Abdi Beg Shirazi

Abdi Beg Shirazi (1513–1580), who wrote under the pen name Novidi, was a poet, historian and administrator of Safavid Iran. Although known as Shirazi, he was probably born and raised in Tabriz and served as a secretary and accountant (mostawfi) in the chancery of Shah Tahmasp I.

He first wrote ghazals and rubaiyat, then turned to rhyming couplets under royal guidance and encouragement. In 1570 he completed the Takmelat al-akhbar, a Persian universal history of the Safavids dedicated to Princess Pari Khan Khanum, and died at Ardabil in 1580.