Uzbekistan is a land that has experienced one of the greatest Renaissances in history. This is why President Sh. Mirziyoyev said, “ We set ourselves the main goal of creating a new ‘Renaissance’ in Uzbekistan through large-scale democratic changes, including educational reforms, i.e., the foundation of the Third Renaissance” (President.uz) . Indeed, when one reads the history of Uzbekistan, it becomes clear that it is a land with an incredibly rich history, whether in science, literature, or other fields. Literature holds a crucial place in the history of civilizations. Among the great literary works, we find Alisher Navoiy.
Alisher Navoi (born in 1441 and died in 1501) is a poet who holds a central place not only in Uzbekistan but in the entire Turkic world and all of Central Asia. He is the most studied poet of Chagatai literature. He is one of the greatest poets of the Timurid period. The Timurids are a dynasty that developed in Central Asia and whose empire extended to Turkiye in the west, India in the south, and the Chinese borders in the east. The founder is Emir Timur, one of the greatest emperors in history.
For example, on 8 August 2024, the Presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, unveiled a monument honoring the great poet and thinker Alisher Navoi in the Kazakh capital.
Navoiy is the most studied figure in classical Chagatai literature. Zeki Velidi Togan said that : “ He is the greatest figure of the Chagatai literature that developed in Central Asia during the Timurid era”.
Chagatai (proto-uzbek) language which was used for centuries as a general cultural language in almost all Turkic countries from Kansu to the banks of the Volga and Crimea, Khorasan, and India, gained importance in high literary circles, especially after Navoi. Grammar and dictionary books specific to Çağatay were created to read Navoiy’s works, and among Ottoman poets, up to the Tanzimat period, there was no shortage of those who wrote nazire (poetic responses) to Navoi in Chagatai.
The brilliance of Alisher Navoiy, who emerged as a bright star in the mid-15th century in Central Asia, spread from Anatolia to the Balkans, contributing to the enlightenment of humanity with his works and ideas. Alisher Navoiy, was not only a poet and politician but also a researcher of the nation’s psychology, a humanist, a teacher, and a person of multifaceted talent and ability (Джемени, 2021: 44).
The Life of Alisher Navoiy, one of the greatest poets and writers of the Uzbek language and the Turkic world, was born on February 9, 1441, in Herat to a noble Uyghur/Uzbek family. Eden Naby highlights the environment in which Navoiy, was born by stating, “He was born into the high aristocracy of the city of Herat” according to Naby (1987). The city of Herat, along with Samarkand, was an important cultural center in Central Asia and in the Uzbek history (capitale of the Uzbek Renaissance).
Alisher Navoiy’s ancestors were nobles who served in the courts of Timur and his descendants. Consequently, Navoiy was born in the palace and became the closest friend of Sultan Husayn Bayqara, a Timurid (Uzbek dynasty) prince according to Bulut (2017).
Thanks to his grandfathers and father, Navoiy received an excellent education within the palace environment and its opportunities. Under the supervision of Abulqosim Bobur (great-grandson of Amir Timur) in Herat, he was educated alongside Sultan Husayn Bayqara (Timurid/Uzbek ruler), receiving an equivalent education to that of his childhood friend and future ruler, in a palace frequented by the most renowned scholars of the time according to Nalbant (2021) .
Sources also tell us that at the age of 12, Alisher Navoi wrote “Malik ul-Kalam” with his ghazal “Malik ul-Kalam” (Abidjonovna, 2024: 218).
Husayn Boyqaro was a Timurid Emir from 1469 to 1506 and is known for his strong support of Navoiy. When Sultan Husayn Bayqara ascended the throne of Khorasan in 1469, he first appointed Alisher as the seal-keeper and later gave him the roles of divan bey and confidant. According to records, Navoiy demonstrated valor in battles as a statesman and fought against corruption. Indeed, the poet was also a politician and served as a “Vazir” (a type of minister in Uzbek) between 1472-74.
