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6 - The King’s Person and Character

from Part II - Texts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2023

Edited and translated by
Louise Marlow
Affiliation:
Wellesley College, Massachusetts
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Summary

In the mirror literature, power and sovereignty are identified with the king’s person. The king’s conduct established a model, which his subjects would follow; consequently, the ruler’s actions and behaviour determined the nature of the polity. The king’s cultivation of virtue is, in consequence, a pragmatic as well as a moral imperative. The mirror-writers insist on the importance of the king’s self-discipline as a prerequisite for his governing other people; if he is unable to govern himself, he will be incapable of governing anyone else. The three extracts in this section describe the virtuous and effective king. From different perspectives, they treat some of the ethical and philosophical problems of human nature; in particular, they discuss how to strengthen, acquire and practise virtues and how to overcome and eradicate vices. The texts in this section are drawn from Yūsuf Khāṣṣ Ḥājib, Kutadgu bilig; al-Māwardī, Tashīl al-naẓar wa-taʿjīl al-ẓafar; and Kaykāʾūs, Qābūsnāmeh.

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Chapter
Information
Medieval Muslim Mirrors for Princes
An Anthology of Arabic, Persian and Turkish Political Advice
, pp. 143 - 179
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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  • The King’s Person and Character
  • Edited and translated by Louise Marlow, Wellesley College, Massachusetts
  • Book: Medieval Muslim Mirrors for Princes
  • Online publication: 15 January 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108348645.007
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  • The King’s Person and Character
  • Edited and translated by Louise Marlow, Wellesley College, Massachusetts
  • Book: Medieval Muslim Mirrors for Princes
  • Online publication: 15 January 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108348645.007
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The King’s Person and Character
  • Edited and translated by Louise Marlow, Wellesley College, Massachusetts
  • Book: Medieval Muslim Mirrors for Princes
  • Online publication: 15 January 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108348645.007
Available formats
×