Mir Alisher Navoi was close to the Herat ruler Sultan Husayn ibn Mansur ibn Bayqara, his foster brother and trusted adviser. He received the “Mir” title in 1472. This title usually denoted the head of the tribe, and was an abbreviated version of the word “Amir”. However, he gave up the position of Amir in 1487, along with other positions he held, for example, the position of Astarabad governor, although he continued to retain the title.
Alisher's position was due to the fact that he stood outside the hierarchical structure of hereditary clans. From childhood, he was in the service of Sultan Husayn and followed him showing his devotion. As a result, he was entrusted with all the important affairs of the state, conferring the honorary title of muqarbru-i harat-i sultani (confidant of the Sultan). With his resignation from the post of Amir, he became even more revered at court.
Sources noted his enormous personal fortune, which, along with his interest in art, made it possible to patronize cultural life at the Herat court of Sultan Husayn. Alisher Navoi was the owner of his own palace, which often hosted meetings of Turkic- and Persian-speaking intellectuals, including Abd ar-Rahman Jami, who was a friend of Navoi.
Volume XIX, Illustrated Manuscripts of the Works by Alisher Navoi in the Libraries of Istanbul from the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections series.