From 1478-1480, he worked as a governor in Astrobod. His friend Husayn Boyqaro bestowed upon him the titles “Amirul-Kabir” (the greatest emir) and “Amirul muqarrab” (the emir closest to the king) according to Abidjonovna (2024). Navoiy, who was inherently averse to political conflicts, declined some of the positions offered to him, choosing instead to serve as a confidant (advisor/counselor), a role he found more suitable, and resigned from the position of divan bey.
Due to his noble and wealthy background, Alisher Navoiy became a symbol of charity and generosity with around 370 charitable works (madrasas, caravanserais, khanqahs, bridges, tombs, etc.), and a symbol of patriotism by not receiving a salary from the state and providing financial aid to the state. He died in Herat in 1501. At the age of nineteen, Alisher Navoiy met the famous Sufi poet Abdurahman Jami (Jomiy in Uzbek) and became his student. Jami helped him develop both as a poet and a statesman.
Navoiy understood the importance of compiling translations and dictionaries for the development of each language and communication with other languages. Therefore, he wrote a “Turkic (Proto-uzbek language)-Persian” dictionary (Джемени, 2021: 45).
The Influence of Alisher Navoiy in the Turkic World Aliser Navoiy, the most famous poet and writer of the Turkic world, composed 120,000 couplets in his 60-year life and elevated the Turkic languages to the status of a poetic language, making him one of the most magnificent figures in the Turkic world.
Abjalova & Gulomova (2023:) explain that “Gazelles are the main part of Navoiy‘s poetry. In the history of gazel writing, the period in which Alisher Navoiy lived was the real initial period of Uzbek literature, the period of its rise.”
In his work “Nesâ‘imü’l-Mahabbe,” Navoiy translated Jami’s Persian work “Nefeḥâtü’l-üns min ḥażarâti’l-ḳuds,” written in 883 (1478), which contains the life stories of saints, into Chagatai (proto-uzbek language)(Kut, 1989 26).
Navoiy’s works spread throughout the Turkic geography from Central Asia to present-day Iran, India, and Anatolia during his lifetime. Dictionaries of Navoiy were prepared in these regions to understand his works. With these characteristics, Navoiy is a figure who serves as an example not only to Uzbekstan, to the Turkic world but to the entire world.
Navoiy’s influence was seen in Kazan, Russia, Central Asia, Türkiye, and all Turkic-speaking regions. His approximatelùy thirty works, including “Nevadirü’n-Nihaye,” which is considered his masterpiece, form the main subject of this study (Nalbant, 2021).
Many poets and writers from past to present have been influenced by his pen and thoughts. From Fuzuli, who wrote in Azerbaijani, to the great divan poet Nedim, many poets have continued to follow the path opened by Alisher Navoiy according to Bulut (2017).
Alisher Navoiy’s Contribution to the uzbek Language
Navoiy’s greatest contribution to the Uzbek language was his effort to establish national unity by utilizing the constructive power of the language.
For example, “Muhakemetü’l-Lügateyn,” written by Alisher Navoiy on December 4, 1499 (905), compares the linguistic capabilities of Turkic and Persian and demonstrates that Turkic is a superior language to Persian (Bulut, 2017).
One of the first factors that directed him to produce works in his native language was the fact that his uncles, with the pseudonyms Kabuli and Garibi, wrote poems in proto-uzbek language. In his work “Mecalisü’n-Nefâyis,” he mentions his uncles and their uzbek poems. The work, which gained importance as the first biographical dictionary of poets written in the field of uzbek language, was written in 1491-1492 (897) (Bulut, 2017).
Alisher Navoiy Contribution to Chagatai (proto-uzbek)
Chagatai (proto-uzbek) became a major cultural language after Navoiy. Navoiy is considered the most influential figure in the culture and development of Chagatai literature.
Alisher Navoiy Influence on Anatolian (Ottoman)
The interest shown in Turkic in Central Asia with Navoiy marked the beginning of the development of Ottoman literature.
The influence of Alisher Navoiy on Turkish literature was first addressed by the Turkish Navoiy scholar Fuad Köprülü and the English Orientalist E. Gibb. As Köprülü also noted, Navoiy became a poet at the “center” of Ottoman literature“.
