Add MS 18071

This volume contains a history of the Ottoman Empire from the beginning of Kanuni Süleyman's reign to the death of Murat IV (1049 AH/1640 CE), by İbrahim Paşa Peçevi. Peçevi, so called from his native place, Pécs (contemporary Hungary), was attached as Secretary to the Grand Vezir Lala Mehmet Paşa (1013-15 AH/1604-07 CE). He became, subsequently, Defterdar of Diyarbakır and Beylerbeyi of Rakkah, and died in 1061 AH (1650-51 CE). He says in a short preamble that, as the conquests of Süleyman formed in his native country, Hungary, a common theme of conversation, it occurred to him to write the present record drawn partly from historical works, partly from the testimony of trustworthy persons. He names as his authorities Celalzade Mustafa Bey and his brother Celalzade Salıh Efendi; the poet Ali; Hasanbeyzade Efendi (died 1046 AH/1636-37 CE); Hadidi; and Katip Mehmet Efendi.

Peçevi's history is written in homely phrase, and without any rhetorical embellishment. As the author himself took an active share in many of the events recorded in the latter part of the period it embraces, it is of great historical value. A passage pointed out by Hammer gives us the approximate time of composition. After relating the execution of the Defterdar Mustafa Paşa, which took place in Şaaban 1041 AH (February-March 1632 CE; f 220v), the author remarks that upwards of ten years had elapsed from that event to the 'present time'. He cannot, therefore, have written that part of the work before 1051-52 AH (1641-43 CE).

The history was brought down, in the first instance, to 1041 AH (1631-32 CE), and some manuscripts conclude with that year. But in most copies it continues, as in the present manuscript, to 1049 AH (1639-40 CE).

The contents of the work are as follows: Süleyman (f 1v); Selim II (f 103v); Murat III (f 120r); Mehmet III (f 159v); Ahmet I (f 189r); Mustafa I (f 204v); Osman II (f 205r); Mustafa I, second reign (f 209v); Murat IV (ff 214v-234v). The narrative concludes with the conquest of Baghdad and Murat's return through Diyarbakır. The last occurrence related is the execution of Şeyh Rumi Efendi in the latter place, about which the author launches into a long digression on the martyrdom of Shaykh Majid al-Dīn al-Baghdādī and the invasions of Genghis Khan and Hulagu. At the end of is a brief record of the death of Murat III on 4 Şeval 1049 AH (28 January 1640).

This text was copied by el-Hac Müharrem İbn-i Mustafa el-Katip Defter Hakani el-Şehir Gözde (?).

On ff 235-237 there is a Fethname, or bulletin of the capture of Baghdad, written apparently in the same hand as the first text, but in Divani script, with the heading Bağdad'ın fethnamesidir ki beyan olunur. It is a full narrative of the siege from 8 Recep 1048 AH (15 November 1638 CE) to 19 Şaaban 1048 AH (26 December 1638 CE).

This manuscript was completed on 4 Ramazan 1098 AH (14 July 1687 CE).