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Social Status of Afghan Women During The History… M. Z. Saeidi & M. Ghanbari Alanaq (63
activities common practices among their role and social position. The
dynasties for survival. Timūrīd rulers of Herat, who ruled from
Despite Khwāja Niẓām al-Mulk’s 1404 to 1506, took a long time to create
concerns about women’s influence, a magnificent and lasting civilization.
Seljūk women actively participated in Although Timūr was a warrior and
political, social, and cultural affairs, power manager, he was interested in art
often consulting on educational and and artists. Sharaf al-Dīn Ali Yazdī
judicial matters (Raḥīmpūr Azġadī & pointed out this point in his book and
‘Alāsvand, 2017, p. 115). They used wrote, “From the guilds of artists and
their wealth to finance schools, craftsmen, everyone who was famous in
mosques, and public works and to some of the categories was sent to
promote Islamic culture (Ibid., p. 117). Samarkand” (Yazdī, 2008, Vol. 1, p. 290).
The era of the Khwārazm kings After the death of Timūr, his son
(1041-1231) can be seen as a Shāh Rukh (1405-1447) sat on the
continuation of the Seljūk period in throne. Shāh Rukh and his wife
terms of the role of women. Turkān Govharshād Agheh, who founded the
Khātūn, the mother of Sulṭān Shāh, had Timūrīd dynasty in Herat, were the
a significant influence on government creators of a movement that made
affairs and played a key role in the important progress in cultural life,
conflicts between her son and Teksh especially in the field of arts and
after the fall of the Arslan dynasty intellectual research, and in this way, by
(Dāneshjū et al, 2018, 38-39). lighting the lamp of science, literature,
wisdom, and mysticism became famous
3.4. Women During the Timūrīd
(1370–1507) Era in Herat (Jāvīd, 2003, p. 50).
th
The most important government that 4. Status of Women After the 19
was formed after the Mongol invasion Century in Afghanistan
was the Timūrīd government, of which 4.1. The Durrānī Kingdom
Afghanistan was part of their territory, The Timūrīd rule collapsed with the
and later, Timūr's successor, Shāh increasing power of its neighbors and
Rukh, made Herat the center of his internal conflicts. But in the late 18th
government. His period was one of the century (1747), after the death of Nāder
brightest historical periods for women Shāh Afshār, Aḥmad Shāh 'Abdali took
in all social affairs. The presence of over and established a government that
women in social, cultural, and political stretched from Herat to Delhi and from
activities of this period shows their the Amu Darya in the north to the
power and influence and also shows the Arabian Sea in the south.
change in society's attitude towards
