User talk:Nepaheshgar/Designation of the term Iran from Sassanids till the establishment of the Safavid dynasty

In the era after the Sassanid downfall, the name Iran/Iranshahr was still widely used. Some have tried to make a false claim that the name Iran was just used by Ferdowsi as a mythical land and then revived by the Safavids as a political entity. The best way to prove them wrong is to show that the name Iran is used by multitude of writers, poets and historians in the Saffarid, Samanid, Ghaznavid, Seljuqid, Mongol and Turkomen/Timurid eras. Of course it is well known that the Safavids used it for their land, so we will not go in detail into the Safavid era.

But the name was also used profusely before the Safavids by multitude of writers, poets, statesmen and historians. We can see that for example in the 10th century A.D., Hakim Meysari writes in Persian, because he says his country is Iran and most people know Persian rather than Arabic. A very strong statement showing self awareness of both his land (Iran) and people. We also have a reference for example from Qutb al-Din Shirazi calling Safi al-Din Urmawi as the sage of Iran, both man being from Iran. Finally, the name Iran is used by both poets and also historians (Tarikh Sistan, Hamza Isfahani and etc.). All these examples show a clear continuity of the usage of the name of Iran from the Sassanid era. We also note that the name Iran is used both before and after Ferdowsi, so the theory of some people who say the name "Iran" was first reused by Ferdowsi is not correct. For example Rudaki, Hamza Isfahani, Abu Rayhan Biruni (quoted by Yaqut) and the Shahnameh of Abu Mansuri are all before Ferdowsi. We also note that the name Iran was used by both Eastern (Khorasanian) Persian poets as well as Western (Azerbaijan, Iraq) poets for their land. The Persian poet Qatran for example when describing the earthquake of Tabriz, or his trip over the Aras river, or praising his lods, has used this term. Same with other Persian poets like Nizami Ganjavi and Khaqani who also used the designation of Iran for their land. Nizami's direct address to the lord of Maraqeh (located in NW Iran) who commissioned the Persian story Haft Paykar is one of the favorites of Iranians : همه عالم تن است و ایران دل

نیست گوینده زین قیاس خجل

چون که ایران دل زمین باشد

دل ز تن به بود یقین باشد

زان ولایت که مهتران دارند

بهترین جای بهتران دارند

The world's a body, Iran its heart,

No shame to him who says such a word

Iran, the world's most precious heart,

excels the body, there is no doubt.

Among the realms that kings posses,

the best domain goes to the best.

Overall, the term Iran (as well as Fars/Persia in many Arabic writings) was used to denote geographical region (borders varying) encompassing modern Iran, parts of Central Asia, Caucus and Iraq. It denoted a geographical and cultural entity and many Iranians were aware of the name of their land and country as shown.

Avesta, Parthian and Sassanid times
The Avesta, Parthian and Sassanid times have been treated extensively and we will just limit ourselves to a few quotes.

In the Avesta, according to the Encyclopedia of Iranica : In the later Yashts there is only mention of airiiå and anairiiå dainhanuuo "Aryan" and (unspecified) "Non-Aryan lands.

In the 1st century BCE, Strabo (c. 64 BCE – 24 CE) would note a relationship between the various Iranian peoples and their languages: "[From] beyond the Indus [...] Ariana is extended so as to include some part of Persia, Media, and the north of Bactria and Sogdiana; for these nations speak nearly the same language(Geographica (Strabo)|Geography]]'', 15.2.1-15.2.8) ):

The name also of Ariana is extended so as to include some part of Persia, Media, and the north of Bactria and Sogdiana; for these nations speak nearly the same language.

This is one of the earliest references to the name of Iran and is significant from a historical perspective. Because it shows that the name of Iran (in its form Ariana) was used at least 2000 years ago.

The use of the term Iran and Iranshahr in the Sassanid era and later Pahlavi manuscripts is described sufficiently in the Encyclopedia Iranica article by the eminent linguist David Mackenzie.

