Jalal al-Din Davani

Jalal al-Din al-Dawani^[a] (Persian: جلال الدین دوانی; 1426/7 – 1502), also known as Allama Davani (علامه دوانی), was a theologian, philosopher, jurist, and poet, who is considered to have been one of the leading scholars in late 15th-century Iran.

A native of the town of Davan in the southern Iranian region of Fars, Davani completed his education at the provincial capital of Shiraz, where he started to distinguish himself. In the 1460s, he briefly served as the sadr (chief of religious affairs) of the Qara Qoyunlu governor of Fars, Mirza Yusuf, and accompanied the latter's father Jahan Shah (r. 1438–1467) in his battle against the Aq Qoyunlu ruler Uzun Hasan (r. 1453–1478), where the latter emerged victorious. Initially taking refuge and distancing himself from the Aq Qoyunlu, Davani soon entered their service, being appointed as qadi (chief judge) of Fars by Uzun Hasan's son and successor, Ya'qub Beg (r. 1478–1490).

Davani was also in contact with figures outside Iran, such as the Ottoman sultan Bayezid II (r. 1481–1512) and the rulers in India, whom he dedicated several of his works to, especially during Ya'qub Beg's reign. With the constant flow of gifts that Davani was receiving from his patrons, he eventually became rich. However, all of his belongings were soon confiscated in 1498 or 1499 by the Aq Qoyunlu ruler of Fars, Qasim-Bay Purnak. Davani afterwards spent much of his time in various small cities south of Shiraz, such as Jirun (Hormuz) and Lar. He died in October/November 1502, and was buried in his hometown.

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