The Tuhfet ul-Leta’if
The Combat of Champions from Shah Ramin’s and Saruyah’s Armies
Fol. 215v-216r from a manuscript of Tuhfet ul-Leta’if
Turkey, Istanbul, 1593–1594
Opaque watercolour, gold, and ink on paper
AKM280.50
This double-page illustration from the Tuhfet ul-Leta’if depicts a battle between the armies of Shah Ramim and the King of Iraq, Saruyah. Such contests are common in Islamic epic tradition; a famous example is the “Battle of the Twelve Rukhs” from the Shahnameh, pitting Iranian and Turanian champions against one another.