Habibi (poet)

Habibi (Azerbaijani: Həbibi, حبیبی; 1470–1519/1520) was a late 15th and early 16th century poet. He is regarded as the most important Azerbaijani poet of his generation.

Habibi spent the early years of his life in the court of Aq Qoyunlu ruler Yaqub Beg, where he began writing his first poems. In 1502, he became a Safavid court poet, earning the title "king of poets" from Safavid king Ismail I. His works were written in his native Azerbaijani language and dealt with topics like love, alcohol, Hurufism and Sufism. He influenced major later poets, including Fuzuli, and had a significant influence on the development of Azerbaijani literature. Habibi spent his final years in Anatolia, where he died in 1519 or 1520.