing 15 beautifully decorated Arabic and Persian manuscripts, including Qur'ans, mirrors-for-princes, historical chronicles and Sufi works, Cailah Jackson traces the development of calligraphy and illumination in late medieval Anatolia.

She shows that the central Anatolian city of Konya, in particular, was a dynamic centre of artistic activity and that local Turcoman princes, Seljuk bureaucrats and Mevlevi dervishes all played important roles in manuscript production and patronage.