Timariot Shahbaz of Damqan (1056-) was a great Kurdish poet in the age of the Seljuk Empire. Born a Miaphysite Christian, he took part in a failed uprising against Malik Shah and was captured. Malik Shah decided to spare him, and he had Shahbaz convert to Islam. Shahbaz was appointed Court Poet under Malik Shah, and wrote several beautiful poems. He also succeeded Timariot Togtekin of Damqan as timariot of the Mosque of Damqan in Iran.
Biography[]
Shahbaz after converting to Islam
Shahbaz was born in 1056 to a Miaphysite Christian family of Kurds. In 1080, he joined Naveed's Miaphysite Kurdish uprising against the Seljuk Empire, but he was captured in battle after Naveed's death. Malik Shah held him in his dungeon briefly, but he released him after Shahbaz converted to Islam. Malik Shah appointed Shahbaz the Court Poet of the Seljuk Empire, and Shahbaz wrote several poems about Islam and Malik Shah's empire. On 3 April 1081 Malik Shah gave Shahbaz his vassal's courtier Nur as a wife.
On 17 November 1081, after the death of Timariot Togtekin of Damqan in battle, Malik Shah made Shahbaz a nobleman by giving him the Mosque of Damqan, making him the timariot. He reigned from Damqan, Qwivir as the new timariot of the mosque. His appointment made the Shahbazids a noble family.