The Role of Cultural Policy in the Formation of the Intellectual Class in Timurid Iran

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the role of cultural policy in the formation of the intellectual class in Timurid Iran. Employing a historical-analytical approach and relying on primary sources and reputable research, the process of creating a class of intellectual elites within the framework of Timurid cultural policies has been examined. The findings reveal that the Timurids, especially during the reigns of Shahrukh and Ulugh Beg, established educational institutions, libraries, madrasas, and supported scholarly and Sufi circles, thereby providing the social and institutional foundations necessary for nurturing intellectuals who played multiple roles in knowledge production, legitimization of political power, and cultural leadership. These intellectuals, unlike the modern conception of absolute independence, operated at the intersection of power and knowledge and achieved a distinct historical self-awareness by utilizing Persian language, religious-mystical discourse, and institutionalized education. The study highlights that Timurid cultural policies were not merely temporary measures for consolidating power but contributed to the development of enduring traditions in the political thought of Iran, whose impacts are still observable in later periods. It is suggested that future research focus on the institutional and discursive continuities of intellectualism within Islamic Iran and undertake comparative studies across other Islamic civilizations.