1. The theme: Famose people of Uzbekistan Alisher Navoi

1. The theme: Famose people of Uzbekistan


Alisher Navoi


Alisher Navoi was a great poet, statesman and the founder of Uzbek literature. He was born in Herat, on February 9, 1441. Navoi became a very famous poet He was active for many years in the society which was torn by endless wars after the death of Temur. Alisher Navoi got a very good education for those days. He knew all poetic forms. Navoi wrote mostly in Turkic and used Persian very little.
Navoi was well known as a literary scholar. He supported poets, scientists and artists. He was a great master of fine arts and knew how to handle a painter's brush himself He was a very good architect, and designed many schools, hospitals, inns, bridges, roads and channels. .
Navoi's poems in old Uzbek were collected into four parts, which were called "Chor-Devon". His poems in Persian were collected and called "Devoni-Foni". His most important work is the "Quintuple", five poems written between 1483 and 1485.
The first "Khairat ul-Abror" is a philosophical work. The second poem is "Farhod and Shirin". The third is "Laily and Majniin". The fourth, "Seven Planets", consists of seven short works around a common theme, the quarrel between King Bahram and his beloved Dilorom. The fifth is "Saddi Iskandari".
Alisher Navoi spent his last years in Herat. His last book, "Mahbub-al-qulub," which was written in prose, is very popular with the Uzbek people to this day. Alisher Navoi died on January 3, 1501. His works have entered the treasury of world literature and have been translated into many languages.
Answer the Questions:
1. Why is Navoi famous?
2. At what was he skilled?
3. In what languages did he write?
4. What is “Chor-Devon”?


Discussion questions:

1. What have you read by Navoi?

2. Did you like his writing?
3. Navoi was skilled at many things.At what would five things would you choose to be skilled?
Amir Temur

I n the middle of the 14th century, a fight for independence against the Mongol empire which had begun in Horoson reached Movorounnahr. The main reason for the fate of the Mongol empire was the Central Asian people’s fight for their freedom. In this fight the great leader and military strate­gist Amir Temur made his cntribution. He spent his

whole life fighting against oppression, ending the battles between the Khans and Beks and establishing a strong centralized state His name was known not only in
Turon but all over the world. He became a famous statesman and great military leader of the Uzbek people. Amir Temur was born on April 9, 1336 in the village of Ho’jailg’or near Shahrisabz. .
As his father was a rich man, he had many ser­vants. When he was 12 years old he began to rule over them. He knew how to protect the property horseman and he knew military affairs very well. During one of the battles his leg and hand were in­jured. His hand soon fully recovered but his leg re­mained lame.
In Europe he was called Tamerlane, His know­ledge of geography, medicine, history and astrono­my always astonished scholars.
Before his military march to one or another king­dom he suggested peaceful proposals, and when these kings did not agree with him, Temur began his military actions. Thanks to these qualities he differs from other kings and governors.
In the final period of his life, Temur prepared for a great campaign against China, but died in Feb­ruary 1405 at the age of 69 in the city of Otrar. His body was taken to Samarkand and interred at the Gur-Amir mausoleum.

Temur wanted to make Samarkand a city of un­surpassed beauty. Wishing to underscore the supe­riority of his capital over other world capitals, he named suburban villages Misr, Damascus, Bagh­dad, Sultania and Shiraz.

Temur built the impressive mausoleums of Sha-khi-Zinda and Gur-Emir, as well as the Bibi-khanim grand mosque, which stand to this day.
Comprehension Questions

1. 
   Tell about Amir Temur's family and his birth.
   
2. 
   What were his strengths?
   

1. 
   Against whom did he fight for the independence of his land?
   

3. 
   By what name is Amir Temur known in Europe?
   
4. 
   What handicap did Temur have?
   

Discussion Questions

1. 
   How do you think Amir Temur's childhood affected his later life?
   
2. 
   Tell about Amir Temur's character. How would you like to be like him? How do you not want to be like him?
   
3. 
   Temur was lame in one leg. How do you think that affected his life? Do you know anyone with physical handicaps? How does it affect their life?