Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s public admiration for Persian literary giants like Jalaladdin Rumi and his recitation of Azerbaijani nationalist poetry reflects a deep-seated tradition among Turkic rulers. This tradition, spanning over a millennium, reveals how Persian literature became a cornerstone of cultural and political identity for Turkic dynasties, from the Samanids and Seljuks to the Ottomans. By examining this historical lineage, we uncover why Erdogan, as a modern Turkish leader, continues to champion Persian literary heritage as a tool for national pride and geopolitical influence.

The Samanid Revival: Laying the Foundations of Persian Literary Prestige

The Samanid Dynasty as Cultural Stewards

The Samanid Empire (819–999 CE), rooted in Khorasan and Transoxiana, played a pivotal role in revitalizing Persian language and culture after the Arab conquests. As Iranian rulers under nominal Abbasid suzerainty, the Samanids strategically promoted Persian as a vehicle for administrative and cultural unity. Kings such as Nasr II (r. 914–943) and Mansur I (r. 961–976) transformed Bukhara and Samarkand into hubs of learning, patronizing poets like Rudaki, often hailed as the father of Persian poetry, and the epicist Ferdowsi, whose Shahnameh (Book of Kings) became a seminal text of Iranian identity.

The Samanid court’s emphasis on Persian was not merely cultural but political. By commissioning translations of Arabic scientific works into Persian and fostering a literary renaissance, they asserted a distinct Iranian identity within the Islamic world. This "Iranian Intermezzo," as historians term it, established Persian as a lingua franca of art and governance, a legacy later adopted by Turkic dynasties.

Ministers and Bureaucrats as Literary Patrons

Samanid viziers, particularly the Balami family, were instrumental in this cultural project. Abu Ali Bal'ami’s Persian translation of al-Tabari’s Arabic history, Tarikh-i Bal'ami, exemplifies efforts to make knowledge accessible in Persian. Such initiatives ensured that Persian became the language of administration and high culture, setting a precedent for subsequent Turkic rulers who sought legitimacy through Persianate traditions.

The Seljuks: Persian as the Language of Empire

Great Seljuks and Their Dual Legacy

The Seljuk Empire (1037–1194), though Turkic in origin, inherited the Samanid cultural blueprint. Sultans like Alp Arslan (r. 1063–1072) and Malik Shah (r. 1072–1092) relied on Persian bureaucrats such as Nizam al-Mulk, whose Siyasatnama (Book of Government) articulated Persianate ideals of kingship. While the Seljuks themselves were less directly involved in literary patronage, their ministers and regional governors—often Persian-speaking Iranians—championed poets like Omar Khayyam and Anwari.

The Seljuks of Rum: Persian Literature in Anatolia

In Anatolia, the Seljuks of Rum (1077–1308) cultivated a distinct Persian literary culture. Under Qilich Arslan II (r. 1156–1192) and his successors, poets like Mahsati Ganjavi, known for her quatrains, found patronage. The Masnavi of Rumi, composed in Konya during this period, emerged as a masterpiece of Sufi poetry, blending Persian lyrical traditions with Islamic mysticism. Despite their Turkic origins, the Seljuks of Rum embraced Persian to project sophistication and connect with broader Islamic intellectual currents.

The Ottomans: Persian Historiography and Imperial Identity

Early Ottoman Engagement with Persian

Ottoman historical writing in Persian, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries, served as a tool for legitimizing their nascent empire. Works like Tāceddin Ibrāhim Aḥmedi’s Dāsitān-i Tevāriẖ-i Müluk-i Āl-i ʿOsòmān (Epic of Ottoman History), composed in Anatolian Turkish but infused with Persian stylistic elements, reflect the interplay between Turkic identity and Persian literary norms. Iranian émigrés, fleeing Safavid and Timurid conflicts, brought Persian historiographical traditions to the Ottoman court, enriching its cultural landscape.

Persian’s Decline and Lingering Influence

By the 17th century, Turkish supplanted Persian as the dominant literary language. However, Persian retained prestige in elite circles, evident in the works of poets like Fuzuli, who wrote in both languages. The Ottomans’ admiration for Rumi endured, with Mevlevi Sufi orders preserving his legacy. This enduring connection underscores Persian literature’s role in shaping Ottoman spiritual and cultural identity.

Erdogan’s Strategic Embrace of Persian Literary Heritage

Rumi as a Symbol of Unity

Erdogan’s frequent invocations of Rumi—whom he credits with fostering “tolerance and fraternity” in Turkey—draw direct parallels to Seljuk and Ottoman patronage. By celebrating Rumi’s Masnavi as a timeless work “written with love,” Erdogan positions himself as a guardian of a shared Turco-Persian legacy, transcending modern nationalist boundaries.

The Pan-Turkist Subtext

Erdogan’s 2020 recitation of Bakhtiyar Vahabzadeh’s poem Gülüstan in Baku, which laments the division of Azerbaijanis by the Aras River, taps into a pan-Turkist narrative. This poem, rooted in Soviet-era Azerbaijani nationalism, echoes the Samanid-era “literature of longing” that romanticized a unified Turkic world. By invoking such themes, Erdogan aligns himself with historical Turkic rulers who used Persianate culture to assert regional influence.

Cultural Appropriation and Criticism

Critics argue that Erdogan’s appropriation of minority cultural icons like Rumi—a Persian-speaking figure born in present-day Afghanistan—erases their diverse origins. Yet, this tactic mirrors the Ottoman and Seljuk practice of assimilating Persian literary figures into a broader Islamic-Turkic identity, reinforcing Turkey’s geopolitical aspirations.

Conclusion: Literature as a Tool of Continuity

Erdogan’s affinity for Persian literature is no mere personal preference but a calculated revival of a millennium-old tradition. From the Samanids’ cultural nationalism to the Ottomans’ historiographical projects, Persian served as a bridge between Turkic rulers and the Islamic world’s intellectual currents. Today, Erdogan wields this legacy to bolster Turkey’s soft power, positioning it as the heir to a shared Turco-Persian civilization. As in the past, literature remains a potent instrument for crafting identity, legitimizing authority, and projecting influence across borders.