Erdogan’s Affinity for Persian Literature: A Legacy of Turkic Patronage from Samanid to Ottoman Courts

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s public admiration for Persian literary giants like Jalaladdin Rumi and his recitation of Azerbaijani nationalist poetry reflects a deep-seated tradition among Turkic rulers. This tradition, spanning over a millennium, reveals how Persian literature became a cornerstone of cultural and political identity for Turkic dynasties, from the Samanids and Seljuks to the Ottomans. By examining this historical lineage, we uncover why Erdogan, as a modern Turkish leader, continues to champion Persian literary heritage as a tool for national pride and geopolitical influence.

The Samanid Revival: Laying the Foundations of Persian Literary Prestige

The Samanid Dynasty as Cultural Stewards

The Samanid Empire (819–999 CE), rooted in Khorasan and Transoxiana, played a pivotal role in revitalizing Persian language and culture after the Arab conquests. As Iranian rulers under nominal Abbasid suzerainty, the Samanids strategically promoted Persian as a vehicle for administrative and cultural unity. Kings such as Nasr II (r. 914–943) and Mansur I (r. 961–976) transformed Bukhara and Samarkand into hubs of learning, patronizing poets like Rudaki, often hailed as the father of Persian poetry, and the epicist Ferdowsi, whose Shahnameh (Book of Kings) became a seminal text of Iranian identity.

The Samanid court’s emphasis on Persian was not merely cultural but political. By commissioning translations of Arabic scientific works into Persian and fostering a literary renaissance, they asserted a distinct Iranian identity within the Islamic world. This "Iranian Intermezzo," as historians term it, established Persian as a lingua franca of art and governance, a legacy later adopted …