Jamal ad-Din Abu Muhammad Ilyas ibn Yusuf Nizami Ganjavi, greatest Persian narrative poet.
Notable Works
Panj Ganj (Khamsa): Khosrow and Shirin, Layla and Majnun, Haft Paykar
Fun Facts
Nizami's 'Layla and Majnun' inspired Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'! Born in Ganja (modern Azerbaijan), his Khamsa became the model for hundreds of poets. Remarkably, Nizami never left Ganja, yet his stories span from Arabia to China.
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