Köprülü also adds: “From the second half of the 15th century until the Tanzimat, all Ottoman poets learned the Chagatai dialect and read Navoiy‘s works to complete their literary culture, and they wrote poetic responses (nazire) in the same dialect. (…) It is our national and scientific duty to introduce Navoiy, whom great poets like Ahmed Pasha, Mahmud Pasha (Adni, d. 1474), Lami’i Çelebi, Fuzuli, Nedim, and Sheikh Galip recognized as a master, to Turkish youth with all his greatness“.
In the Fatih Collection of the Süleymaniye Library, there are books by Alisher Navoiy such as Lugat-ı Nevâ’î, Münâcâtnâme, Dîvân , Hamse, and Mecâlisü’n-Nefâ’is.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, a different cultural atmosphere emerged. In the 15th century, Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror (d. 1481) and Bayezid II (d. 1512) had great interest in Central Asian poets and scholars. For example, Lami’i Çelebi (1472-1532), a divan poet and disciple, translated Alisher Navoiy‘s work “Ferhâd u Şîrîn” in 1512 and presented it to Yavuz Sultan Selim according to Önal (2015).
Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (known by his pen name Muhibbi) is known for his interest in Navoiy. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent is one of the poets who wrote the most ghazals in Ottoman poetry history and wrote poetic responses (nazire) to Navoiy‘s poems. The tradition of responding to Navoiy in the Ottoman court began with Avni (Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror), continued with Adli (Selim I), and ended with Muhibbi (Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent).
Alisher Navoiy‘s works have been translated into Ottoman Turkish. For example, the work “Târîh-i Mülûk-i ‘Acem” was translated into Ottoman Turkish in Vienna in 1872 under the title “Târîh-i Fenâî.”
The Influence of Alisher Navoiy on Azerbaijani Literature
Navoiy‘s work can be considered a significant literary bridge between Uzbek and Azerbaijani literature. Many Azerbaijani poets traveled to Central Asia (Actual Uzbekistan) and brought the influence of Navoiy‘s poetry to Azerbaijan, including Shahgulu Bey, Suseni Bey, and others.
The literary relations between the Uzbek and Azerbaijani peoples reached their peak in the 15th century thanks to Alisher Navoiy. Alisher Navoiy, who benefited from the works of Azerbaijani poets such as Nizami Ganjavi, Imadaddin Nasimi, Ashraf Maraghi, and Kasim Anvar, influenced the works of many Azerbaijani poets from his time to the present day, including Kishvari, Khatai, Fuzuli, Rahmeti, Sadiki, Amani, Zafer, Saib, Kovsi, and many others.
The influence of Alisher Navoiy on Azerbaijani literature, the spread of his works in Azerbaijani lands, and the tradition of writing poetry in the style of Alisher Navoiy have been generally studied by Turkish and Azerbaijani scholars. Alisher Navoiy‘s influence is strong in Fuzuli’s work, and this influence manifests itself in various aspects. The predecessor-successor relationship between the two artists can be observed in both lyrical and epic domains.
Fuzuli wrote a number of lyrical poems influenced by Alisher Navoiy‘s ghazals in response and in admiration. There are also similarities between the poem “Leyli and Majnun” by both poets, which determine the succession relationship between them.
Conclusion
Alisher Navoiy is considered as the founder of Chagatai/Uzbek literature and all Turkic literature, emphasized the importance of the Turkic languages in his works and contributed to its struggle against other world languages, especially Persian and Arabic. Alisher Navoiy is a very important figure for the Uzbek language. This great humanist is a high-profile figure not only for Uzbekistan or the Turkic world, but for the whole world. Indeed, his messages of peace must be read the world over. From Alisher Navoiy to Jadids like Abdulhamid Cholpon, Uzbekistan is a land of literature and Mirziyoyev is trying to revive a third renaissance in these lands with the concept of the New Uzbekistan.
Historian and environmental management expert on Central Asia and researcher on Central Asia post-Soviet period. Journalist for EuReporter and EuReflect and Special Director of “The Gulf Observer” for Europe and Central Asia.