Shapur I's inscription in Naqsh-e-Rostam also lists provinces of Sassanid Iran and Iranshahr is the collective name used by the Sassanids : The list of provinces given in the inscription of Ka'be-ye Zardusht defines the extent of the empire under Shapur, in clockwise geographic enumeration: (1) Persis (Fars), (2) Parthia, (3) Susiana (Khuzestan), (4) Maishan (Mesene), (5) Asuristan (southern Mesopotamia), (6) Adiabene, (7) Arabistan (northern Mesopotamia), (8) Atropatene (Azerbaijan), (9) Armenia, (10) Iberia (Georgia), (11) Machelonia, (12) Albania (eastern Caucasus), (13) Balasagan up to the Caucasus Mountains and the Gate of Albania (also known as Gate of the Alans), (14) Patishkhwagar (all of the Elburz Mountains), (15) Media, (16) Hyrcania (Gorgan), (17) Margiana (Merv), (18) Aria, (19) Abarshahr, (20) Carmania (Kerman), (21) Sakastan (Sistan), (22) Turan, (23) Mokran (Makran), (24) Paratan (Paradene), (25) India (probably restricted to the Indus River delta area), (26) Kushanshahr, until as far as Peshawar and until Kashgar and (the borders of) Sogdiana and Tashkent, and (27), on the farther side of the sea, Mazun (Oman).

Al-Masudi
Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn al-Husayn Al-Masudi (896-956), the Arab historian mentions one Kingdom encompassing Persian lands: The Persians are a people whose borders are the Mahat Mountains and Azarbaijan up to Armenia and Aran, and Bayleqan and Darband, and Ray and Tabaristan and Masqat and Shabaran and Jorjan and Abarshahr, and that is Nishabur, and Herat and Marv and other places in land of Khorasan, and Sejistan and Kerman and Fars and Ahvaz...All these lands were once one kingdom with one sovereign and one language...although the language differed slightly. The language, however, is one, in that its letters are written the same way and used the same way in composition. There are, then, different languages such as Pahlavi, Dari, Azari, as well as other Persian languages.

Hamza Isfahani
Hamza Isfahani (894-970) in his book "history of the Prophets and Saints" mentions : Arian which is also Persia is situation in the middle of these six countries and these six countries form its borders. Its SE is China, its North is bordered by the lands of Turk, Its Southern Middle borders India, Its Northern Middle borders Byzantium, its SW borders Africa and its NW is is in the hand of Berbers.

Samanid Gathering and Rudaki
In gathering (approximately 940 C.E.) of the Samanid rule for a remembrance of Abu Ja'far Banuwiyah, Rudaki Samarqandi one of the first Persian poets praises this Saffarid ruler. Abu Ja'far is praised as the king of Iran, ruler of Azadegan (another term for Iranians) and descendant of Sassanids :

شادی بوجعفر احمد بن محمد

آن مه آزادگان مفخر ایران

..

خلق همه از خاک و آب و آتش و بادند

وین ملک از گوهر آفتاب ساسان

..

آن ملک نیمروز و خسروپیروز

دولت او یوز و دشمن آهوی نالان

Translation: The happiness brought by Abu Ja'afar Ahmad ibn Muhammad, The ruler of the Azadegan and the pride of Iran .. The creatures are created from dust and water, fire and wind And this king is from the illuminous jewel of Sassan .. That king of the age and the victorious Khusraw His fortune like a leopard, his enemies like fleeing deers.

Istakhri
Al-Istakhari, a medieval Muslim geographer in his work al-Masalik wa Mamalik writes :There is not a land more prosperous, complete and blissful than the lands of Iranshahr. The pole of this land was Babol which was of the land of Persia and the borders of these lands were apparent in the days of the Persians..

The Abu Mansuri Shahnameh
The introduction of the Shahnameyeh Abu-Mansuri (not to be confused with the more famous Shahnameh of Ferdowsi) divides the region of the world into seven lands and the seventh land is called Iranshahr :And Iranshahr extends from the Oxus till the Nile river and other countries are the ones bordering it and amongst these seven countries Iranshahr is the greatest one in every art.

