The first world historian Rashid al-Din was born in 1247 in Hamadan (Iran). Son of a Jewish doctor he embraced Islam at the age of 30.

The first world historian Rashid al-Din was a physician to the-Il-Khan Abaqa (1265-81), possibly the steward to the Il-Khan Geikhatu (1291-95), and as financial advisor to Abaqa's grandson, Ghazan (1295-1304). He was commissioned by the latter to write a history of the Mongols and their conquests, which he completed during the reign of Oljeitu (1307-16).

This work, the Complete Collection of Histories (Jami' al-Tawarikh) was at the time of completion (ca, 1307) of monumental size. The Complete Collection of Histories (Jami' al-Tawarikh) is the single most comprehensive Persian source on the Mongol period.

Of his fourteen sons, eight were governors of provinces, including the whole of western Iran, Georgia, Iraq, and the greater part of what is now Turkey. As a result of the successful intrigues of jealous courtiers, Rashid al-Din was executed in 1317.