Star Lore Art The Book of the Birth of Iskandar 1411

First and foremost, the Book of the Birth of Iskandar is a horoscope. It is a fly leaf from the personal horoscope of Sultan Iskandar, showing the positions of the heavens at the moment of his birth on April 25, 1384. Iskandar was the grandson of Tarmalan, a Turco-Mongol conqueror and founder of the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia. Although mainly a product of astrology, the manuscript of 1411 deserves a place in our art collection as a unique combination of middle eastern art and western astronomy.

This site has no opinion on astrology and neither opposes nor endorses any concept in which the stars may or may not influence human behavior or historical events. However, this manuscript is much more than a horoscope. Wikimedia calls it "... an exquisite work of art and an exemplary production of the royal kitabkhana 'publishing house'. The manuscript is lavishly illustrated and reflects the efforts of a whole range of specialists: astronomers (among them Imad ad-Din Mahmud al-Kashi), illuminators, gilders, calligraphers and craftsmen, and specialists in paper-making." The images have been taken from several sites in the public domain of the internet. Click on the pictures for larger images.

The Book of the Birth of Iskandar Source: Wikimedia

ARIES Wikimedia		TAURUS wellcomecollection.org		GEMINI Wikimedia

CANCER Wikimedia		LEO wellcomecollection.org		VIRGO Wikimedia

LIBRA Wikimedia		SCORPIUS Wikimedia		SAGITTARIUS Pinterest

CAPRICORNUS wellcomecollection.org		AQUARIUS Wikimedia		PISCES wellcomecollection.org

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