The Shahnameh of Ferdowsi
In the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, the word Iran occurs around 720 times. It occurs many times in the form: "Bozorgan-e-Iran"(Great ones of Iran), "Barr o Bum-i-Iran"(land and expanse of Iran), "Iran o Turan" (Iran and Turan), "Iran o Rum" (Iran and Rome/Greece), "Iran Zamin" (land of Iran), "Iran o Niran" (Iran and Aniran). The words Tork/Torkan occur 390 times, Chin (China, Western China) occurs 350 times, Chini (Chinese/Western people of China) occurs 190 times, Rum (Rome/Greece) occurs 195 times, Rumi occurs 250 times, Hend (India) occurs about 70 times, Hindustan (India) occurs about 50 times, Hindu (Indian) occurs about 40 times, Taazi (Arab) occurs about 80 times, Misr (Egypt) occurs about 19 times and Misri (Egyptian) occurs about 5 times. Thus as can be seen, the Shahnameh talks about distinct people and countries. One of these countries is Iran and its inhabitants are the Iranians.

Farrukhi Sistani
Farrukhi Sistani, a Persian poet of the Ghaznavid courts has bestowed praise upon Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi. In his Diwan the word Iran comes up 29 times, Iranshahr (twice) and 'Ajam (Persian) 20 times : Original Persian:

خداوند ما شاه کشورستان

که نامی بدو گشت زاولستان

سر شهریاران ایرانزمین

که ایران بدو گشت تازه جوان

Our lord, the king of vast countries

in whose name, rose the fortune of Zabulistan

He is the head of the princes of Iran,

Because of him, Iran became rejuvenated

Hakim Meysari
Hakim Meysari born in 935 A.D. has a written an important Persian treaty on medicine in verse. In the beginning of the book he write : جو بر پیوستنش بر دل نهادم

فراوان رایها بر دل گشادم

که چون گویمش من تا دیر نماند

وُ هرکس دانش او بداند

بگویم تازی ار نه پارسی نغز

ز هر در بگویم من مایه و مغز

وُ پس گفتم زمین ماست ایران که بیش از مردمانش پارسیدان

وُگر تازی کنم نیکو نباشد

که هر کس را از او نیرو نباشد

دری گویمش تا هرکس بداند

وُ هرکس برزبانش بر براند

Translation: When I decided to compose works, many thoughts ran through my mind. I wanted everyone to understand the knowledge I am writing. Either I was going to write it in Persian or Arabic.

Then I told myself that our country is Iran, and the majority of its people speak Persian, thus if I write in Arabic it is not right, because not every may benefit from that language, Thus I will compose it in Dari (Persian) So that people can understand it and recite it

The poet Unsuri
Unsuri, another Persian poet at the court of Sultan Mahmud Ghanzawi praises Mahmud as the Shah of Iran (twice), Khusraw of Iran (three times),the land that Mahmud rules over as Iran (three times) and Iranshahr (twice).

A sample of Unsuri's praise for Mahmud :ایا شنیده هنرهای خسروان به خبر

بيا ز خسرو مشرق عيان ببين تو هنر

خدایگان خراسان به دشت پیشاور

به حمله‌ای بپراکند جمع آن لشکر

و از هياطله گويم عجب فرومانی

که شاه ايران آن‌جا چگونه کرد سفر

Also in another praise of Mahmud and the Prophet Muhammad, Unsuri writes:از آن که بد به حجاز آن و این به ایرانشهر

حجاز دین را قبله ست و ملک را ایران

Muhammad was the lord of Hijaz and Mahmud is the lord of Iranshahr. Hijaz is the center/focal-point (Qibla(Mecca)) of the religion and center/focal-point of lands is Iran.

The poet Iskafi
Abu Hanifa Iskafi, another Persian poet in the praise of Sultan Masud (the son of Mahmud Ghaznawi) :خسرو ایران تویی و بودی و باشی گرچه قو یدست غره گشت به عصیان The Khusraw of Iran is you, was you and will be you.

Fakhr ad-din Gurgani
Fakhr al-Din Gurgani (circa 1040 A.D.), the poet known most well for his famous romantic epic "Vis o Ramin" has used the term Iran 25 times in his work in his famous masterpiece.

