Similar Narration of the Other: Lârî’s Narration of the Battle of Çaldıran under Ottoman’s Influence (1514)

Abstract

The Battle of Çaldıran in 1514, which took place between the Ottoman Empire under Sulṭān Selīm (d. 926/1520) and the Safavid Empire under Shāh Ismāʿīl (d. 930/1524), is a key historical moment. Its interpretation, however, differs markedly between Ottoman and Safavid historical accounts. Ottoman narratives herald it as a resounding triumph, while Safavid accounts portray it as Sulṭān Selīm’s failed attempt to completely subjugate their empire. This study examines the instrumental role of Lārī, a Safavid expatriate living in the Ottoman Empire, in the production of his historical treatise ‘Mir’atü’l-advār ve Mirkātü’l-Ahbār’. It argues that Lārī, animated by loyalty to the Ottoman perspective and antipathy towards the Safavids, deliberately endorsed the Ottoman version, despite his intimate acquaintance with Safavid sources. His chronicles portray the Safavids as deviating from Islamic principles, thereby sanctioning Sulṭān Selīm’s military incursion. This study emphasizes that the sixteenth-century rivalry between the Ottomans and the Safavids gave rise to different paradigms of behavior, shaped by different ambitions such as the pursuit of material gain, social status and prestige. In this context, Lārī serves as a prominent case in point.