Arthur Christensen: First Non-Iranian Member of Farhangestan

TEHRAN -- Arthur Christensen (1875–1945), the distinguished Danish Iranologist and Orientalist, approached Iran not merely as a historical subject, but as a living phenomenon with social, cultural, and mythological dimensions. 

Born in Copenhagen to a middle-class family, Christensen developed an early fascination with the East, inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. By the age of thirteen, he aspired to become a linguist.
Christensen pursued studies at the University of Copenhagen, graduating in 1900 in French, Latin, and history, while learning Persian and Arabic from August Ferdinand Mehren, Avestan from Edward Lehmann, Sanskrit from Viggo Fausbøl, and Turkish from Johannes Stroup. 
His early scholarly work focused on Persian literature, with publications on Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and other literary figures before he turned twenty-five. 
His doctoral dissertation examined Omar Khayyam, critically assessing the authenticity of quatrains and establishing 121 as most likely original. Christensen’s research took him across Europe and the Islamic world, laying the foundation for modern Khayyam studies.
Christensen was the first non-Iranian elected to the Iranian Academy (Farhangestan) in 1935. He also served as a journalist covering Middle Eastern affairs and traveled to Iran three times (1914, 1929, 1934), gaining deep firsthand insights into Iranian society, culture, and history. 
His studies spanned the Sasanian period, producing seminal works such as The Sasanian Empire: People, Government, and Court (1907), Iran in the Sasanian Era (1935), and Kavad and the Rise of Mazdak (1925). He explored figures like Bahram Chobin and Bozorgmehr and examined social, political, and religious structures, with a particular focus on Zoroastrianism.
Christensen published over 300 books and articles, relying on primary sources such as inscriptions, Pahlavi texts, and manuscripts. His efforts established an independent Iranian linguistics chair at Copenhagen University, promoting Persian language and culture internationally. 
His work remains foundational in Iranology, blending historical, linguistic, and cultural scholarship with a profound respect for Iran as a living civilization.
Christensen passed away on March 31, 1945, in Copenhagen. His personal library was bequeathed to the University of Copenhagen, ensuring the continuation of research in Iranian studies. 
Through his extensive writings, travels, and teaching, Christensen’s legacy endures as a bridge between Iran and the world, illustrating a lifetime devoted to understanding and sharing Iranian culture and history.