Here are some example of the usage of Iran in the book :به لفظ پهلوی هرکو شناسد

خراسان آن بود کز وی خور آید

خراسان را بود معنی خورآیان

کجا زو خور برآید سوی ایران

Translation: In the language of Pahlavi, those who are aware of it,

Khorasan has the meaning: the place that the Sun(khwar) comes from

Khorasan's meaning means bring of the SUN (place of the rising sun)

Because the Khwar (Sun) comes from its direction to Iran

In describing Isfahan, a major city of the Seljuqs where the poet composed his poem:

اگر چه فخر ایران اصفهان است

فزون زان قدر فخر جهان است

Translation:

Although the pride and jewl of Iran is the city of Isfahan

But even greater than that of Iran, it is the pride of the World

Anvari
Anvari (1126–1189), full name Awhad ad-Din 'Ali ibn Mohammad Khavarani or Awhad ad-Din 'Ali ibn Mahmud (Persian: انوری اوحد الدین علی ابن محمد) was one of the greatest Persian poets. He served at the court of Sultan Sanjar of the Seljuqids. When the Ghuzz tribesman devastated Khurasan and captured Sultan Sanjar, Anvari writes a letter to the Khaqan of Samarqand, asking him to liberate Iran from the Ghuzz tribesman : بر سمرقند اگر بگذری ای باد سحر نامهء اهل خراسان به بر خاقان بر کارها بسته بود بی شک و در وقت کنون وقت آن است که راند سوی ایران لشکر.. خبرت هست کز این زیر و ز بر شوم غزان نیست یک پی ز خراسان که نشد زیر و زبر آخر ایران که از او بودی فردوس به رشک وقت خواهد شد تا حشر بر این قوم حشر.. بهره ای باید از عدل تو نیز ایران را گرچه ویران شد بیرون ز جهانش مشمر

O wind of dawn, if you are taken to Samarqand Please take the letter of the people Khurasan towards the Khaqan of Samarqand The situation is ruinous truly and it is time that he gathers his army and sends them towards the rescue of Iran .. You have heard that the land of Iran has been turned upside down by the villainous attack of the Ghuzz tribe, Khorasan is ruined .. This was the Iran, that the people of paradise were jealous from .. A portion of your justice should be brought to Iran Even if it has become ruinous, do not count it out of the world yet

The history book: Tarikh-i Sistan
The Tarikh of Sistan is a history book that deals with the history of Sistan. The first of the book was written around 1062 A.D. while the second part of the book was written around the 14th century. In this book, the term Iran/Iranshahr is used 8 times and the term Moluk 'Ajam (Persian lands) are used 20 times.

In the Tarikh of Sistan, Yaqub Layth praises the commander Muhammad Wasil, and seeks his friendship and calls him the ''greatest person in Iranshahr and Khorasan".

Similarly in the Tarikh of Sistan, it says about a certain Ahmad Sultan :The coming of the messenger of Sultan Ahmad who was a descendant of Chighiz Khan, and his ascent to throne of Iran, and his conversion to Islam and his strengthening of the Muslims..

Naser Khusraw
Naser Khusraw(1004 - 1088 CE) was a Ismaili poet who was ideologically against the Seljuqid Sunni dynasty. In a criticism of the Seljuq Sultan, he states :برون کرده‌است از ایران دیو دین را ز بی‌دینی چنین ویران شد ایران

The devil had excised from Iran, the religion

Due to lack of religion, Ruin has been brought upon Iran

Qatran Tabrizi
Qatran Tabrizi(1009-1072), one of the first Persian poets from NW Iran has several poems praising his patrons as the ruler of Iran. In one of his poems Qatran adds : این جهان بودست دایم ملک ساسانیان                خواست سالارش خدا در ملک ساسان کند نیست کست در گوهر ساسانیان چون لشکری    تا پس آن چون نیاکان شاهی ایران کند همچو افريدون بگيرد ملك عالم سر بسر              و آنگهي تدبير ملك خيل فرزندان كند روم و گرجستان به فرمان منوچهر آورد                 هند و تركستان بزير حكم نوشروان آورد او بتخت ملک ايران بر نشيند در سطخر             کهترين فرزند خود را مهتر آران کند تا همی فرمان داور خاک را ساکن کند                تا همی تقدير يزدان چرخ را گردان کند ملک او را از زوال ايمن همی گردون کند               جان او را از فنا ایمن همی یزدان کند شاد بنشيند بکام دل بر ايوان شهی                    وز فروغ روی خويش آراسته فرمان کند

Translation of relevant parts in praise of his patrons Amir Lashkari: There is none from the descendants of Sassanids like Lashkari, so that he may sit upon the throne of Iran like his ancestors..

