Turkish MS 73 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Turkish Manuscripts

A composite manuscript containing two works

Summary of Contents: A composite manuscript comprising: (A) an early 18th century copy of a Turkish version of Ghazzālī's Counsel for Kings, which contains advice on numerous topics including justice, policies and honour; (B) a mid 18th century copy of the Vefayāt, a biographical dictionary which includes entries for notable people buried in Bursa.

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Glazed cream coloured paper

Extent: ii+204+ii folios

Dimensions (binding): 211 × 133 mm.

Binding

Bound in gilt-embossed red leather.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

The first flyleaf has the price of £2.12.6 pencilled in. The penultimate flyleaf has script added saying "From J. Dickson to his much revered friend Dr. Henderson".

Formerly part of the collection of Duncan Forbes (1798-1868), orientalist, whose collection of manuscripts was acquired by Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) in 1866 through W. H. Allen.

Purchased by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1901 from James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847–1913).

Bequeathed by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1908 to the John Rylands Library.

Summary of Contents: Early 18th century copy of a Turkish version of Naṣīḥat al-Mulūk by Ghazzālī, 1058-1111. The translator is unnamed. An introduction (folios 1b-5a) contains paragraphs in praise of Sultan Selim II and Grand Vizier Soḳollu Mehmed Paşa, 1505-1579, explaining that it was commissioned by the latter when he was Governor of Aleppo (between 1551 and 1553).

1b-62b

Author: Ghazzālī, 1058-1111

Translator: Anonymous

Title: Ādābu al-Mulūk

Title: اداب الملوك

Title: Naṣīḥat al-Mulūk

Title: نصيحة الملوك

Incipit: حمد نامحدود و ثنا نا معدود حضرت حليم خلاق و حكيم على الاطلاق جلت قدرته علت كلمته يه كه (folio 1b)

Explicit: النسان كل بلاد ياتى منهن و الوفا لا ياتى مدد الازمان (folio 62b)

Language(s): Ottoman Turkish

Physical Description

Dimensions (leaf): 159 × 77 mm.

Layout

1 column, 23 lines. Mistara.

Hand(s)

Nasta‘līq

Decoration

The text has red borders and rubrication.

History

Origin: Completed by el-Hacc Mehmed b. 'Abdullah of Bursa; on Friday 10 Sevval 1171 (17 June 1758) AH,

Summary of Contents: A mid 18th century copy of the Vefayāt, a biographical dictionary which includes entries for notable people buried in Bursa.

65b-203a

Author: Baldırzade Selı̂sı̂ Şeyh Mehmed, d. 1650

Title: Vefayāt-nāme

Title: وفياتنامه

Title: Ravzatu'l-evliya

Title: روضة الاولياء

Incipit: حمد نا محدود و ثنا غير معدود اول واجب و مفيض اكخير و الجود (65b)

Explicit: الحمد للة تعالى مناصب و مراتبدن بالكليه فراغ اولنمشدر بو محلده تمام اولدقده الحمد للة ولى الانعام الى قيام الساعة و ساعة قيام (203a)

Language(s): Ottoman Turkish

Begins with Shams ad-Dīn Muhammad, known as Amīr Sultān (d 1439) on folio 66a and ends with Ebu Ishak on folio 199a. Concludes with an appendix including the author's own biography. There is a fragment of Arabic prose on folio 64b.

References

Baldırzade, Selı̂sı̂ S. M, Mefail Hızlı and Murat Yurtsever (ed), Ravza-i Evliya, Çekirge, Bursa [Turkey: Arasta Yayınları], 2000.

Physical Description

Dimensions (leaf): 150 × 89 mm.

Layout

1 column, 19 lines. Mistara.

Hand(s)

Naskh

Decoration

The text has red borders and rubrication.

History

Origin: Completed by Sālih b. 'Abdulkerīm b. Sālih in mid Zilka'de 1117 (February/March 1706) AH, probably in ; Bursa.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Catalogue information compiled by Elizabeth Gow from Jan Schmidt, A Catalogue of the Turkish Manuscripts in the John Rylands University Library at Manchester. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2011

Availability

To book an in-person or online appointment to consult the manuscript, visit Using the Special Collections Reading Rooms. For any other enquiries please email uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk.

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