Add MS 19365

This volume contains the collected letters of Kani. The author of the work, known as Ebu Bekr Kani el-Maani, was born in Tokat and began life as a Mevlevi in that city. He was brought to Istanbul by the Grand Vizier Hakim Paşazade (1168 AH/1754-55 CE) and followed from that time the profession of secretary. He died, as stated by Cevdet (Vol V, p. 84), in Rebiülahir 1206 AH (November 1793 CE), although Hammer places his death in 1208 AH (1795-96 CE).

From the letters in the present collection, it appears that Kani was attached to Yeğen el-Hacc Mehmet Paşa, who was head of Janissaries and lastly Grand Vezir in 1196-97 AH (1781-1783 CE). He also appears to have been a secretary to the Voivod of Wallachia and resided for quite a long time in Bucharest.

The contents of the present volume are: forms of address and titles used in writing to dignitaries (ff 11v-24v); letters written mostly in the name of Yeğen Mehmet Paşa, and to him (ff 25r-65v); letters written in the name of the Voivod of Wallachia and to him (ff 66r-80r); miscellaneous official and private correspondence (ff 80v-94v); letters written by Kani in his own name to his spiritual preceptor, Abdulvahit Efendi, Şeyh of the Mevlevis of Tokat; to the Reis ül-Kuttab; to Ataullah Efendi, secretary of the Kapudan Paşa Gazi Hasani; and to friends, relatives and others.

A rubric containing an abstract of the letter's contents is attached to each specimen, and a detailed table of the letters is found in ff 1-10.

The volume was likely copied in the early 19th century.