While visiting Arran, Qatran states .: تا به اران تویی، مدار عجب که به اران حسد برد ایران

"While you are in Arran, do not be surprised that Iran may become jealous of Aran"

Sanai
Sanai, an important Persian while praising Iranshah (an important minister in the court of Sultan Masud III Ghaznawi) states :تا در ایران خواجه باید خواجه ایرانشاه باد

حکم او چو آسمان بر اهل ایران شاه باد

آن که تا چون دست موسی طبع را پرنور کرد

ملک ایران را چو هنگام تجلی طور باد

In Iran if there is a Khwaja, it is Khwaja Iranshah May his kingly decree like the Sky be upon the people of Iranian He who like the hands of Moses, makes nature full of light May the land of Iran be like the light that Moses Saw at mount Sinai

Hakim Iranshah
Bahman-Nama and Kush-Nama are two important works of Persian poetry written by Hakim Iranshah ibn Abi al-Akhayr (11th century A.D.).

In the epic Kush-Nama, the name Iran is used 91 times and some of the provices of Iran are mentioned including: Zabol, Sepahan, Mukran, AzarAbaayegaan (Iranian Azerbaijan), Amol, Bukhara, Bistun, Khurasan, Kadarhar, Kufa and Nimruz. On the boundary of Iran, in the KushNama he says : فریدن فرخ سه فرزند داشت که از مهر هر سه دل بند داشت بر ایشان زمین را به سه بخش کرد ز شاهی رخ هریکی رخش کرد به سلم دلیر آمد از بخش روم همه کشور خاور و مرز و بوم دگر ماورالنهر و ترکان چین به تور دلیر اوفتاد آن زمین وز آن بخش ایران به ایرج رسید کجا تخت ایران مراو را سزید ز جیحون برو تا دریای پارس همان کوفه از مرز ایران شناس دگر آذرآبادگان هرچه هست از ایران شمارد هشیوار و مست

From Oxus, which was a domain of Iraj, all the way to the Persian Gulf (Daryayeh Pars) And also Azarabaadegaan and lands of Kufa are parts of Iran

In his other work, Bahman Nama, the name Iran is mentioned about 100 times. For example, Hakim Iranshah mentions : در ایرانیان است یکسر پدید چون ایران جهان آفرین نیافرید

In Iranians one finds completion The world creator has created uniquely

Yaqut
Yaqut al-Hamawi (d. 1229), a Syrian born geographer is famous for his geography bible Mu'jam Al-Buldan. He quotes the famous Iranian Muslim scientist Biruni: ایرانشهر..قال ابوریحان بیرونی: ایران شهر هی بلاد العراق و فارس و الجبال و خراسان یجمعها کلها هذاالاسم

Iranshahr..according to Abu Rayhar Biruni: Iranshahr encompasses the land of Iraq, Fars, Mountains (Media) and Khurasan

Nezami Ganjavi
Another Persian poet, Nezami Ganjavi uses the term Iran 34 times in his Panj-Ganj (five jewels). He uses the word both in his stories as well as when praising his rulers. For example, Ala' ad-din Korp Arsalan, the ruler of Maragha commissioned Nizami Ganjavi to write a work of his choice and Nezami Ganjavi voluntarily chose the Persian-Sassanid folklore Haft Paykar. In praise of Ala ad-in, he states : همه عالم تن است و ایران دل

نیست گوینده زین قیاس خجل

چون که ایران دل زمین باشد

دل ز تن به بود یقین باشد

زان ولایت که مهتران دارند

بهترین جای بهتران دارند

Translation by Professor. Julia Meysami (Haft-Paykar): "

The world's a body, Iran its heart,

No shame to him who says such a word

Iran, the world's most precious heart,

excels the body, there is no doubt.

