This work, the greatest oriental treasure of Edinburgh University Library, is one of the supreme masterpieces of Persian book painting and one of the most important medieval manuscripts from either West or East. It was written by the historian and vizier to the Ilkhanid court, Rashid al-Din, and copied in Tabriz by the author's own scribes and illustrators. There is some debate as to the exact date of this manuscript, but it was almost certainly completed within the author's lifetime, making it one of the earliest copies in existence.
This work is a world history which encompasses a range of cultures, from China in the East, to Ireland in the West, from the time of Adam. It is written in the Naskh script and contains 70 illustrated folios.