Add MS 7897

This volume contains a treatise of geography compiled from European works by Mahmud Raif Efendi, with a preface by Ahmet Vasıf.

The author of the preface, Ahmet Vasıf, was a native of Baghdad who succeded Enveri as the Chronicler of the Court in 1197 AH (1782-83 CE), and was re-appointed to the same office after Nuri's death in 1213 AH (1798-99 CE). He was ultimately raised to the post of Reis Efendi in 1220 AH (1805-06 CE), and died in the following year.

In the preface, after some remarks on the importance of geography, Vasıf says that a new impulse had been given to the long-neglected science by the reigning Sultan, Selim III. Early works, such as Kitab-i ricar by Şerif Edrisi, and the Cihannuma, being out of date, necessitated the curent Reis ül-Kuttab, Mahmud Raif Efendi, who had previously been posted to England as Secretary to the Ambassador of the Porte, to apply himself to the study of geography. He thus compiled in one volume all of the essential principles of this science. He had proposed to translate it into Ottoman Turkish, but finding himself prevented from doing so by his official duties, he entrusted that task to a proficient linguist, Yakovakı, who had previously filled the post of Chargé d'affaires in Vienna or another German-speaking city.

The translation was presented to the Sultan, who ordered its printing as an accompaniement to some previously printed maps. The Reis ül-Kuttab and the writer of the preface were directed to revise the text for press and to add to it some necessary explanations. The present copy has been transcribed from this revised edition.

The work is divided into fifteen chapters or fusul. The first ten are devoted to preliminary notions of geography and astronomy. The last five, which form the main part of the volume, contain the detailed accounts of countries as follows: (XI) Europe, beginning with England, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, etc. and ending with Ottoman possession on the European continent (ff 29v-78v); (XII) Asia, beginning with Ottoman lands on the continent and ending with Sri Lanka and the Maldives (ff 78v-110v); (XIII) Africa (ff 110v-127v); (XIV) the Americas (ff 127v-147v); and (XV) lands of the North and South Poles, as well as islands newly contacted by Europeans (ff 147v-157v).

In the subscription of the present copy, the work is also called the Atlas-i cedid, while the outer edge of the volume contains the lettering Tercüme-yi atlas-i cedid.

This volume was completed on 26 Şaaban 1223 AH (17 October 1808 CE).