Among the realms that kings posses,

the best domain goes to the best. "

In praise of Shams ad-Din Abu Ja'far Muhammad, who commisioned Nezami Ganjavi to write a work and Nezami Ganjavi voluntarily chose the Persian-Sassanid story "Khusraw o Shirin". Nizami uses the term "Molk-e-Ajam" which is a popular term used for Persia in Islamic times :" در آن بخشش که رحمت عام کردند

دو صاحب را محمد نام کردند

یکی ختم نبوت گشته ذاتش

یکی ختم ممالک بر حیاتش

یکی برج عرب را تا ابد ماه

یکی ملک عجم را جاودان شاه

In that day that they bestowed mercy upon all, Two great ones were given the name Muhammad, One whose pure essence was the seal of prophecy, The other who is the Kingdom's Seal, in hos own days One whose house/zodiac is moon of the Arabs The other who is the everlasting Shah of the Persian realm.

In praise of his patron the Shirvanshah who commissioned Nizami Ganjavi to versify the story of Lili o Majnoon : خاصه ملکی چو شاه شروان

شروان چه، که شهریار ایران

For a king specially like the Shirvanshah

What is Shirvan, he is the prince of all of Iran

Khaqani
The Persian poet Khaqani(1126-1198) has used "Iran" thirty times in his Diwan. For example, in the praise of the Shirvanshah Akhsatan, he states : چون غلام توست خاقانی جز غلام خسرو ایران نشو

Since your servant is Khaqani, Do not be a servant, except the servant of the King of Iran

از هند رفته در عجم، ایران زمین کرده ارم

From hind he has gone to Persia (Ajam), has made Iran a blessed Garden like Iram

In praise of Shirvanshahs:

فرمان ده اسلامیان ، دارای دوران اخستان عادلتر از بهرامیان ، پرویز ایران اخستان

The commander of Muslims, the owner of his age, Axsatan He is more just than the Bahramiyaan, he is the Parwiz (victorious one) of Iran, Axsatan

One famous music theoretician to another
Safi al-Din al-Urmawi, a famous Iranian musician is referred to by Qutb al-Din Shirazi ((1236 – 1311)) as the wise sage of Iran. According to the Encyclopedia of Islam on Safi al-Din al-Urmawi :The sources are silent about the ethnic origin of his family. He may have been of Persian People descent (Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi calls him afdal-i Īrān (A sage of Iran)).

This is a significant usage of the term, since it shows clearly that Iran was called Iran by intellectual Iranians.

Hamdullah Mostowfi
In the work Nuzhat al-Qolub (نزهه القلوب), the medieval geographer Hamdollah Mostowfi writes (Ilkhanid era) :

چند شهر است اندر ایران مرتفع تر از همه Some cities of Iran are better than the rest, بهتر و سازنده تر از خوشی آب و هوا these have pleasant and compromising weather, گنجه پر گنج در اران صفاهان در عراق The wealthy Ganjeh of Arran, and Isfahan as well, در خراسان مرو و طوس در روم باشد اقسرا Merv and Tus in Khorasan, and Konya (Aqsara) too.

According to the Encyclopedia Iranica : In the Nozhat al-qolub, (tr. Le-Strange, p. 34) it is even reported (from Estakhri) that "Arabian Eraq used to be called the Heart of Iran-Shahr(del-e Eranshahr). The general designation for the land of the Iranians was, however, by this time Iran (also Iran Zamin, Shahr-i Iran), and Iran for its inhabitants.

Rashid ad-Din Fadhlullah Hamadani
Rashid ad-Din Fadlullah Hamadani (1247 - 1318), the Persian minister of the Ilkhanids in his encyclopedic history, the Jami al-Tawarikh ("Compendium of Chronicles") which was commissioned by Mahmud Ghazan also uses Iran for the land of Iran. For example when describing the letter of Al-Musta'sim to Helagu the Mongol conquerer : همانا شاهزاده میداند که از خاور تا باختر، از شاه تا گدا، از پیر تا برنا خداپرست و دین دارند، تمامت بندهء این درگاهند و سپاه من؟ و چون اشارت کنم تا پراکندگان جمع شوند ، بیشتری کار ایران بسازم و از ایران روی به کشور توران آرم...

