Rudaki's poetry in a Persian manuscript from Qajar Iran, dated January/February 1866.
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Rudaki (also spelled Rodaki; Persian: رودکی; c. 858 – 940/41) was a poet, singer, and musician widely regarded as the first great poet to compose in New Persian. Serving as a court poet for the Samanid dynasty, he is said to have written more than 180,000 verses, although only a small fraction of his work survives today. Among the best-known remnants are passages from his poetic adaptation of Kalila and Dimna, a famous collection of Indian fables.
Rudaki was born in the village of Banoj, in what is now the Rudak region. The most significant period of his life unfolded at the Samanid court. While historical accounts associate him especially with the reign of the Samanid ruler Nasr II (r. 914–943), he may already have entered court service during the rule of his predecessor, Ahmad Samani (r. 907–914).
Much of Rudaki’s success depended on the patronage of the influential vizier Abu'l-Fadl al-Bal'ami (d. 940), who was a key supporter of the flourishing of New Persian literature in the 10th century. After al-Balʿami fell from power in 937, however, Rudaki’s fortunes declined, and he was eventually dismissed from the court. He spent the remainder of his life in poverty and is said to have died blind and alone in his native village.
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