Gates of Alexander

This folio depicts two scenes from the Iskandarnamah, the Persian version of the Medieval European epic Alexander romance. In the foreground,  Alexander the Great is holding the head of the dying, Darius III, after the battle of Issus. It is here, according to the legend, that Darius found Alexander to be so noble, that even in defeat and imminent death, Darius offered his daughter, Stateira II, to be Alexander’s bride. Baqi’s text at the bottom right reads, 

Beyond the foreground lies Alexander’s Gate, a large, apocryphal rampart, built by Alexander to keep the wild and unruly tribes of Gog and Magog at bay. These legendary tribes represent the “end of days” in the Bible, Qu’ran, and Hebrew literature.

Behzad chose to depict these scenes in particular, to tie the legacy of Alexander with that of Suleiman for a European courtly, audience. When Suleiman was advancing on Europe, most Christians were terrified of the Ottomans. By using iconography from a common story, Behzad hoped to soften the image of Suleiman as not only conqueror, but also as noble protector, from the various other Eastern invaders of the past. Scholars have also pointed out that the wall may also be a metaphor for Suleiman’s vast construction projects, as when after taking Buda, he rebuilt the walls, government buildings, and built several mosques to win the hearts and minds of his minions.