The Caliph according to Rashid ad-Din mentions to Hulagu that from both the lands of Iran and Turan (central Asia) there are many Muslims who are under his command and if he desires, he can unite all of them for battle, from East to West, rich and poor, Old and Young..

Mir Khvand
Mir Khvand(1433-1498), the Timurid era historian mentions: : ایرانشهر از کنار فرات تا جیهون است و وسط آبادانی عالم است. Iranshahr straches from the Euphrates to the Oxus, and it is the center of the prosperity of the World.

Aref Ardebili
Arif Ardabili, a 14th century Persian poet from Ardabil laments the destruction of Iran (presumably at the hand of the Mongols) in the epic Farhad Nama : اگر چه پیش از این از حکم یزدان

بر دست ظلم ویران گشت ایران

ز ایران دولت و اقبال برگشت

به پای پیل نکبت بی سپر گشت

بشد باد درفش کاویانی

سعادت ماند بی تاج کیانی

برفت از مملکت رسم امارت

برآوردند یکسر دست غارت

درازی یافت هرجا دست بیداد

خرابی یافت یکسر ملک آباد

بهشت آباد ایران آن چنان شد

که دوزخ با عذاب آن جنان شد

The first line says:

Even though from the decree of Yazdan,

the land of Iran became ruined through injustice

Fortunate and goodness fell from it

Without a shield, the ill-fortunate feets of Elphants ran over it

...

The heavenly Garden of Iran became so transformed

That the tormenting hell seemed like heaven next to it.

Sa'ad al-din Haravi
The poet Sa'ad al-Din Haravi, originally from Herat visited Isfahan and several other cities within modern Iran and composed the following lines in their praise : نسخهء فردوس اعلی، اصفهان است اصفهان

نیست شهری مثل آن از قیروان تا قیروان

ملک ایران را که از اطراف عالم خوشتر است

همچو شخصی دان که باشد از هنر او را روان

اصفهان او را سر و کرمان و شیرازش دو پای

ری یکی دست است و دیگر دستش آذربایگان

The face of the high heaven, is Isfahan, is Isfahan

There is no city like it from East to West

The land of Iran which is more pleasant than all lands

Consider it like a body where art overflows from it

Isfahan is its head, Kerman and Shiraz its two feet

Rayy is one hand and the other hand is Azerbayegaan

Ottoman letters to Ak Kayunlu
In letters from the Ottomon Sultans, when addressing the the kings of Ak koyunlu, such titles as Malak al-Molook al-Iraniyyah (King of Kings of Iran), Sultan Salatin Iraniyyah(Sultan of Sultans of Iran), Shahanshah Iran Khadiv ajam (King of Kings of Iran and the Ruler of Persia), Jamshid Shawkat wa Fereydoon Raayat wa daaraa deraayat (Powerful like Jamshid, Flag of Fereydoon and Wise like Darius) have been used.

Uzun Hassan and Safavids
Ismail I the founder of Safavids followed upon his maternal grandfather when choosing the title "Padishah-i-Iran" (King-ruler of Iran). According to the Cambridge History of Iran :Further evidence of a desire to follow in the line of Turkmen rulers is Ismail's assumption of the title "Padishah-i-Iran", previously held by Uzun Hasan

Safavid Era
The name Iran continued to the Safavid era and the Safavid like the previous empires and people inhabiting the land Iran, used the same geographical designation. By now though, there was a government which had unified Iran into a powerful state.

For example the Safavid book, 'Alem Araayeh Abbasi has used the name Iran/Iranians 73 times for the land and the people of Iran.

For example a sample letter of Shah Abbas to Jalal al-Din Akbar : و چون خاطر عاطر پادشاهی عالم پناهی متوجه تفحص حالات ایران...بدین جهت...شرح مجملی از حالات .. مصدع ملازمان رفیع مقام عالیشان میگردد